As someone who’s tired of their wardrobe at the end of every season, the next time that season comes around, I’m always on the hunt for easy ways to freshen it up. I’m obviously not going to acquire a whole new wardrobe each fall, so I’m here to share what I do instead. It’s not rocket science, but it’s effective.

I would say that my wardrobe consists of mostly basics, and each season, I’ll choose a few trends to throw into the mix. I try to stick to trends that’ll make the most impact on my wardrobe. For me, that means a special coat as opposed to a dress that I’ll only wear a couple of times, for example. I applied this strategy to this season’s set of trends and chose the ones that’ll transform your wardrobe. Scroll to see what I mean and shop them for yourself.

It’s pretty much a guarantee that each fall there will be some new leather (or faux leather) outerwear trend, and this season brings the shacket. It makes every outfit 100x cooler.

The checkerboard trend has certainly been around for a minute, but it just keeps going, and brands keep producing epic checked pieces. If you want to wear an even fresher version of the trend, try it in shades other than black and white.

Chunky knee boots burst on the scene last winter, and they’re definitely sticking around for fall. Consider them the newer, fresher iteration of the chunky Chelsea ankle boots that everyone bought last fall.

A sweater-vest is the preppy-chic sweater trend that keeps on giving. It’s perfect for that summer-to-fall transitional period, and there are countless cool ways to wear it.

Trench coats are nothing new, but the freshest version to shop for fall 2021 is an ankle-length one. It goes with everything and makes any and every outfit more forward.

First came baggy jeans and then came baggy trousers. I’ve put my skinny pants on hiatus because these are all I want to wear this fall. They look chic with everything, including a T-shirt, a crop top, a sweater-vest, or a vest and blazer.

Like checkerboard, two-tone pieces are instantly eye-catching and undeniably fun. Whether it’s just a two-tone item or a full-on look, the impact it makes is clear based on Yusra’s outfit above.

Cargo pants are back, and I’m kind of thrilled about it. I wear jeans a lot, so swapping denim for cargos really makes me feel like I’m embracing the “whole new wardrobe” (but not) thing.

Next up, shop 2021’s surprise It color to your heart’s content.