10 Biggest Trends From the Fall 2018 Runways

It’s official: the fall 2018 show season has come to a close and with that, we look back and synthesize. Sifting through runway imagery from across all four cities, ten trends emerged fairly obviously. Here’s what you’ll be pre-ordering in a few months.

1. Wearable Blankets
The fall shows gave us something we couldn’t need more: a luxe version of the Snuggie. After all, it’s only natural that designers would offer us protective sheaths in this #MeToo climate. Models were swaddled in down fleece as Jill Sander while a fringe-trimmed horse-blankets enveloped them at Alexander McQueen.

2. Hyperhued Eyewear
In times like these, we all need an occasional optical pick-me-up. Sunshine yellow, sky blue, hot red, blush pink will all be coloring your world come fall. Tinted frames, often in retro silhouettes, were done with greatest success at Christian Dior, Valentino, and Balenciaga.

3. ’80s Maximalism
Perhaps its because the ’80s were the era in which women rightfully staked their claim in the workforce? Or maybe designers continue to mine the decade regardless of the current sociopolitical climate? Either way, the ’80s are back and with it, the period’s most over-the-top sartorial touchstones. Look out for padded shoulders, poufy eveningwear, and acid-washed denim.

4. All Tied Up
Whether they’re tied loosely over the shoulders to subvert Eighties prep or cinched tightly at the waist to allude to futuristic utiliarianism, a knot can do a lot. Luckily, fall merch will already have them built in.

5. Faux Fur
Stella McCartney may have paved the way but Gucci, Givenchy, Michael Kors, Mary Katrantzou, and others are following suit — they’re all faking it (fur, that is). And this season not only are the faux convincing, they’re gorgeous.

6. Statement Headwear
Head-turning headwear came in all its varieties on the runways this fashion month — slick balaclavas at Alexander Wang; knit Little Red Riding Hoods stalking through the Chanel’s forestry; house homage berets at Versace; Prada’s sporty bucket hats, etc. If you don’t have a conversation starter on your head this fall, you’re doing it wrong.

7. Neon
A bold woman deserves bold clothes and neon is not for the faint of heart. For fall, pick amongst the whole spectrum of litebright hues. The beautifully brash tartan suiting from Versace is on our wishlist – who doesn’t want to look like an acid-trip version of Cher Horowitz?

8. Assymetrical earrings
The best kind of fashion is not easily digestible; it often involves a double-take. Deliberately unmatched statement earrings feel consummately directional right now and will even more so this fall.

9. Broad-Shouldered Outré
Designers updated the ’80s trope in a myriad of ways on the fall runways, having fun with the oft-bemoaned shoulder. Broadened and sharply tailored, fall’s suiting exudes raw power in fresh ways. 

10. Linking Up
Chunky metal necklaces on the fall runways were off the chain (pun, intended). A rough-around-the-edges vibe is not something fall’s woman is going to shy away from and throwing the iconically street piece on eveningware just feels totally cool.