Twice a year, fashion month gives us a look ahead at trends for the coming seasons. The autumn/winter 2024 circuit — so far wrapped in Copenhagen, New York and London — has hinted at forthcoming trends like rosette brooches, drop waists and patchwork denim, while guests have given us tons of street style outfit inspiration that we can use right now.
But fashion week isn’t only about the clothes everyone is wearing; it’s also about how they’re wearing them. Whether it’s models layering dresses over tops, rocking unexpected colour combinations like blue and brown, or pairing knee-high socks with heels, the runways are always chock-full with styling tips that we can apply to the clothes already in our wardrobes.
Curious about what tips this season has to offer? We did a deep dive into all the autumn/winter 2024 shows to identify the latest expert styling tricks (and to save you from having to scour TikTok highlights). Ahead, find 10 runway-approved style tips that are guaranteed to take your outfits to the next level.
Fashion Month Styling Hack: Red Accessories
While colour trends often arise from the runways, sometimes the most subtle uses of colour can have the most impact. Several designers added pops of red to muted colour palettes for their autumn/winter 2024 shoes, such as Tommy Hilfiger’s various red scarves and caps, FForme’s crimson flat (with a matching lip), and at least half a dozen others who brought out red bags, belts and boots for a fiery boost.
Fashion Month Styling Hack: Knee-High Socks & Heels
As this spring’s brightly coloured tights trend proves, hosiery is no longer just reserved for modesty and warmth. On the autumn/winter 2024 runways, knee-high socks echoed that same playful energy, and were most often paired with heels — whether it was Ancuta Sarca strapping up sheer socks with mules, Anna Sui going preppy with a bit of argyle action, or Baum und Pferdgarten’s classic white socks with pumps.
Fashion Month Styling Hack: Double Denim
The Canadian tuxedo is far from new, but with cowboy core gaining traction again, double-denim styling thrived on the autumn/winter 2024 runways. Some standout pairings were Ganni’s denim-skirt-over-jeans look, Marimekko’s doubled-up printed denim, and Munthe’s triple denim look, which included a mid-wash jacket, shirt and jeans.
Fashion Month Styling Hack: Maxi Skirts & Short Jackets
It can be tricky to figure out which outerwear to pair with a maxi skirt or dress. Designers like Burberry and Khaite showed us on the autumn/winter 2024 runways that a cropped or short-length jacket is foolproof. For warmer temperatures, a shacket is just as chic.
Fashion Month Styling Hack: Opera Gloves
According to the autumn/winter 2024 shows, a pair of opera gloves could add the perfect amount of spice to your next spring fit. Alejandra Alonso Rojas paired long-sleeve knits with white gloves, while Stine Goya styled dark gloves with colourful printed dresses, and both Khaite and Badgley Mischka styled gloves for their more traditionally formal looks.
Fashion Month Styling Hack: Print Clashing
Mixing prints may feel daunting, but several designers encouraged the clash at their autumn/winter 2024 shows. Whether it was double-floral fits by Libertine or Ulla Johnson, Molly Goddard’s polka dots and colour blocks, or Phillip Lim’s combined splatter and animal prints, the verdict on prints is in: more is more.
Fashion Month Styling Hack: Athletic Trousers & Heels
Elevated athleisure dominated New York Fashion Week’s autumn/winter 2024 shows, and brands made a strong case specifically for sweats and heels. While this pairing might not be an obvious choice, brands like Tibi and Interior proved that sometimes the style combinations that feel the most wrong are actually, well, very right.
Fashion Month Styling Hack: Brown & Blue
An age-old myth once told us we should never wear brown with black, and because of this, brown and blue often feels just as forbidden. We hate to break it to you, but these rules are extremely made up. Thanks to designers like Jason Wu and Emilia Wickstead, who effortlessly paired these two colours on their autumn/winter runways, a brown-and-blue revolution might just be upon us.
Fashion Month Styling Hack: Dresses Over Tops
Reminiscent of the 2010s, which are increasingly coming back, the layering of dresses over tops is a timeless styling hack for transitional dressing. For autumn/winter 2024, designers like Conner Ives and Susan Fang made this simple style trick feel new again. More creative iterations included Lovechild1979’s tube dress over a shirt and tie, and Marques’Almeida’s corset worn on top of a midi dress.
Fashion Month Styling Hack: Knee-High Boots & Midi Dresses
Knee-high boots and midi dresses go together like Mentos and Diet Coke: They create magic. While this is another styling method that’s been around for ages, the autumn/winter 2024 shows from brands like KNWLS, Remain and OperaSport reminded us of the endless dress-and-boots combinations already in our wardrobes.
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