Fall is one of the most exciting times of the year to get dressed! Beautiful fabrics, tactile textures, rich colors, new trends and plenty of opportunities to layer and accessorize. What more could you want? But what are the trends to look out for? Take a look at our Fall fashion trends 2023 round-up.

In this article, we take you through all the Fall trends we’ve spotted on the catwalks, so you can shop your closet or treat yourself to a few new pieces. Under the designer options, you’ll see high street choices featuring the same trends. See which is your favorite.

Fall fashion trends 2023: Tailoring

Sharp tailoring has never been out of style. But it’s even more on trend for Fall 2023 than ever. At one point, matchy-matchy suits fell out of favor, as they were seen as old-fashioned. But designers including Balmain, Zimmermann and Ferragamo have brought them bang up-to-date. In fact, most designers opted for at least one suit on their Fall catwalks.

Choose a pant suit rather than a skirt. Wear your suit for the office or for dinner, or dress it down with sneakers rather than heels. Or, wear a suit for a formal event rather than a dress. You can always wear your suit as separates on other days to create more looks.

Fall fashion 2023 - suits | 40plusstyle.cm

ZimmermannFerragamoBalmain

Dark florals

Usually the preserve of spring and summer, florals have been given a makeover for Fall with dark backgrounds against paler flowers. Choose a dark floral dress for evening or add a floral top to your favorite pants or jeans. If you’ve been wearing a floral dress for summer, you can always keep it among your Fall outfits by adding a moto jacket or blazer, tights and boots.

Fall fashion 2023 - florals | 40plusstyle.cm

VersaceGiambattista ValliBalenciaga

fall fashion trends 2023: Circle Skirts

They say fashion comes full circle and the 50s silhouette is back. The circle skirt was embraced by Christian Dior post-war and it’s back in the Fall fashion 2023 trends. Opt for a midi or a maxi style. Wear your circle skirt for parties, or with a t-shirt or sweater for a more casual look.

A circle skirt can be flattering on many body shapes. If you’re a pear, it can help to disguise wider hips and thighs. If you’re an inverted triangle, it will balance out your wider shoulders. If you’re a rectangle, it will create curves. And, if you’re an hourglass, it wil highlight your waist.

Fall fashion 2023 - circle skirts | 40plusstyle.cm

PradaZimmermannBalmain

Wearable art

Fashion should, of course, be beautiful to look at. And designers took this mantra to heart for Fall 2023. Look out for clothes with prints that look just like a painting. Dresses and coats with art-style prints are particularly on-trend. For a more subtle take on the trend, wear a painting-print shirt with your jeans.

Fall fashion 2023 - wearable art | 40plusstyle.cm

Zimmermann Alexander McQueenStella McCartney

Tuxedo dressing

Take your inspiration from menswear this season, and wear a tuxedo rather than a dress for your parties. Opt for a full tuxedo for more formal events, and style with heels and a clutch bag. For a less formal take, wear a tuxedo jacket and camisole with your jeans for a dinner date.

Tuxedos for winter and fall | 40plusstyle.cm

Dolce & GabbanaDolce & GabbanaBalmain

Denim re-imagined

Who says denim has to be casual? Designers for the Fall 2023 runways beg to differ. Denim skirts were back in fashion for summer, and the trend continues into Fall. Don’t limit wearing denim to your jeans. Designers like Rokh, Balmain and Nina Ricci took denim and crafted it into very sophisticated complete-look shapes.

Denim dresses and skirts | 40plusstyle.cm

RokhNina RicciBalmain

fall fashion trends 2023: Back to basics

As much as it’s great to add a few new trends into your closet to keep it updated, it’s also essential to have wardrobe basics that will act as the foundations to any outfit. So, we’re pleased to see designers concentrating on basics for Fall 2023. Wear your white shirt with anything from your jeans to leather pants, or tucked into a full skirt. Designers also featured plenty of classic blazers and pairs of jeans.

Fall essentials | 40plusstyle.cm

Dolce & Gabbana GucciAlexander McQueen

Also take a look at these 33 wardrobe essentials, and see if you think we’ve missed anything that should be in there.

80s shoulders

Power dressing is back! We’re not suggesting you go as wide as the shoulders featured on the runways. However, adding a subtle shoulder pad can be a great way to balance your silhouette if you have narrow shoulders and want to create the illusion of more width, or if you are a pear shape and want to create the illusion of an hourglass shape, for example.

Wide shoulders on the Fall catwalks | 40plusstyle.cm

Bottega VenetaSaint LaurentBalenciaga

Everything in leather

Leather is a style staple every winter and fall, but this time around it definitely felt like there was more of it than ever on the catwalks. Designers sent everything from dresses to jackets to pants down the runways in leather; much of it in bright shades rather than the usual black or brown you might expect. Many designers also chose to give their leather texture with a mock croc style.

While leather isn’t usually a material you would think of for evening dresses, Alexander McQueen created a beautiful, fitted, asymmetric neckline dress, and Bottega Veneta opted for co-ords. So, you can see you can wear your leather as formally or casually as you want.

Fall 2023 trends - leather | 40plusstyle.cm

Bottega VenetaVictoria BeckhamAlexander McQueen

Also, take a look at how to wear leather over 40.

Low-rise

Okay, some of the skirts and pants on the catwalks really are very low-rise – the kind of look we used to see from Britney Spears a couple of decades ago. But, given that high rises have been on trend recently, we wanted to show you that there is an alternative.

Obviously, you don’t have to go as low as the designer looks. But, if you do have a shorter torso in comparison to your legs (check our article on your vertical body shape), then low-rise styles may suit you better than high-rise as they will create visual balance. Take a look at how to determine your vertical body type.

Low rise pants for Fall  | 40plusstyle.cm

Isabel MarantStella McCartneyVaquera

Fall fashion trends 2023: Velvet

Velvet is one of those fabrics that can be a bit old-fashioned. So, you really need to make sure you’re wearing it in a modern way. Choose a velvet top to wear with your jeans, tuck a white shirt into a velvet skirt, opt for velvet pants and a blazer, or wear a velvet coat.

Velvet on the Fall runways  | 40plusstyle.cm

DundasZimmermannEtro

Sheer

Sheer is always a trend. But designers definitely took it to extremes for Fall. Rather than baring as much flesh as seen on the catwalks, wear a camisole under your sheer top, or choose a top or dress which has sheer sleeves rather than being see-thru all over. Dress up your jeans by wearing a sheer blouse.

Sheer blouses and dresses | 40plusstyle.cm

Dolce & GabbanaPradaBalmain

Polka dots

Polka dots are one of those perennial prints that don’t date as they’re classic and elegant. Although, of course, at times they are more on trend than others. Fall 2023 is one of those times when they most definitely are. Designers including Miu Miu and Chanel opted for polka dots. Interestingly, Balmain chose the classic look of polka dots, combined with the circle skirt trend from above, and gave them an edge by making them into studs.

Channel your inner Julia Roberts (remember that brown polka dot dress in Pretty Woman?) or Marilyn Monroe in that pencil dress from the Seven Year Itch. The Princess of Wales is also a huge fan of polka dots. Choose a polka dot dress, or wear a polka dot shirt with your jeans.

Polka dots for Fall | 40plusstyle.cm

ChanelBalmainMiu Miu

Bold and subtle stripes

Another classic print, stripes won’t go out of date. Vertical stripes are a great choice if you want to look taller and slimmer. Stripes look particularly good on rectangular body shapes as they work in harmony with your athletic figure.

Choose business-like pinstripes, or opt for broader, more dramatic stripes. We like how Dries Van Noten (below, right) paired menswear-inspired stripes with a feminine skirt.

Stripes for fall | 40plusstyle.cm

Alexander McQueenNina RicciDries Van Noten

Checks

Checks are often on trend for Fall, and the Fall fashion trends 2023 are no exception. Designers chose everything from a full-on top-to-toe check look to wearing a check blazer. Wearing a check blazer with jeans (seen at Zimmerman, below, centre) is our favorite way to style this print. Or, choose check pants with a plain t-shirt or shirt.

Checked outfits for Fall | 40plusstyle.cm

ChanelZimmermannStella McCartney

Ruching, draping and cinching

It’s always flattering to look for clothes that don’t cling, but instead have some draping to disguise parts of our body we want to downplay. Look out for tops and dresses which already have draping built in for party season. We also like the idea of creating our own draping by using a brooch, as seen at Coperni (below, right).

Drapery on the Fall catwalks | 40plusstyle.cm

VersaceRokhCoperni

Fall fashion trends 2023: Preppy

Preppy styling has never not been on trend. But if you love this way of dressing, then you’ll definitely be having a style moment this Fall. Lots of designers opted for preppy looks, including Coperni, Stella McCartney and Prada.

Preppy style for Fall | 40plusstyle.cm

CoperniStella McCartneyPrada

We have a whole article on how to create a preppy style with a style capsule especially for the preppy style personality here.

Feathers and fringe

Winter and Fall are the perfect time to add some glamour and embellishment to your outfits. There were lots of feathered looks on the Fall 2023 catwalks, on everything from dresses and coats to pants. If you don’t want to be quite so full-on with your feathers, you can get the trend by choosing feathered earrings or a feathered handbag.

Feathers and fringe outfits on the catwalks | 40plusstyle.cm

RokhBottega VenetaGiambattista Valli

Which is your favorite from these Fall fashion 2023 trends? Which do you already have in your closet?

Continue reading:

  1. How To Look Effortlessly Chic: 11 Steps To Help You Achieve It!
  2. How To Fit A Blazer – A Comprehensive Guide On How To Select The Right Blazer
  3. The Ultimate Checklist Of Wardrobe Essentials: Which 33 Essential Pieces Do You Need In Your Closet?

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Fall fashion 2023: 17 Fall-Winter 2023 fashion trends you need to know | 40plusstyle.cm

Images from Vogue

Sylvia

Sylvia is 40+style’s editor-in-chief and has been helping women find their unique style since 2011. An alumni of the School of Color and Design, she is devoted to empowering women of any age to look and feel their best. Read more about Sylvia and 40+style on this page.

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