If You Hate Pretty Things, Keep Scrolling—This Fall Trend Will 100% Blow Up

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Coperni; Courtesy of Fendi)

Fashion and pretty things have always gone hand in hand. The two are practically one and the same. But until designers debuted their fall/winter 2022 collections back in February, the two's connection wasn't quite so obvious to the untrained eye. 

From the overall ubiquity of baby pink—which isn't traditionally included in a fall color palette—to the existence of micro-trends like floral appliqués (at Coperni), draped fabrics (at Stella McCartney), and crystal netting (at Miu Miu), fashion this fall is predicted to be pretty with a capital P. Unless you're one of the few people who hates pretty things, this next bit will be an especially pleasant surprise: You don't have to wait until September to get started on the season's biggest trend. 

Keep scrolling to shop the prettiest trend fall has to offer ahead of time. 

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Stella McCartney)

At smaller brands such as Di Petsa and Khaite and established labels such as Stella McCartney and Loewe, exaggerated drapes reigned supreme for fall, with countless looks featuring billowy fabrics folded and twisted around each other in the prettiest of ways. Of course, the art of draping is hardly new to the fashion scene, but fall's selection felt undoubtedly more intentional and delicate than any drapes showcased in past seasons. 

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Miu Miu)

Pretty doesn't even begin to describe the various forms of crystal-netted fabric found at Miu Miu, Christopher Esber, MSGM, Elie Saab, and more for fall. The perfect mix of masculine and feminine tropes—the armor-like silhouette appeals to the more masculine side, and the crystal embellishments err more on the feminine side—this trend is nothing if not aesthetically pleasing. 

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(Image credit: ImaxTree/Burberry)

The lingerie-as-outerwear trend continues for fall with a more elevated and obvious spin compared to how we adopted it during the COVID lockdown. Back then, the lingerie trend mostly consisted of boxer shorts and bras being worn as tops. At most, we let our underwear peep through a sheer fabric or show above the hemline of our jeans. But Burberry, Erdem, Brandon Maxwell, and more took it a step up for fall, entering the boudoir and showcasing vintage-inspired lingerie meant to be worn on top of your clothes as opposed to underneath them. 

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Bottega Veneta)

I still remember when I saw this look from Bottega Veneta for the first time. Shocked by the visual appeal of its translucent sequins and how they displayed the electric-yellow slip underneath, I could tell instantly that it would stir up a major trend. And indeed it has. Showcased at 16Arlington, Nensi Dojaka, and Eckhaus Latta as well, sheer sequins are skyrocketing into popularity due in part to Hailey Bieber and Kate Bosworth, who both already wore the same F/W 22 dress by 16Arlington. 

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Brandon Maxwell)

Skirts will, without a shadow of a doubt, play a huge role in our fall wardrobes this year. Mini and maxi styles alone are set to dominate, but there's another silhouette gaining traction for the season that my colleagues and I found prettier and more interesting than the rest of the bunch: full skirts. Reminiscent of those worn in the 1950s, the voluminous A-line skirts found at Brandon Maxwell, Bottega Veneta, and Emilia Wickstead have an inherent vintage and hyper-romantic feel to them, making them a must in any fall wardrobe. 

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Coperni)

Florals for fall are groundbreaking enough, but tiny floral appliqués? Now that's inventive. Spotted at Coperni, Rodarte, Blumarine, and Alaïa (and those are just the highlights), this 3D trend is heading straight for viral status, especially since Bieber already wore one of Coperni's flower-embellished F/W 22 pieces to a recent Rhode press event. 

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Fendi)

Translucent clothing is about to hit its prettiest point, mostly thanks to Fendi's F/W 22 collection. Filled with lingerie-like sheer slips and sets, the label's fall offering was designed in pale shades of pink and green and paired with cashmere gloves and furry shawls. Stunning in its simplicity, the translucent trend is going to be huge come September, with the goal being to choose delicate styles and embrace the sheerness of silk and mesh fabrics. 

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Coming up next: These Are the 11 Biggest Trends for Fall 2022

Senior Fashion Editor

Eliza Huber is a New York City–based fashion editor who specializes in trend reporting, brand discovery, and celebrity style. She joined Who What Wear in 2021 after almost four years on the fashion editorial team at Refinery29, the job she took after graduating with a marketing degree from the University of Iowa. She has since launched two monthly columns, Let's Get a Room and Ways to Wear; profiled the likes of Dakota Fanning, Diane Kruger, Katie Holmes, and Sabrina Carpenter for WWW's monthly cover features; and reported on everything from the relationship between Formula One and fashion to the top trends from fashion month, season after season. Eliza now lives on the Upper West Side and spends her free time researching F1 fashion imagery for her side Instagram accounts @thepinnacleoffashion and @f1paddockfits, running in Central Park, and scouring eBay for '90s Prada and '80s Yves Saint Laurent.