The everything-you-need-to-know (and more) list
Swot up on this season’s trends with our super-useful guide for nailing A/W ’20
1 CURTAIN CALL
Perhaps during lockdown you considered making clothes out of curtains, like Maria Von Trapp? Mix with denim and ribbed knitwear for a 2020 take.
2 THE MISSING LINK
Chain-link details are the big news in shoes – as seen at Burberry, Simone Rocha and Off-white. They’re already hitting the high street, too.
3 TAKE UP ARMS
When it comes to sleeves this season, take note: the bigger the better. You might even argue they’re the perfect tool for social distancing…
4 PARTY LIKE IT’S 2019 (WHEN WE COULD ACTUALLY PARTY!)
Large-scale gatherings might be off-limits, but there’s no reason why you can’t wear a feathered headdress or some sequinned gardening gloves to a dinner party, now is there? We need some razzle dazzle.
5 SINGING IN THE RAIN
You can puddle jump to your heart’s content this autumn. According to Bottega Veneta and Prada, the rain boot is back in business. What are you waiting for? Dig out your pac-a-mac and get splish-sploshing.
6 CARDIB(EELINE)
According to Simon Porte Jacquemus, cardies are sexy as hell this season. Go barely-there or baggy with just a bra (well, it worked for Katie Holmes).
7 SUPER TABLE SETTINGS
The small-butperfectly-formed dinner party is set for greatness, so pimp up your table. For the ultimate conversation-starter, enter Anissa Kermiche’s egg cup.
8 BATTLE-READY
With Wonder Woman 1984 and Black Widow coming to screens, it’s time to source your armour. Quite literally. Paco Rabanne’s chainmail is perfect for pacifists.
9 DEMOCRATIC POWER DRESSING 2.0
Kamala Harris has knocked it out of the park with her campaign trail trainers (classic Converse) and elegant suits. Alexandria Ocasio-cortez, meanwhile, has been spotlighting Black and Latinxowned brands. It’s powerful dressing.
10 COMFORT IS KEY
Designers from Michael Kors to Jil Sander offered wraps, blankets, stoles and snuggly scarves, really predicting the mood of the end of 2020. We might have to navigate a pandemic this winter. But at least we’ll be cosy. ▶
12 WHICH MASK GOES WITH THAT?
Nowadays, you’re never fully dressed without a mask. Hey ho. Whether you’re a minimalist (in Jil Sander’s slender sweater dress) or a floral enthusiast (in blossomsprinkled Molly Goddard), there’s a face covering with your name on it.
meet the new lgd
One way to improve 2020 is to just cover it in gold, which was the approach taken by the likes of Ashish, Celine by Hedi Slimane, Ferragamo, Michael Kors and MSGM, who all showed their take on the Little Gold Dress.
13 LEATHER LOVE-IN
If you hadn’t already embraced Neo from The Matrix as your style icon for the new season, now’s the time to start. The catwalks were a parade of leather everything… you name it.
14 SECOND-HAND HITS
Oxfam’s Second Hand September campaign is in full swing, asking us all to pledge to only buy second-hand for a month. It’s good timing, because reports suggest that the resale market is set to overtake the traditional retail market in the next four years, ultimately becoming worth a massive $64 billion.
15 THE NURSE WILL SEE YOU NOW
The costumes in Ratched make the eponymous character even more eerie. It’s a prequel to One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, following young nurse Mildred Ratched (Sarah Paulson).
16 EVERYTHING YOU CAN WEAR WITH SWEATPANTS. GO!
Were you a lockdown cliché? If you can recite a banana bread recipe, have a raging crush on Paul Mescal and are wearing sweatpants, the answer is ‘yes’. More fool everyone else, however, because sweatpants aren’t going anywhere. Permission granted to enjoy that stretchy waistband for a while longer.
17 CHECK MATE
The humble square print has had a fresh makeover for A/W ’20, thanks to clashing checks worn together and multicoloured patterns – who said autumn needs to be drab?
18 THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL AIR
Hold on to your baseball caps... The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air cast have taped a reunion episode to celebrate the show’s 30th anniversary. We can’t wait to see how Hilary Banks’ look has evolved.
19 GIRL WITH THE GOLD EARRING
Zoom is still a thing (sob!) and so is the eardrobe (yay!). Be inspired by Tracee Ellis Ross and Jodie Comer, who favour chunky gold adornments that are positively head-turning.
20 FRINGE SHOW
It’s all about swish-and-flick fringing, with ‘the great shred’ happening at Kenneth Ize, Area, Gabriela Hearst and Bottega Veneta. The perfect trend for Boomerang, no?
21 BACK TO BESPOKE
A wealth of new fashion labels have emerged that are largely run by women who are returning to a more sustainable, personal form of production. Most have been enabled by Instagram, which allows independent businesses to flourish, given that it is a free marketing tool, as well as a vehicle for shopping, and have experienced increased success since the outbreak of coronavirus. Here are our favourites…
Maisoncléo Handmade to order in France by Marie Dewet and her mum, each piece is made from leftover fabric. Their social media success has led to a presence on Net-a-porter.
O Pioneers
Prairie dresses never looked so good thanks to the genius duo behind O Pioneers, Clara and Tania. Each piece is a limited edition one-off. Wear now, treasure forever.
Olivia Rose The Label Founded in 2017 by Olivia Rose Havelock, everything is handmade to order in her studio. Now stocked at Selfridges, this label is truly an Instagram success story.
22 SEEING RED
Colour psychology would have us believe that red can have a profound impact on our mood, while in China red symbolises luck, joy and happiness. If ever we needed a dose of good fortune, it’s now.
23 BAGS FOR LIFE
While lockdown may have killed the need for one, these bags keep selling out faster than you can say ‘pandemic’. Here are 2020’s ‘It’ bags.
Telfar’s Shopping Bag
Almost impossible to get your hands on, these affordable totes are made from vegan leather and intended to be a more inclusive form of fashion.
Bottega’s Pouch The brand’s signature clutch gets another outing for autumn, this time in more playful hues, like Pepto-bismol pink.
Chanel’s Single Flap Bag According to Lyst, one of the most wanted handbags over the past month is second-hand. This beauty!
24 SUIT YOURSELF
The ultimate antidote to loungewear, skirt suits shed their prim reputation and got something of a sexed-up makeover for the new season. Pastels reign supreme.
25 TURN UP THE VOLUME
Christopher John Rogers shall henceforth be known as King of Volume. His emerald dress, worn by Lady Gaga at the VMAS, looked like it was powered with liquid propane and ready for lift-off. Not so much Big Dress Energy as huge.
26 A CHARMED COMEBACK
Charms enjoyed a renaissance on the A/W ’20 catwalks. At Dior, they came in the shape of more traditional bracelets, while at Alexander Mcqueen they were used as bag handles.
27 ROYAL FLUSH
Whatever happens in November, we’ve got The Crown. Series four features the first appearance from a young Princess Diana (played by Emma Corrin). The trailer hasn’t given much away about her clothes, but what outfit hits can fans expect? One woman with a better idea than most is Amanda Wakeley, the designer who worked with Diana in the early ’90s. ‘The princess evolved from a slightly self-conscious young Sloane to a global style icon, with confidence, charisma and a great presence,’ remembers Amanda. ‘She truly “owned” her look with an effortless ease that came with experience and maturity. It was, and still is, beautiful to see.’
28 THE RETURN OF GLAMOUR
With Death On The Nile set to hit screens, closely followed by the new James Bond film No Time To Die, prepare for glorious gowns.
29 GENERATION RENT
Thanks to more options offering designer clothes in an accessible and sustainable way, we could be gearing up for our most planet-friendly party season yet. If you do have the chance to get dressed up, why not rent an incredible dress?
By Rotation Download the app to rent brands including Prada and Rixo.
HURR Collective for Selfridges Project Earth Cecilie Bahnsen dress, rent from £66
Bag Butler Chanel bag, rent for £175 for 7 days