12 Trends for Fall 2020

As we enter a new season and continue to find ourselves caught in this strange Covid-19 conundrum, I wonder how many of us are thinking about fashion trends or even considering adding to our existing wardrobes. I think, more than anything, fashion this fall is going to be all about comfort and some of the trends definitely reflect that.

Before we look at specific styles, let’s talk about colour. Though black and grey will continue to be popular neutrals, bold jewel tones lead the way this fall. Marigold, orange, wine, and rust are very popular and even chartreuse is on trend. Rich, bold blues and deep olive are also highly favoured. Head to toe outfits in warm creamy tones are a new look for fall this year.

Now for 12 of the most popular trends for fall:

1.  Textured coats  –   Shearling and faux fur are both very popular for outerwear this season.  

2.  Oversized coats  –  We definitely want to wrap ourselves in something comfy as we move into winter! 

3.  Capes  –  Capes as coats continue the theme of wrapping ourselves in comfort. 

4.  Quilted fashions  –  Puffer coats and vests have been popular for awhile, but this season we’re also seeing quilted skirts! 

5.  Plaids and checks  –  Look for argyle patterns, tartans, gingham, houndstooth, checks of every kind this season. You may not have to look any further than your own closet to incorporate this look into your fall outfits. Vintage shops would be another great source. 

6.  Shoulder reveals  –  Not just the cold shoulder look that’s been around for the past couple of years, but asymmetrical shoulder cutouts, one shoulder, and off the shoulder looks are all on trend this season. 

7.  Puff sleeves  –  Anne of Green Gables anyone? Dramatic, voluminous sleeves are big (pun intended) this fall. 

8.  Ruffles and tiers  –  Ruffled skirts and tiered dresses are popular. Look for Victorian-era details, particularly ruffled Victorian necklines. 

9.  Skirt suits  –  Summer’s short suits have transitioned into skirt suits for fall. This trend might appeal to many women who’ve been able to return to the workplace and who are looking to amp up their fall and winter wardrobes. Some have pleated skirts, many are seen in bright colours, and some are even all leather. 

10.  Fringe  –  Fringes, sometimes very long fringes, are being seen on hemlines, sleeves, handbags, pretty much anywhere you can put a fringe. 

11.  Metallics and sequins  –  The majority of us probably won’t be going anywhere in the near future that requires anything very fancy, but if you do, metallic fabric (especially silver) or sequins is the way to go. 

12.  Lingerie looks  –  Lastly, for the more adventurous amongst us and perhaps those who live in a warmer climate than I do, is the intimate apparel as daywear look. If you can’t decide which shirt to wear, don’t panic. Just go without one! Bra tops and bustiers under jackets are a trend, though not one that I”m likely to adopt! 

As you can see from the photos, it’s very easy to mix and match this fall’s trends. Think plaid overcoat, cape, or skirt suit, for example. 

As I’ve mentioned in previous seasonal trend posts, some of these may appeal to you and others probably won’t. Don’t ever feel compelled to wear something simply because it’s on trend. Instead, pick and choose those colours that suit your skin tone and looks that fit your personal style. And, before you start shopping for this season’s trends, remember to shop your own closet. Perhaps you’ll find something there that fits right in with the current trends. 

One more time!

Every fall, regardless of how many times we’ve had the trailer out over the summer or where we’ve taken it, I yearn for one more camping trip. When September arrives, however, the calendar starts to fill up and it doesn’t always happen. The weather didn’t cooperate when we planned on going earlier this month, but this weekend we finally managed to squeeze in two more days of camping, hiking, and kayaking. Now I can clean the trailer out and get it ready for winter without regret.

Big Knife Provincial Park, located in central east Alberta where Big Knife Creek flows into the Battle River, takes it’s name from a native legend. Two hundred years ago, the Blackfoot and Cree who inhabited the area were bitter enemies. According to the story, Big Man, a Cree, and Knife, a Blackfoot, fought near the banks of the creek. Apparently, both warriors died in the battle. In spite of this somewhat bloody history, the park, which is less than an hour from home for us, is now a lovely place to retreat from the busyness of life.

After setting up camp on Friday morning and having an early lunch, we set off to hike the 4.7 km River Flats trail. Beautiful views like these ones whetted my appetite for getting out on the river!

Unfortunately, it started to rain shortly after we got back to camp and we spent the remainder of the afternoon in the trailer playing crib! As we ate supper, the clouds parted again and the sun came out, so I decided to go for a quick paddle before dark. Richard’s back has improved, but he’s not taking any chances with it yet, so I was on my own in our son’s single kayak again. When I set off shortly after 7:00 PM, the river was bathed in golden evening light.

Soon afterward, I accidentally took a wrong turn leaving the river’s main channel and I ended up spending most of my time in a shallower dead end backwater. That wasn’t all bad. The quiet arm of the river was bustling with beaver activity! I lost track of how many I saw and how many tails slapped the water when I got too close!

An hour after I set off, the river looked like this and I had to boogie to make sure I got back to the boat launch before it was too late to see anything at all!

After breakfast yesterday morning, we ventured out to hike the park’s longer trail system, the 5.8 km Highlands Trail. This one climbs out of the river valley and follows a ridge above. I love this view of the meandering river below.

The Big Knife trails are far from challenging, mostly level, grass covered, and well maintained.

With the abundance of rain that we’ve had this year, everything is very green, a beautiful backdrop for the fall colours.

The beavers weren’t the only ones busily preparing for winter. It seemed that almost every Canadian thistle along the trails had a bee busily gathering nectar and they were completely oblivious to me and my camera getting up close. There were clusters of little purple flowers everywhere and just as I stopped to take a photo of one, a bee decided that it wanted to be in that picture too.

In the afternoon, I was back out on the water. The Battle River flows so slowly that looking at it, one might wonder if it moves at all. The fact that I paddled upstream for an hour and a half and returned in an hour, even though I spent some of that time drifting, proves that it really does! The push ups and planks that are part of my daily exercise routine definitely pay off, but by the time I spotted the bright yellow buoy in the distance that marks the location of the boat launch, my arms were ready to say they’d had enough!

Now we’re busy cleaning out the trailer and getting it ready for winter. If we do get out for any more hiking or kayaking this year, it will be as a day trip.

Talking about trends: Fall 2019

While much of the world was experiencing extreme heat, it was a non-summer here in Alberta. Our big blue sky decided to take an extended vacation and left us with gloomy grey clouds and endless rain. Our furnace literally came on almost every morning! It’s hard to think about fall when you haven’t really had summer, but the fashions are out in the stores and it’s time to talk about trends.

Rich autumn colours are huge this season. Think pumpkin, caramel, cinnamon, gold, and spicy browns. Green, from light pistachio all the way to deep forest, is also very popular. Animal prints never go out of style, but they are bigger than ever this season. Leopard has been leading the way for the past few seasons, but now it’s being joined on centre stage by zebra and snakeskin. Plaids and checks continue to be popular as do floral prints.

Belts are showing up everywhere; wide ones, thin ones, and colourful ones, worn over blazers, sweaters, dresses, and coats. Perhaps an animal print belt is what’s needed to add a bit of flair to your fall wardrobe.

Shoulder pads, reminiscent of the 1970s, have made their way back into the fashion mainstream over the past few years and are definitely being seen again this fall. Though there’s no one skirt length for this season, maxi skirts have definitely made a comeback. Jumpsuits also continue to be on trend. Capes and long coats are very popular.

As always, some of the season’s trends may appeal to you and others probably won’t. Don’t feel compelled to wear something simply because it’s on trend. Instead, pick and choose those colours that suit your skin tone and looks that fit your personal style. And, before you go shopping for this season’s trends, remember to shop your own closet. Chances are, you’ll find something there that fits right in with the current trends.

Let me show you what I mean. Though I was tempted to dig into my fall/winter wardrobe more than once this non-summer, I haven’t actually done my seasonal closet switch yet and I had to go into storage to retrieve these items. None of them are new.

I started with a pair of chocolate brown boot cut jeans, taupe booties, and a comfy brown sweater that has been around for a very long time. I haven’t worn it much in recent years and almost got rid of it several times, but now I’m glad I didn’t. This was a good beginning, but the outfit definitely needed some dressing up.

I added a dark brown leather belt, a leopard print scarf, and a pair of gold tasseled earrings. That’s much better!

Now let’s go outside.

For a chilly fall day, I’ve added the reversible wool cape that was my Mom’s. I don’t know for sure how old it is, but I think it was quite new when I wore it, ivory side out, over my wedding dress in October 1976! My daughter also wore it over hers 30 years later in December 2006! A gift from my husband last Christmas, the hat is by far the newest item that I’m wearing.

Now, how many of this season’s trends did I hit without going shopping?

Resurrecting an old favourite

In last Friday’s post, I told you about a leopard print shirt that I almost gave away, but didn’t. I try to adhere to the wisdom of getting rid of things that I haven’t worn in the past year, but once in awhile old favourites take up long term residence on the hanging rack at the back end of our storage room and wait for a day when they might be resurrected and put back into use. This shirt was one of those. I have no idea how long I’ve had it, but I do remember ordering it from the Sears catalogue. That may even have been before the now defunct department store chain introduced online shopping in 1998! The fact that it was made in Canada is another indication of its age since it’s very hard to find anything that isn’t produced offshore anymore.

Though animal prints are very much on trend this season, they are an enduring fashion that never really go out of style.

I could dress the shirt up by wearing it with black pants and a dressier top, but I was going for a very casual look here. I folded back the cuffs and styled it with a well worn pair of Gap jeans, sneakers, and my 65 years bold t-shirt which is technically a lie now since today is my 66th birthday!

I’ve always preferred to wear this shirt as an unbuttoned third piece over a simple top. This breaks up the expanse of animal print which might otherwise be a bit overwhelming. Though the soft, velvet-like fabric is quite warm, it definitely wasn’t warm enough for the 4ºC (39º) afternoon when these pictures were taken! This was a very quick photo shoot and my photographer hubby was wearing a warm jacket. Perhaps the cold explains my clenched fists!

Fashion trends for fall 2107

As one who loves summer, I’m hoping that I don’t have to make my seasonal wardrobe switch to fall and winter wear for awhile yet, but it’s time to start thinking about it. Although I’ve been retired from teaching school for ten years, my many years in the classroom still have an impact. When the end of August and the beginning of a new school year approach, my mind automatically goes to fall. Of course, the stores have already been gearing up for the new season for some time.

So, what are the trends that we should be watching for this fall? Let’s take a quick peek.

Sofa Print Florals

Floral patterns never seem to go out of style, but this season I’m seeing a lot of the large floral prints that the fashion industry often refers to as “sofa print” or “couch” florals. Deep, rich colours and dark backgrounds seem to be particularly popular this year.

Red

Pink was the popular colour for summer this year, but its big sister, red, is taking over for fall and winter. Everything from shoes and boots to overcoats are being seen in red, but if you’re not sure that it’s the colour for you, try it in small doses first. Consider adding a pop of colour with red accessories.

If you plan to wear larger expanses of red, especially near your face, it’s important to choose a shade that compliments your complexion. If your skin has warm undertones, you’ll look best in an orange-based red, while those of us who have cooler, fair complexions will look better in reds with blue undertones.

Plaid 

One of the most popular looks on the runways for this season was grey plaid suiting, but brighter plaids (remember the 70s) are also popular. This plaid shirt from Cabi is on my wish list.

Velvet

Velvet is back in many different hues and not just for formal wear. Skirts, pants, blazers, even hoodies, shoes, and booties are being seen in velvet this year!

Shoulder pads

Shoulder pads are one returning trend that I’m not sure I’m ready for! I can handle something small to give a garment structure, but no football player shoulders for me, please!

Midi skirts

Below the knee, but above the ankle, mid-calf length skirts seem to be the most popular for the upcoming season. Silhouettes vary from pencil skirts to those with more volume, but this can be a tricky length to get just right. When it comes to midi, there’s a thin line between flattering and frumpy. A skirt that hits the widest part of your calf will visually shorten your legs, so instead, you want the hemline to hit the narrower spot just below your calf muscles.

Do any of these trends appeal to you? Which ones will you consider adding to your wardrobe this fall?

Real date

Since yesterday’s dream date post captured the interest of so many readers, I thought today I’d share a real date that Richard and I went on on a beautiful fall day. We live in a tiny town of just over 800 people. It’s a two hour drive from the closest major city and an hour from a town large enough to have a movie theatre and a choice of restaurants. If we lived in the city there would be a myriad of things to do on a date, but out here coming up with creative date ideas is much more challenging.

Known as a flip-a-coin date or a penny date, this concept is a simple one that works just as well in the countryside as in a city, perhaps even better. Here’s how it works:

1. Pack a picnic lunch.
2. Grab a coin. HEADS is right; TAILS is left.
3. Choose a number. This will be the number of times you turn before you reach your destination.
4. Every time you approach an intersection, flip the coin to determine which way you’ll turn.
5. Once you reach the number that you chose in step 3, look around and find a spot to enjoy your picnic.

Since we didn’t want to spend our time driving around and around our tiny community, we drove to the nearest exit from town before flipping the coin the first time. The countryside in our area is criss-crossed with roads, most of them just a mile apart, so we chose a number large enough to take us some distance from town. Though I don’t remember for sure, I think it might have been 20.

We were hardly out of town when we stopped to watch a huge flock of snow geese landing on a pond. It was like a magical dance!

As we wandered the backroads we passed a few old abandoned buildings including this one, the old curling rink which was moved out of town when a new recreational centre was built in the early 1960s.

At one point, a right turn followed by three lefts in a row took us in a complete square back to where we’d been not long before. Fortunately, the next flip was a right and off we went in a new direction!

Soon after we made our final turn, we spotted a secluded clearing overlooking a field of ripening grain.

It was a perfect spot for our tailgate picnic!

Now, with spring finally on the way, geese are flying overhead again. When the last bit of snow has melted away, the muddy roads have dried and leaves are back on the trees, I think we’ll try another flip-a-coin date. I wonder where the next one will take us?

Searching for colour and finding history

We knew from our previous visit with Ronnie and Myrna, the dear pen pal that I inherited from my mother-in-law, that they enjoy sightseeing drives through the lovely countryside around Mahone Bay. Like my own father, however, Ronnie has macular degeneration and is legally blind. He still has some sight, but not enough to drive. When we suggested taking them for a drive to look at the fall colours that Nova Scotia is famous for at this time of year, they jumped at the opportunity and off we went!

With Richard behind the wheel and Myrna navigating, we headed inland toward New Ross. Sure enough, though many of the trees were still green, others were aflame. For those of you who are accustomed to the wide range of reds, oranges and golds of autumn, our delight might seem odd, but where we live in Alberta, we don’t experience the same array of colours in the fall. Most of our trees just turn shades of yellow.

We saw much more than trees, however. Soon Myrna was pointing out the house where she grew up. It was here that she wrote the first letters to my mom-in-law over 75 years ago! Obviously well cared for, it has new shutters, windows and front door since the last time she saw it.

Along the same road, we saw her uncle’s old horse barn

and the one room schoolhouse that she attended.

At 16 years of age, with a grade 11 education, Myrna became a teacher in a similar school! She taught for five years before she and Ronnie married.

Nova Scotia has been changing before our very eyes with more colour every day. Here are just a few more sights from that day’s drive.