Autumn/winter 2014 fashion trends
Summer is drawing to a close and that means it’s time to look ahead to a new season in fashion. The autumn/winter 2014 fashion trends promise plenty of fresh silhouettes and exciting new trends, so let’s jump right in with a look at some of the major trends and key pieces to invest in this season.
This season’s pants silhouette: slim and sixties
There was definitely a retro feel to many of the autumn/winter 2014 fashion trends—think the Beatles in the early sixties. Stovepipe slacks, with a slim, cropped cut, were topped by more voluminous layers up top. Designers like Tom Ford are serving up these pants in a variety of neutrals and jewel-tone colors, and in fabrics from wool to denim. You can start wearing them now by cuffing them short and wearing them with your favorite brogues, drivers or leather sandals; once the temperatures drop, add a stylish pair of leather boots.
As for topping those pants, roll-neck sweaters are huge this year. Look for a fine-gauge knit for office wear and a bulkier fisherman-style sweater for the weekend.
Coats and jackets
This season sees a new, more relaxed silhouette in raincoats to fend off autumn gales. Raglan sleeves and a more relaxed silhouette are in keeping with the overall sixties throwback mood of the season. These less structured coats work just as well at the office as they do for casual autumn days.
One of the biggest autumn/winter 2014 fashion trends is the quilted coat. If that phrase has you sweating in fear of those ghastly puffers that used to be so popular, never fear. Quilted jackets have made a return to the catwalk, but in a slim, streamlined style that won’t add bulk. Look for a variety of styles, from bombers to parkas.
Texture is back in a big way as well, once again paying a nod to trends of the past. Furry coats and even sweaters were everywhere, with designers like Dolce & Gabbana showing off oversize furry coats to keep you toasty on even the chilliest of winter days.
Finally, for the past few years we’ve seen predominantly a mix of collarless bomber jackets and preppy sport coats on the runways. This season, the biker jacket returns to the mix, both in classic black leather and in a variety of other colors and fabrics for a less traditional take on the trend. Adding even more interest to this trend, biker jackets are being layered with suiting and with raincoats or long furry coats during the winter months. The beauty of a biker jacket is that the more worn-in it looks, the better, so you can really give them a beating—it’ll only add to the authenticity of the look.
The hot new shades of autumn/winter
Autumn and winter are traditionally seasons dominated by blacks and greys, but this year designers surprised by embracing pops of pumpkin orange, both head to toe and on accessories. Hardy Amies offered a more subtle touch of color by pairing orange trousers with a grey sport coat. The color-shy can also try a hit of orange on a scarf or gloves for the winter months.
Another big autumn/winter 2014 fashion trend is dark hues of green, both head to toe and used as an accent. On suiting, bomber jackets, scarves, shoes and more, this shade offers an instant shot of warmth for your autumn/winter wardrobe, yet remains neutral enough to mix with other colors. Gieves & Hawkes showed off head to toe forest green with cognac boots, but you can also add a single green item—such as a sweater—if you’re not inclined to wear a single color head to toe.
Meanwhile, there’s a new color trend in evening wear: brown. The predominant red carpet alternative to black for the past few years has been the navy tuxedo, or alternatively a mixture of navy and black, but it looks like designers are finally moving on to something fresher. Shades of brown, camel and cognac are starting to pop up for the autumn/winter season, and while they can’t replace black for very formal events, for times when a little creativity is permissible, this is a nice way to stand out from the pack.
Finally, black and white looks to be a surprise trend this season, even from designers typically noted for using lots of color and pattern in their designs. The monochromatic looks isn’t just trendy, it’s a great way to look pulled together while traveling, since all of the pieces you pack can easily mix and match with one another.
Checked suits and touches of camouflage will be popular again this year, so if you bought into either of these trends last year you’ll be happy to know you can wear your pieces for another season. Mix them into the new autumn/winter 2014 fashion trends, perhaps with touches of green or a new coat, to update them for a new year.
Autumn/winter 2014 accessories
If you’re “not a hat guy”, then you’re out of luck this fall: felt fedoras and related wide-brimmed hats were all over the runways for autumn and winter. If you’re worried such a topper will make you look like an extra in a period gangster piece, take a cue from designers like Oliver Spencer, who paired the hat with cuffed slacks, a pullover sweater and a leather bomber jacket.
Recently there’s been a trend toward a scarf/cape hybrid as a type of jacket alternative on chilly days, and designers like Burberry Prorsum eagerly embraced this trend in their collections. The pashmina-like accessories are definitely more suited to street-style-esque casual days, not formal events or the office.
Finally, those oversize satchels that started to pop up last winter are back again for autumn/winter 2014. They hold everything a man could need—even a laptop case and your lunch bag—so they’re great for long days in and out of the office, or even as a carry-all for a couple of nights out of town.
