Lately, I can’t stop thinking about one specific concept: impermanence. In some popular philosophies, the idea is that the only permanent thing in life is change itself. It’s a relevant sentiment, even more so within the context of the fashion industry. Because something “new” is always considered à la mode—whether that’s trends, designers, or buzzy items. Transformation is an inevitable part of what makes fashion, well, fashion. But for those who aren’t fans of change, much less the prospect of continuously updating our closets, it can be tiring to keep up. At the same time, the possibility of sticking to a capsule wardrobe isn’t for everyone. So how does one strike a balance, then? It all lies in being able to identify which trends will actually be around for the long haul. It’s not about adopting every niché item you see on the internet; instead, it’s about investing in a few pieces that carry from one season to the next. Wondering which trends transition from spring to fall? In search of that answer, I scrolled through countless spring/summer 2023 and fall/winter collections 2023 to identify trends that will be around for the rest of the year. Change may be unavoidable, but so is the continuity of these 12 trends across collections. These trends prove that as much as things change, they stay the same.
Maxi hemlines first bubbled up last fall and have continued to evolve ever since. But possibly the most sweeping iteration of this trend was longline maxi coats. They were prominent in The Row and Saint Laurent’s S/S 23 collections and Luar and Brandon Maxwell’s F/W 23 shows. And while summer may be on the horizon, for those already thinking about what they can buy right now and still wear in the fall, this makes for the ideal long-term purchase. My tip is just to be sure to opt for an iteration of this trend that lends itself to being seasonless—e.g., one that comes in neutral hues and more lightweight fabrications like satin, cotton, corduroy, or velvet.
You’ll want to click-in to see the tie details on this trench.
You had me at velvet.
Nothing beats a longline trench coat.
Let’s be frank: most of us consider “long-lasting” colors to be neutrals, like beige or black. But when shifting through runway collections, it became impossible to deny the prevalence of one specific color trend: red. It wasn’t just that we saw shades of saffron across S/S 23 and F/W 23 shows; even the runway’s sets were decked out in color. For instance, a model walked down a red carpet wearing a matching suede set in a zestful shade of saffron at Ferragamo’s spring show. Similarly, a model strutted in front of a bright red backdrop at David Koma’s fall show, donning a longline coat adorned with red feathers. Multiple shows across seasons showed that this punchy primary color could be considered a neutral hue in its own right.
Power suiting at its finest.
Spice up your white button-down by pairing it with these trousers.
Hot, hot, hot.
Every season there’s always a print trend that manages to slither its way back into relevance; such is the case with the return of snakeskin. We first saw this print return to the runways in S/S 23 collections. But unlike past iterations of this trend, its former costumey feel was shed, and in its wake, we were left with ultra-sleek iterations. For example, we saw leather coats in various shades at Khaite, Tod’s, and 16Arlington spring collections. While in fall collections, it was given a more femme-fatale feel with the adoption of form-fitting pants with cutouts and pretty pleated dresses (see: Rokh and Puppets and Puppet’s collections). Looking at both seasons, it’s clear that this print will have us wrapped up for the unforeseeable future.
You can style this with strappy sandals in the spring and a leather jacket and moto boots in the fall.
The key to making snakeskin feel sleek lies in opting for pieces made from luxe materials—e.g., this top which is made from a suede blend.
Style this with a crop top for an evening out or a button-down for a work-apropos outfit.
If you can recall, we first saw designers shift away from tiny purses in lieu of oversized silhouettes this last fall—they haven’t looked back since. While most may associate the return of large bags with those more traditional silhouettes (e.g., carryalls or shoulder bags), this year’s collections proved that no bag style is safe from being super-sized. Surprisingly, there was a wide embrace of colossal clutches across S/S 23 and F/W 23 collections. For example, a matching chocolate brown teddy set at Brandon Maxwell’s autumn show was accessorized with an oversized clutch. But we didn’t just see this silhouette blown up; designers took different styles like jumbo shoulder bags and totes and had models carry them down the runway as if they were clutches (see: Jil Sander, Dries Van Noten, and Y/Project). The overall result was a handbag trend that (excuse the pun) is bigger than ever.
Oh, she’s chic.
The strap is detachable, allowing it to be styled as a clutch or shoulder bag.
In my humble opinion, as an owner of this bag, I believe it’s one of the best colossal clutches on the market. What’s great about it is that the leather is buttery soft, the shape is perfectly oversized, and it comes in 9 different colorways.
What comes to mind when you think of trends that reigned supreme from the twenty-tens? Bandage dresses? Or flower crowns, perhaps? I always reminisce about one specific trend: peplums. One could argue that this style was so beloved back then that it almost became too saturated and led to being avoided for years…until now. Across recent collections, this style has not only been reincorporated into the mix, but it’s been given a grown-up spin. For example, Tory Burch’s S/S 23 collection had multiple high-neck tunics with subtle peplum hems. While in Balmain’s F/W 23 collection, we saw an off-the-shoulder velvet top with a dramatic contrasting white peplum. The new versions of this style are less about being overly frilly but rather focusing on simple tailoring that’s striking.
The flare on this is subtle enough so that you can ease yourself back into this trend.
Is this not the most elegant top you’ve ever seen?
So pretty.
As aforementioned, maxi hemlines have made a major comeback. However, if you’re not looking to invest in the outerwear department right now, there is one other trend worth adding to any warm-weather wardrobe: column skirts. The minimal skirt silhouette was first popularized in the ’90s and has been reenvisioned in recent runway collections. The style came in the form of wearable denim skirts at Tibi, Burberry, and Altuzzara’s S/S 23 shows. And ultra-elegant silk versions at 16 Arlingtons’s spring show and Gucci’s autumn collection. But my favorite was the black leather maxi column skirts spotted in Tod’s S/S 23 collection and Brandon Maxwell’s F/W 23 collection—they felt like the ultimate transitional piece. Whether this style was in leather, satin, linen, or denim, it always looked good. This skirt’s prevalence proved that the best trends come back in style because they’re versatile enough to weather the test of time.
Three words: maxi leather skirt.
Trust me; you’ll wear this all summer.
The low-slung waistline on this skirt is so cool.
Compared to other wardrobe items, jewelry is far less influenced by trends—after all, diamonds are a forever thing, amirite? Jokes aside, even with so many heirloom-worthy pieces in the world, jewelry trends still bubble up from time to time. And if you were to scroll through countless runway images (like I did), you’d likely glean that many designers’s accessory of choice this season were bold bracelets. And we saw them in every form, from layered sculptural arm cuffs in Tory Burch’s spring collection to single arm cuffs in Rokh’s fall collection. At the same time, Brandon Maxwell’s fall collection featured looks with oversized chunky bangles at Brandon Maxwell. And then, there were shows from legendary fashion houses like Ferragamo and Saint Laurent, where stacks of arm cuffs and bangles were styled together. Overall, the feeling of the season was that jewelry was always relevant, even more so when you embrace stacking on the bling.
Pro tip: layer on the bangles to make them feel special.
This lucite cuff gives a whole new meaning to the term “wearable art.”
I own a few bangles from Jenny Bird, and they’re my absolute favorite.
Much like jewelry, suiting is one of those things that doesn’t live within the confines of what’s “trending” because it’s always stylish. Nonetheless, certain silhouettes can dominate from season to season—the most recent being sharply tailored suiting. Across S/S 23 and F/W 23 collections, we saw designers shift away from the oversized fit. Instead, we saw a focus on tailoring around the waist and shoulders to create a dramatic silhouette that feels ’80s-inspired without going overboard. For example, a simple black blazer was given a subtle edge at Lanvin’s spring show with slightly-padded shoulders. While at Rokh’s show, the blazer was dramatized with the addition of a built-in belt and big shoulder pads. And then, there were Saint Laurent and Versace’s fall collections, which featured blazers with dramatic shoulder pads that were balanced with natural hues, sublime tailoring, and styling. Overall, the subtle tailoring details across the collections showed that looking sharp while on the clock can be easy (if you opt for a fitted blazer).
A white blazer will always be stylish.
Meet: the perfect everyday blazer.
Corduroy is making a comeback.
Warmer days are ahead, so we obviously can’t skip talking about dresses! While there are numerous types of dresses that make for great long-term investments, if you’re interested in being somewhat aligned with runway trends, then you’ll want to consider buying a draped frock. We saw draping play a major role both in the S/S 23 and F/W 23 collections of designers around the world. For example, there was an ultra-slinky draped dress in Versace’s spring show and a bright-pink linen dress with draping around the waist and bustier at Jacquemus. While Bottega Veneta showed a draped mint green dress in its fall collection. And Ferragmo had multiple draped pieces, including a navy blue draped mini dress with a high neckline in its fall show. Though each show played with different draping techniques and used different fabrications, each iteration of this trend was utterly delightful.
Jacquemus gets me every time.
Ok, Zara, pop off.
Your search for the perfect wedding guest dress is over.
I know what you’re thinking, dear reader, “Tights, really?” I’m aware that hosiery is a staple every woman should have in her closet. However, pantyhose played a significant part in S/S 23 and F/W 23 collections, so it would be a failure on my part, not to mention them. You see, despite being one of the most underappreciated undergarments, we saw countless runway looks where tights were either a part of or the main focus of the look. For example, we saw more traditional styling in Khaite’s spring collection, where dresses were paired with opaque hosiery. While at Trussardi’s fall show, they peeked out from underneath long-line coats. But the true trend-forward element of this otherwise timeless intimate is the more “risqué” styling we saw—e.g., Bottega Veneta’s spring collection featured a pantless look where sheer tights were layered underneath hotpants and styled with a sweater and slingback pumps. At the same time, in Victoria Beckham’s fall collection, an oversized blazer was styled as a dress and paired with fishnet tights and platform heels. The wide adoption of tights in 2023 collections is a reminder that the key to nailing transitional dressing always comes back to taking those tried-and-true pieces and getting creative with the styling.
These tights are a fan-favorite among our editors.
Like it or not, fishnet tights will be big this fall.
Love the floral detail on these!
If you thought that your footwear for spring would have to be vastly different than your fall wardrobe, think again. Obviously, there are some shoe styles you likely will want to invest in for spring (e.g., sandals); however, that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few options that you can wear year-round. In fact, after scouring multiple collections, I’m happy to report one style will remain relevant for the rest of the year: pointed shoes. It wasn’t so much that we saw designers focus on one specific type of pointed shoe; rather, it was all about embracing the toe shape in general. For example, we saw pointed pumps adorned with zipper-inspired hardware in Coperni’s spring show. At the same time, Bottega Veneta sent mules and wedges down the runway with sharply pointed toes. And then, in fall collections, we saw pointed kitten heels at Miu Miu and Prada adorned with buckles and 3D flowers. Though pointed-toe shoes ran the gambit across both seasons, it ultimately was a great test case for the style’s versatility. And it was a reminder that looking on-point from season to season doesn’t require a million pairs of shoes; you just need one great pair.
I couldn’t think of a more perfect pair of pumps for work.
BRB will be dreaming of these Bottega Veneta pumps indefinitely.
Metallic shoes are still trending, so consider this your sign to hop on the bandwagon.
You’ve made it to the end of this story, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk about the most fundamental part of all wardrobes: basics. No matter what changes are happening in the world (or on the runway), everyone has a few items they turn to for everyday wear. Of course, the concept of ready-to-wear pieces isn’t life-altering, but we’ve seen designers embrace this theme of going back to the basics across the board. In the spring collections of Tibi and The Row, there was a plethora of looks featuring minimal trousers, simple button-downs, tube tops, and well-tailored blazers. And this focus on “basics” was a theme that was even more present in F/W 23 collections. For instance, a model wearing a white tank and matching trousers made their way down the runway at Ferragamo. While at Tove, there was a look where a beige turtleneck was styled underneath a blazer with a nipped-in waist. While so many of the staples spotted in recent collections may not seem groundbreaking, their innate longevity compared to other fleeting trends is what makes them special. When there’s so much impermanence in trends, it’s sometimes nice to have something that you can hold on to for a little while longer. Change may be a fact of life, but this trend, and so many of the others listed in the story, give us a chance to slow down, and relish in the things we love for a little bit longer—who wouldn’t want to do that?
