For years, I’ve been lying to myself. I’ve always said my favourite time of year in terms of fashion is autumn: the layering, the mixing of materials, the typically rich colour palette. However, I now understand that I look at this time wearing rose-tinted glasses. I hate being cold, and naturally, with autumn comes a temperature dip. I also function better and feel more up to the task of assembling an outfit in the lighter mornings—something autumn also slowly strips away. So it’s occurred to me that my favourite season to get dressed isn’t autumn; it’s pre-fall.
As the term suggests, pre-fall is the identifier of that glorious gap between summer and autumn, when there’s a slight chill in the air, but one that feels exhilarating, a jolt of freshness that not only perks you up but also inspires you anew. This summer, I’ve enjoyed wearing nothing but linen and taking my holiday clothes out of two-year storage to wear once more, but I’m ready to embrace the beauty of the blended seasons, wearing the pieces I love most from both my warm- and cold-weather wardrobes. Dresses with knitwear, sandals with leather trousers, miniskirts with woollen blazers—during the months of autumn to late September, you can throw open your wardrobe doors and embrace just about everything inside.
Still, with each pre-fall comes its own set of new trends, as showcased in the designer pre-fall collections. These are, as the name suggests, the precursor to their mainline autumn/winter offerings and will help you better understand the aesthetic that speaks to you for the season ahead. That’s not to say, however, that these trends don’t have staying power. Pre-fall collections are usually more commercially minded than the creations that make it onto the fashion week runways, meaning they’re crafted with wearability and longevity in mind. So if you’re looking to get a head start on autumn, this is the perfect place to start.
Below, I’ve pinpointed seven versatile pre-fall 2022 trends that succinctly summarise autumn's key looks and will enrich your wardrobe from the moment you start wearing them. Enjoy!
1. SHOULDER SLIPS
Style Notes: A recurring theme in many of the collections I pored through (and trust me—there were a lot) was the off-the-shoulder silhouette. As I’m sure you’ll recall, giving the cold shoulder was a big fashion mood circa 2016 and 2017, but over the past few seasons, it hasn’t felt quite as prevalent. Well, let’s hope you held on to any off-the-shoulder items you might have invested in previously, as they’re back in a big way for 2022.
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This looks so much more expensive than it is.
Our editors keep swooning over Esse Studios dresses.
An outfit I’d like to re-create in its entirety.
2. LEOPARD LAYERS
Style Notes: It was impossible to ignore the big cat energy that prowled its way down the A/W 22 runways. In fact, I’ve noticed that since the collections showed back in February, the print has begun cropping up in countless edits, both high-street and high-end. If that weren’t enough, Alexa Chung has been wearing an inordinate amount of leopard lately, and we know that she never misses a beat.
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If you buy one leopard-print piece this season, make it a dress you can wear day and night.
I’d wear these with jeans and a white tee to allow them to shine.
Just wow!
3. PACK A PONCHO
Style Notes: There’s just something about the modern poncho that feels so premium, especially when it comes in the form of wool. An integral part of the rich aunt wardrobe, the layering piece has filtering into the chicest of collections for 2022, with designer iterations barely holding stock. Layer yours over crisp shirting or a cashmere sweater, and finish with a sparkling tennis necklace for a look that says "I’m a luxury.”
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I love the branded edging on this Fendi style.
Imagine this with a leather skirt and knee-high boots.
This Jigsaw option comes in so many chic colours—take your pick!
4. REWORK YOUR SHIRT
Style Notes: Sometimes, inspiration comes from the simplest of places, and it seems that designers are quite taken with the white shirt for 2022. We all have a one hanging in our wardrobes, but to make it feel fresh for autumn, take a tip from the pre-fall collections, and style yours under a black corset or strapless top. It might sound niche, but this is a look I saw over and over again when going through the thousands of images in our pre-fall archive.
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Leave your cuffs unbuttoned to create a wider sleeve silhouette.
I’m eyeing this for fashion week.
The perfect white shirt looks great untucked too.
Corset tops aren't going anywhere this season.
5. CHIC SKIRT SETS
Style Notes: Co-ords are just about as groundbreaking for autumn as florals are for spring. (That really is the pop-culture film quote that keeps on giving, isn’t it?) Still, it would be remiss of me not to highlight their significance considering literally every pre-fall collection included at least one. This time around, it’s skirt co-ords that are coming through as the need-to-own pairing, of which there are already plenty of shopping options.
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I’m in love with this tangerine shade.
COS knows how to do plissé pleats.
The zips also tap into the biker trend that was all over the A/W 22 runways.
6. OBLONG BAGS
Style Notes: I’ll talk handbag trends all day, every day, but one I had previously overlooked for autumn was the elongated bag seen at the likes of Jil Sander. Where other brands presented bags emblazoned with logos and all the trimmings, pre-fall’s oblong silhouette is quietly statement, which I would argue is more impactful.
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Naturally, I also want the black version.
Charles Keith is my go-to for expensive-looking handbags.
So many of my colleagues own this bag—I might have to join them.
7. TIME TO TUBE
Style Notes: No one was more surprised at the return of the tube dress this summer. Because it was the linchpin of my university uniform, I raised an eyebrow when I began seeing it crop up in my pre-fall research. Though, it’s plain to see they look significantly chicer than the tight minis I used to wear. Fabrications vary between knit and heavy jersey, both of which settle on and sculpt the body beautifully. Opt for a vest neckline for day-to-day wear or a bandeau tube for elegant evenings.
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Square necklines make the tube dress feel more modern.
You can’t go wrong with a tube dress in black or white.
I want this for a couple of autumn weddings I have in the diary.
Next Up, Autumn/Winter 2022 Trends: The 15 Fashion Looks You Need to Know About
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