Out with the Tenniscore and cabana stripes. In with the frilly socks and, um, animal skulls? Every season sees a crop of trends that speaks to the current moment (anyone remember rhinestone face masks?), but this autumn is proving particularly juicy. From the cut of your bangs to the memes in your feed, here’s what everyone will be wearing, buying, reading and otherwise talking about from now until the holidays.
6 Trends That Will Be Everywhere This Fall, According to PureWow Editors
Sock up, Ladies
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Published Aug 22, 2024
Soho Home/Chappell Roan/Edward Berthelot / Contributor/Getty Images
Edward Berthelot / Contributor
1. Heels With Socks
Even though Gen Z may be appalled that we millennials are wearing heels at all, at least this fall’s iteration is slightly more comfortable…and warmer. Yep, get ready to rock your Mary Janes Clueless style by pairing them with frilly white socks, a la Taylor Swift at a recent London Era’s party. PureWow’s associate fashion commerce editor Stephanie Meraz has spotted this look all over the runway, from Valentino’s Resort 2025 show to Orseund Iris’s new neutrals collection. She’s also seen the footwear trend out and about, particularly on many of the guests at Copenhagen fashion week. “Come fall, I always dread the thought of stashing away my summer heels, so I love how this trend affords me an opportunity to sport them for longer than usual. Unique and fresh, the unlikely pairing is a sure-fire way to catapult you into instant coolness,” she says.
Hinterhaus Productions/Getty Images
2. Cookbook Clubs
File this one in the category of things I didn’t know existed. But per Pinterest’s fall trend report, searches for “Cookbook Club” are up 130 percent. What is a cookbook club you ask? Well, it’s essentially a club where, instead of reading God of the Woods or Reese’s most recent pick, you pick a cookbook (one of Ina’s perhaps?), then assign each of your guests a dish to make and bring from it. PureWow’s books editor Sarah Stiefvater loves it as a cozy way to gather your friends in autumn and an easy alternative during a time of year when it can be hard to find time to read a full novel.
Soho Home
3. Burl Wood
PureWow home editor Sydney Meister can’t stop raving about burl wood, aka a type of wood that shows the grain’s natural, knobby and irregular swirls—typically with a sleek, glossy finish. It was super-hot in the 70s and is, this season, popping up on everything from accent tables to storage cabinets to jewelry boxes. Architectural Digest predicts that designers and homeowners will begin using it in earnest in the coming months, and honestly…why wouldn’t you? It’s sleek and organic and modern, feeling both contemporary and just a little funky. “I think it harkens back to the idea that everyone wants to make a statement in a natural way,” says Meister.
4. Bitty Bangs
Should Chapelle Roan be her own trend? Probably. But in the absence of such, let’s talk about her hair—namely her bangs—which are oh-so-of-the-moment. “Bitty bangs are tiny, curled bits of hair that sit on the forehead, which adds a vintage playfulness to textured or curly hair without having to commit to a full bang. They’re fun and blend easily into the rest of your hair, which gives them versatility,” says Amy Abramite, creative director and stylist at Maxine Salon in Chicago. And PureWow beauty editor Chelsea Candelario agrees, calling them a top fall hair trend and a great alternative to curtain bangs.
Michaels
5. Hippie Ghost Halloween
Giant inflatables are out. Oversized skeletons are still in (phew). But this year’s biggest trend, says PureWow’s VP of Content (and unofficial Halloween expert) Candace Davison, is a hippie-ghost vibe. Think: Stevie Nicks lace caftans and décor that feels like a headshop, voodoo shop and Grateful Dead concert all in one. Michaels’ new “haunted forest” collection is full of table top animal skulls and snake-emblazoned poison bottles, but I’m partial to the large silver skeleton key, which could easily stay up after Halloween for a more general boho aesthetic.
Stephen Maturen / Stringer/Getty Images
6. Election Meme-ification
With an election that changed candidates three months out, it makes sense that we’re operating at the speed of TikTok, and the prevalence of quickly adoptable (and often soon forgettable) memes and sayings speaks to this frenzy. Think: the rise of “brat,” camo hats, coconut tree emojis…not to mention band-aids on ears and the coded use of the words “weird,” “demure” and even “sofa.” As the campaigns kick into high gear this fall, expect more memes and sound bites to crop up. Enjoy ‘em. Use ‘em. Beware of the AI phonies. But overall, just make sure you also get out there and vote!
