Temperatures are rapidly declining, grocery stores are stocking their shelves with pumpkin-flavored snacks and everyone seems to be collectively having a bonfire: fall is here. 

Some believe that fall is the best season for fashion. Julie Kiszka ‘22 says, “Fall outfits have a lot of variety and stuff to work with. Sweaters and flannels are superior to shorts. There’s more accessories, too.”

The ability to layer and experiment with patterns makes fall a great time to try a trend that takes you out of your comfort zone. 

Mary Kate Boyle ‘22 agrees that fall is the best season for fashion but adds, “the transitional pieces are really hard to work with.” 

While throwing on a hoodie is always an option, here are five fall trends on the rise:

Oversized crew neck and biker shorts

Pioneered by Princess Diana, this look is perfect for elongating the torso and showing off the legs. Town and Country Magazine even calls “fall 2021 the autumn of the Diana outfit.” Oversized outerwear is no new concept, as chunky trends have been on the rise for years. However, the trend’s connection to the newfound appreciation for Princess Diana has greatly contributed to its popularity. Make this look sustainable by thrifting a sweatshirt two sizes up from what you normally wear and cutting old leggings from the knee down. 

Early 00s Nostalgia

The Gilmore Girls have done more than serve as people’s comfort show and promote generations of fast-talkers; the styles from the iconic fall episodes are resurging Fourteen years after the show has ended. Modest button-up cardigans, bootcut denim and mock neck sweaters are flooding the leaf-covered streets. 

That’s So Tweed

Corporate America is slowly returning to the office, making it a perfect time for this business chic trend. Tweed skirts and blazer sets also play off of the nostalgia factor, most notably through the movie “Clueless” with Cher, played by Alicia Silverstone, rocking a yellow and black tweed skirt/blazer set. The woolen fabric pills when worn, adding a whole new dimension to distressed fashion.

The Birth of the “Shacket”

Fall fashion is notorious for layering. The shacket, a longer and thicker version of a flannel, adds a sense of city-life class to any fall outfit. Stitch Fix calls the shacket “the ultimate layer that effortlessly combines a shirt and a jacket.” The slightly-adjusted take on a fall staple is typically buttoned all the way up and paired with ripped jeans. On warm autumn days, the shacket can be left open to reveal a coordinating color top.

Done Playing it Neutral

While the recent rise of neutral tones like beiges, creams and black reflect an overarching generational trend, Vogue’s fall 2021 fashion guide suggests that bright, flashy color pops are not of the past and are still very much alive this season. Perhaps clothing items of this trend like hot pink fuzzy shirts, sunshine yellow turtlenecks and color-blocking sweaters are a necessary brilliance this fall.