The Autumn Trends I’m Skipping This Year – And What I’m Investing In Instead

They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and indeed, anyone who has seen a parent gushing over their toddler’s finger painting knows this to be true. But, the longer I work in fashion, the more I’ve come to realise that the same aphorism can be applied to fashion trends, too. No single style is “one-size-fits-all”. In fact, some of the best-dressed people I know are united in their ability to apply a fine-tooth comb to the runways and handpick the visual references and silhouettes that they feel a) best suit their personal style and b) possess true longevity.

However, as we all know, this is easier said than done. The sheer noise of social media can make the process of sorting the wheat from the chaff almost impossible at times – it’s no surprise that “deinfluencing” has gathered such momentum in recent months, with the hashtag accruing over a billion views on TikTok. Repeat after me: you don’t always need the thing. You life’s happiness is not contingent on obtaining the thing.

But of course, as someone who loves fashion as a hobby and creative outlet, I can find this a real challenge. Some collect fridge magnets – I collect vintage jackets. So, I decided to set myself a challenge to trawl through the autumn/winter 2024 collections and come up with a definitive line-up of trends that I will not be investing in this year, plus those I want to try instead.

Everyone will have their own criteria, but for me, it was helpful to reflect on the fashion pieces I’ve genuinely loved over the years – the “low on effort, high on impact” buys that always make me feel my best. For example, I’ve always loved the ’70s, cowboycore vibe (my most treasured jacket is a vintage fringed style I nabbed in Paris) so while Noughties-inspired, super-distressed denim is having a moment, it’s the souped-up jeans, as seen at Undercover and Stella McCartney, that I’ll be placing my bets on this season.

From Argyle knits to skinny scarves, scroll down to see my full edit.

Skipping: super-distressed denim
Investing in: souped-up jeans

Undercover’s autumn/winter 2024 show was a real highlight for the Vogue team, but it was a pair of tinsel-fringed jeans from the collection that really claimed the spotlight (you can see head of editorial content, Chioma Nnadi, modelling them here). In comparison to the super-distressed Noughties denim trend that has been making the rounds, this is a look that I feel has longevity in my own wardrobe. I’ve become obsessed with hunting down archival Christopher Kane jeans, which come patchworked with mismatched fabric panels, such as lace and gingham. Commes Des Garcons X Junya Watanabe is another lust-worthy archival collab that is worth keeping in mind for eye-catching denim.

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Skipping: baker boy hats
Investing in: skinny scarves

No matter how chi-chi Chanel makes it look, I just can’t get on board with the return of the baker boy hat. I’m sorry, I can’t, don’t hate me. There’s something about superfluous hats (ie hats that don’t have a defined, practical purpose) that has never quite sat right – on me, they just look overly self-conscious, like wearing clear-lensed glasses or carrying teeny-tiny micro bags. Instead, I am here for the return of the Y2K skinny scarf in all its indie sleaze glory. Yes, you could argue it’s just as self-conscious as a headpiece, but it’s a little less “look at this inanimate object leaning on my lid” and more, “I’m hungover Kate Moss popping out for groceries in Notting Hill circa 2005.” Is it even a choice?

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Skipping: fuzzy-texture coats
Investing in: Argyle knitwear

At the risk of sounding like your mum, sometimes you just have to think about practicality, particularly when it comes to outerwear. The autumn/winter 2024 runways were strewn with tactile textures – from teddy bear fuzz to flocks of gravity-defying feathers – but I know that the moment I wear any of the above out of the door I will appear at my destination look like a drowned (insert requisite animal comparison – rat? flamingo?). So, aside from the odd statement party jacket concession, I’ll be sticking to my sturdy winter woollens for now. What I am, however, rooting for instead is the humble Argyle jumper, which was spotted at the likes of Rave Review and Christian Dior – okay, maybe not so humble. Cosy, cool and so easy to find second-hand, this trend is giving grandpa teeing off at the local golf club, and I’m into it.

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Skipping: marigold-yellow
Investing in: khaki-green

Colour trends get me every time. Why is that? Where once I wouldn’t touch a particular shade with a bargepole, somehow its over-exposure on fashion week runways and on social media feeds slowly wears me down until I’m totally convinced that nothing would make me happier than a new coat in a brilliant shade of “Big Bird from Sesame Street”. But not this season. This season, I’m sticking to shades I know bring me joy and suit my complexion (colour analysis is always a helpful tool), which means I’ll be investing in khaki-green, as inspired by Saint Laurent and Ferragamo’s autumn/winter shows. I recently bought a pair of khaki-coloured jeans from Arket as an alternative to my usual true blues, and I also have my eye on a striking striped top from Cos, which will be perfect for autumn layering.