It’s mid July and serious summer sale season starts next weekend at our annual Crazy Days event.  As we mark down summer and transition the store to sales racks, I always start looking forward to the new fall merchandise that will begin arriving in August and, in earnest, in September.  While most of you are just embracing summer, we in the fashion industry are already shifting gears to fall.

Most of my early fall deliveries will be from vendors that require pre-booking; in other words, I ordered this merchandise last February while I was at market.  That seems like an age ago with the last several months being so dominated with Covid-19.  I wanted to re-mind myself of the significant fall fashion trends, so I looked up several trend reviews and wanted to take a minute to give you an over-view of which ones I think we will see here on the streets of Casper, Wyoming.

Fringe: this trend continues to be strong, but the most edgy version of fringe has morphed into long, car wash style fringe.  While I doubt we will see much of this dramatic fringe, we will see fringe on purses, tops, accessories, vests and jackets.  This cute top from Vocal, as an example, added interest and detail with a layer of blinged up fringe at the shoulder.

Equestrian: look for lady like and tailored suits  as well as the return of the tall riding boot as a footwear trend.  Here in Wyoming, we love tall boots because they are so practical for our snowy days, and they work with everything from skinny jeans to skirts and culottes.  We are a little too casual for suits, so I don’t expect to see much of this trend make it here, but we definitely see the boots.

Grunge: this ultimate casual trend is the iconic plaid shirt tied around the waist and paired up with a graphic tee and beat up jeans.  It also includes camo prints and thick soled, lace up boots.  The teens can really take this trend to the edgy side, but for us older women, we need to just play around with some of the elements.  Take, for example, the picture above.  This cute camo printed top is nodding toward the trend, but we’ve toned the look down with a solid and not beat up olive jean and loafer instead of heavy boot.  Still, this is the trend driving the beat up (ripped, holes) jean trend so we will continue to see these jean styles take center stage.

Shag: shearling jackets will play a key role this season, and you’ll be seeing some serious shag in long coat cardigans, sweaters, and vests.  A little shearling goes a long way, and this look can add bulk so be careful to do this one in moderation.  A toned down version of this trend might be a shearling collar or detail as opposed to an all over look.

Cut Outs: this trend has been with us for awhile now.  It began with the cold shoulder styles and has now morphed into cut outs as a design element usually located around the neckline and shoulder area.  Notice the cut out triangles on the neckline of this top, as an example.  As with any trend, there is an edgy side and a conservative side.  With cut outs, it correlates to the size of the section that has been cut out.  The larger the cut outs, the edgier the item regarding trendiness.  To keep it classy and more conservative, choose cut outs that don’t show you bra strap and are small and tasteful.

Capes: this trend is one of my favorites because capes always make me feel very fashionable.  This is the perfect look to wear in the fall and is therefore something to shop for early in the season, as once the snow flies around here, it gets too cold to wear a cape. Another benefit of capes, is they really never go out of style.  Like camo or animal print, they just come in and out of being on the top trend list.

Chains: look for chain details on belts, handbags, boots, and the like this season.  The heavier gauge the chain, the edgier the trend.  This trend can move towards grunge and rocker, so be careful to keep the chains small and tasteful.

1940’s: it’s the season of lady like looks that hearken back to the 1940’s including shirt waist dresses and sweet polka dots.  Look for lady like suits, dresses and pant and top combos that highlight the design styles that were prominent in the 40’s.

Sweater vests: the classic men’s wear v-neck sweater vest will be a key trend this season, and they look amazing paired over a collard blouse.  Complete the look with with slacks or skirts for a classic office style.

Victorian jackets: this trend has been inspired by the movie Little Women.  These jackets often have puffed sleeves with a high collar and very tailored fit.  Another common quality are large metal buttons either running down the middle of the jacket or on both sides.

In the next weeks, I’ll be covering more fall trends including the key colors of the season.  Stay tuned for more blog posts or, to watch a video covering these trends, please join our VIP Facebook Group, Fashion Crossroads Fashionistas.  I’ll be doing a Fashionable Friday live video today at 6 p.m. MST and one lucky live viewer will win a free gift.  Join now.