This season, trends don’t have to be taken so literally. Themes have emerged, of course, including Where the Wild Things Are-esque shaggy coats, a continued rebuke of pants, and unfussy ladylike dressing. But the playing field on which these trends have been presented gives us all the opportunity to get dressed and go forth in our own unique ways. They’re timeless without being boring, cool without being too crazy.

Wild Things

Teddy bear coats are untamed for fall, with designers using big fluffy outerwear as a vehicle to play around with texture. There was swishy tinsel and some cozy, nubby knits too, coats made for throwing on over anything in your wardrobe and joining a wild rumpus.

Clean Slate

Palette cleansing was top of mind for many designers this season as we saw plenty of white suits, dresses, and outerwear. Maybe it’s a way to help us pare back in an increasingly chaotic world, or it’s a sign of a fashion reset as far as color is concerned.

In The Bag

Pants this season get the oversized treatment with baggy silhouettes and loose tailoring, perfect for wearing with a long-line blazer or a sharp jacket with a hint of cinch at the waist.

Add Some Flare

For those tired of the straight and narrow when it comes to silhouettes, you’re in luck for fall. Many designers took clever liberties with classic A-line tailoring, in some cases exaggerating the old school shape and elsewhere, adding new detailing and textures to give the flared skirt or dress an extra oomph.

Long Live the ’90s Trouser Skirt

Nostalgia for the ’90s isn’t going anywhere soon. For fall, designers reinvented a staple of the era: the maxi skirt. It’s sort of the anti-pant for cool girls (and for those who don’t want to do the no-pants trend). Whether worn with a cocooning sweater or a simple tank, this vintage-y skirt is as effortlessly chic as it gets.

How Do You Hoodie?

Designers are proving the versatility of the hoodie this season, showing it under crispy tailored suits and scuba-style iterations with structured skirts. Some were styled with sheer tights or skirts and others, with blazers and billowy pants.

(Still) Seeing Red

While there were a slew of white-washed looks this season, fall collections were also punctuated by cherry red. Crimson hues were all over the place, injecting various lineups with bold pops of color that made exactly the right statement.

Let’s Talk About Sexy

Lingerie dressing in the form of slip dresses and sheer slip skirts was everywhere this season. The most covetable pieces were the ones that weren’t too on-the-nose, designed soft embellishments and deconstructed lace paneling.

Knitting Circle

There’s always a hero piece each season and for fall, it’s the knit dress. Take your pick because the range of offerings is vast, from beautiful crochet frocks to openwork cable knits and minimalist maxis that are made for layering.