5 Autumn Trends To Look Forward To

With summer inching along and the days getting shorter and shorter, it is time to review our autumn attire and smile gently at the prospect of tights, boots, woolly hats and coats. Autumn, in my opinion, is the best season to be fashionable as it allows us - the less blessed women on Earth - to hide away our cellulite-ridden legs in tights, our short legs in high heeled boots and to armour up with leather bags and accessories. 

But what is on for this autumn season and what should we look out for when hitting the shops (online shops in my case) to get our new autumn looks assembled? As one of the early yearners for autumn, I have already given my fall/winter season attire some thought and collected some trends to look out for this coming autumn. 

1) Animal Print

Amidst the #metoo and Times Up movements gearing up in the past months, it is only understandable that fierce and strong animal print patterns are among the most celebrated trends for the coming fall/winter fashion season. Personally, I was never one for animal prints, until I realised (as with most trends) that the detail is in the how, not in the what. Styled correctly, animal print can be fun and it definitely underlines the independence and fierceness women seek to transgress in these times. 
Moderation is a word that comes to mind when considering how to wear animal print. A bag, shoes or a coat suffice to make a fashion statement without looking cheap or overburdened. Also, the rest of the outfit should be toned down to make the animal print look even stronger. Never combine various animal prints as it looks like a confusing, convoluted zoo situation taking place on your clothes and it will reduce the "posh factor" significantly, slowly descending to cheap-town. 
My personal favourite among the animal prints is the renowned leopard print. Zebra and tiger I would quickly associate with cheap styles and unfashionable taste, though if styled properly, it can also create a fierce and elegant look. 
Why not try out this stylish autumn coat from Floryday to go with a red sweater, blue jeans and either knee-high boots (preferably in black or brown) or ankle boots? A divinely animally look brushed up with elegance, a sense for fashion and a peck of roar.  

​2) Poncho Comeback

According to distinguished designers like Isabel Marant, the all-too-well-known poncho celebrates a comeback this fall - so dig out your throw-overs (or blanket coats as they are fittingly called) and toss them over in pride. Ponchos and blanket coats are a fantastic coat-replacement in autumn - especially on those warm and glistening days of September and October where the cold is nibbling ever so slightly on us but the last rays of sunlight still make for a decently pleasurable weather - AND they look really cosy as well as fashionable which is a feature hard to get. 
My personal favourite of all blanket coats will always be Burberry's monogram poncho, yet few of us will have the necessary quids to indulge in that kind of fashion. But do not despair, there are also some reasonably priced alternatives from Target, Zalando or H&M from about 15 pounds and up. 

​3) Floral Prints

Floral prints are an all-time favourite, regardless the season. Flowers make happy, the dense pattern slims the figure and it reminds of romantic and bucolic ways of living. 
Thankfully this autumn, floral prints remain to be a must-have in everybody's closet and combined with tights and a leather jacket into a fashionable and girlish style.
In order to rock the floral style this autumn, you needn't dig deep into your pockets, H&M, Target or Asos offer a diverse range of fashionable autumn dresses with spring-like patterns which will transform well between the seasons with a pair of black tights, boots, a coat (or poncho) and a leather handbag. Voila, from beach dress to fall street wear. 
For someone with some more coins in their coffers, an all-time favourite for floral patterns remains to be Cath Kidston with their signature floral style - most of their fall/winter dresses even have longer sleeves and are therefore perfect for the colder seasons. Who said flowers only grow in spring? 

4) Plaid, tartan, check, you name it ​

Fans of Scottish patterns will be able to shop worth their money this fall/winter as plaid is one of the must-have trends to follow this fall - and what a wonderful trend it is! Primarily associated with lumber-jack shirts and heavy manual labour, it now embellishes skirts, coats, blouses and whatnot during this year's cold seasons, ensuring we look as cosy as we feel. Adaptable for a country style or urban fashion likewise, this trend turns out to be versatile, traditional and surprisingly elegant if matched with high heels, a black leather bag and an elegant coat or jacket. 
The usual suspects H&M, Target and Zalando offer reasonably priced plaid-patterned clothes; however, my personal favourite are the plaid dresses by Forever21, starting from only 10 Dollars - or you could go all traditional and by an original kilt from Heritage of Scotland. 

5) Fake Fur

With increasingly less real fur used, the cuddly companion seems to have a comeback in the form of fake fur. Fur, obviously, is a fantastic and fashionable way to keep warm during the cocoa-seasons and it now comes without a guilty conscience - which makes it so much more fun to wear. 
Fake fur can line coats or jackets, but complete fake fur jackets are trending as well (sometimes with a leopard print!) and despite their limited function as a raincoat, it should at least provide enough shelter from the snow and cold. The same goes for fake lambskin, which immediately warms up and looks cosy and elegant - which is a feature hard to get in many fashion items. 
Especially the thick, fake fur jackets go well with skinny jeans and knee-high boots or ankle boots and a bigger shopper (as small handbags drown under the predominance of the coat). 
H&M are presenting fake fur coats in light rose colours whereas Target offers a wide range of fake fur and lambswool products, ensuring a cuddly fall/winter experience when going to the lantern festivals, carving pumpkins and sipping hot chocolate at the warming fireplace. 

Regardless of what autumn has in store for you, these five trends will ensure you look elegant, stylish, cool and ready to take on the cold weather!