Earlier this year, on the heels of the fall/winter 2023 runway collections, we made some predictions about where fashion was headed for the second half of 2023. Some things were clear. The buzzword on the front row at fashion month was wearability, a word that emerged as one of the key themes of the season. Wearability was referenced countless times as showgoers witnessed the rise of luxurious, elevated, and incredibly wearable pieces on the runways. Early on, fiery red established itself as the color of the season, and it only became more apparent throughout the collections just how dominant the color would be come fall. Another key trend emerged late in the season—corporate dress codes—as boxy suiting, pinstripes, sharply pointed pumps, and attaché bags permeated designer collections.
As the fall/winter collections arrive in stores, we’re seeing a clearer direction for how fashion trends from the runway will impact our shopping habits this season, from the silhouette that is taking over to the key shoes to own to the new approach to accessories we will see on the fashion set and more. Ahead, read our fall/winter 2023 trend shopping guide and shop our edit of the must-have pieces.
Wearability—the word uttered at shows from New York to Paris—centers on the idea that clothes on the runways are, in fact, designed to be worn and lived in. Items as simple as tank tops, sweaters, and trench coats got the designer treatment in the most luxe takes. Miu Miu was a master class in casual yet forward dressing with easy cardigan looks. Tove leaned into pared-back minimalism with tailored trousers and turtlenecks. Loewe took it to an editorial level with directional knitwear. The underlying message of it all? A renewed interest in investing in seasonless pieces that are meant to be collected and restyled season after season.
As clothing gets simpler, it only makes sense that accessories are taking center stage. The conversation-starting pieces added personality to looks on the runways and are among the most in-demand items on the market as new arrivals drop. Prada’s sought-after pumps are embellished with clusters of flowers and architectural wings. Earrings are big and bold. The Row’s latest cult belt is finished with an “if you know, you know” sculptural, asymmetric buckle. And everything from giant sunglasses to the next iteration of the GG Gucci belt is emblazoned with unmistakable logos—marking the next wave of how we’ll see fashion insiders wear designer-logo items after a long run of logoless fashion. When in doubt, add a great accessory.
While working days may now be blurred between days at the office and time working from home, corporate attire practically took over during the final collections of fashion month. At Saint Laurent, Valentino, and Versace, we saw pinstriped power suiting with exaggerated shoulder pads, neckties, sleek pencil skirts, and sheer tights as this season’s take on work attire—all very “Le Smoking” by Helmut Newton and Melanie Griffith in Working Girl. Whether you’re in the office five days a week, commuting in for a big meeting once a month, or permanently remote for your 9-to-5, the fresh takes on workwear will make you feel like the most powerful person in the boardroom and beyond.
Hot, fiery red—bold, dramatic, and undeniably the key color to know for fall. Emerging brands such as Savette and High Sport and established designers such as The Row and Tory Burch made the color central to their F/W 23 collections. We saw the color styled on the runway in head-to-toe looks that layered coats with shoes and gloves for a high-impact effect. If you’re ready to embrace a tonal look, there is plenty of inspiration for how to wear that this season, but we’ll also be seeing outfits styled with hints of the color. It may be a crimson bag with a crisp white button-down or perhaps an all-black look with fire engine–red shoes to punctuate the look. No matter how you plan to wear the color, the shopping options are very robust.
Some of the most talked-about looks at fashion month? The white circle skirts that Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons debuted at the close of Milan Fashion Week. While the dramatic skirts finished with floral appliqué flowers were enough to keep people talking on their own, the voluminous silhouette has proven to make a big impact on the shape things will take this fall. Already, we’ve seen renewed interest in Alaïa’s iconic flared skirts and dresses—worn by celebrities such as Kendall Jenner, Jennie Kim, and Jennifer Lawrence. Kaia Gerber, too, was spotted in Khaite’s pleated A-line maxi dress straight off of the runway. That momentum is continuing into fall as full skirts and dresses move silhouettes in a new direction. The flared skirts with nipped-in waists are a direct contrast to the super-oversize everything that dominated fashion for the last several years.
The great flat-shoe takeover is upon us. 2023 has seen the rise of “sold out everywhere once they hit the market” Alaïa flats, ballerinas in every possible iteration, and many sheer mesh styles. What we once thought was a micro-trend has now risen to the macro level. Flat shoes are all but replacing high heels among celebrities and the fashion set, and the signs are clear that this isn’t slowing down for fall. Practically every designer has flats in their new-season drops. Rather than one specific style, we’re seeing designs ranging from Mary Janes and polished slingbacks to pointed leather and rhinestone-embellished flats. Commuters have never had it so good.
