Fall Fashion Trends in 2022

This year’s top fall fashion trends all follow three main ideas, high-quality, basic, and comfortable. It’s easy to see how this can be worn and styled by nearly everyone and still manage to look timeless and classy.

Imaan Moten, Photojournalist

While it doesn’t truly feel like it, it is finally fall. I daresay the best season of the year with colder weather, the best holidays, and last but not least new fashion trends. Now that fashion week is over, and almost all the influencers have begun to post their favorite trends, I have done a deep dive into it all and picked out what I believe are the top 5. 

The first trend and overall theme of this entire season are “basics”. While this may seem like nothing new, it is actually gaining popularity but in a rather specific way. “Basics” as a trend contains expensive high-quality items from brands such as Aritzia and Skims. Along with a very neutral color palette, the top trending colors of the fall season are consistently white, black, and brown. Another point that I want to discuss coming along with this trend is how the idea of high-quality ethically made items is on the rise. This fall, we are seeing a decrease in fast fashion, micro-trends, and anything that is super niche. This year’s trends have a common theme of being accessible and easy to style for all. 

The next trend that I want to discuss is footwear. Obviously, you have your basic trend of boots, but this year it’s kind of taken a bit of a different turn into being more casual and more comfortable. One of the top shoes at the moment is Birkenstocks and more specifically the “Boston” style. This is a clog-type sandal made of cork and leather that is from a fairly reputable brand. It has a price tag of over 150 dollars, tying in with the point from before where people are leaning towards more high-quality items that will last longer. These shoes have quite a bit of controversy because a lot of people believe that they are rather ugly, yet somehow they are still fairly endearing. Going along with this idea of ugliness, Uggs are also rising in popularity. Uggs saw their “revival” of sorts last fall, and this year they are making another comeback. Similar to Birkenstocks, Uggs are an older reputable brand, and again, they are in the 100-plus price range. Another thing to know about both of these shoes is that the more trendy versions are in very neutral browns and tans. Other honorable mentions in the footwear section include Oxford shoes, loafers, and Mary Janes. All three of these styles are structured leather shoes that give a very classy and put-together edge to an outfit. Last year, this edginess came in the form of Doc Martens, but that “hype” has sort of gone away. A YLHS student Sophia Soliman (11) writes “I think that the footwear trends are very classic and comfortable- a common theme around all the fashion this season.”

I personally really love the direction that the trends have been going this year, its all very sustainable not only environmentally but also for everyone because all the fashion is very easy to wear, style, and repeat.

— Hannah Jebelli (11)

The next trend I want to pay a little bit extra attention to is knitwear. Obviously, knitwear plays s a big part in this season annually, but this fall specifically,  there is an emphasis on big chunky knitted sweaters, which displays a very comforting Bohemian-type look. The idea of throwing a big cardigan over your outfit or wearing leggings and a ginormous sweater is gaining a lot of popularity this fall, and I predict that it will carry on through the winter. Another big fall staple is the cashmere sweaters. Prior to this year, cashmere sweaters were seen as something for older people and just not very trendy. This year, however, people have really gotten into it because the idea of having very high-quality pieces that will last you years seems very appealing.  

I believe that this year is going to be one of the best years for fall fashion because the trends this year are very comfortable and accessible. I don’t just mean this just in a physical sense, but also in a sense where nothing is super unique or different to the point where some people might feel uncomfortable with it. Students at YLHS agree as well, and Hannah Jebelli (11) states that “I personally really love the direction that the trends have been going this year; its all very sustainable not only environmentally but also for everyone because all the fashion is very easy to wear, style, and repeat.” With the concept of purchasing items that are higher quality and last longer, the fall trends this year are universal and encourage a very important sentiment of not supporting fast fashion.