9 Fabrics That Deserve a Place in Your Fall Wardrobe

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(Image credit: @thestylestalker)

With fall just around the corner, now is the perfect time to refresh and reevaluate our wardrobes for the cooler season ahead. Along with fall's latest trends, fresh silhouettes and change in color palette to keep top of mind, one of the most crucial aspects in switching up our wardrobe with the changing weather is the fabrics we choose. From cozy cashmere to sumptuous suede and trending leather, below we’re sharing the 9 fabrics that deserve a place in your wardrobe this fall. These fabrics will not only keep you feeling comfortable and warm as the temps start to drop, but also hit on some of the bigger trends we spotted on the F/W 2020 runways. Keep scrolling to shop our favorite pieces in fall’s best fabrics.

Wool

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Bottega Veneta)

Whether you opt for a wool coat, sweater, or dress, wool fabrics will trap in heat, insulate, and protect you from the wind. (They also retain their insulation properties when wet—making it ideal for outdoor activities). While some wool fabrics can be heavy, we particularly love merino wool and cashmere in fall, which are lightweight, soft, comfortable, and perfect for the autumnal temps.

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Leather 

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Lanvin)

Leather made a dominant appearance on the F/W 2020 runways, continuing to ride its wave of popularity among the fashion set. From dresses to skirts and jackets, the fabric is durable, flexible, and most importantly, warm. 

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Suede

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Gabriela Hearst)

Soft and sumptuous, suede is a fall favorite—leaning into the prevalent late '60s and '70s trends we spotted on the runways. It's lightweight yet resilient and ideal for temperate autumnal days. (Just don't get caught in the rain!). 

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Tweed

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Chanel)

The textured woolen fabric has become synonymous with the cooler months—adding sophistication and polish to every autumnal look. Opt for a tweed blazer, coat, or skirt this season.

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Velvet

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Etro)

Is there anything more luxurious and plush than velvet? It's soft, warm, smooth, and looks elegant—ideal for the cooler fall and winter months ahead. Moreover, the fabric was all over the F/W 2020 runways in the form of jackets, dresses, trousers, skirts, and even shorts.

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Gabardine

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Burberry)

The fabric behind the iconic Burberry Trench coat—gabardine is a woven twill fabric (that can be made up of worsted wool, silk, and most commonly, cotton). It's durable and has a water-resistant finish—ideal for lightweight fall trench coats.

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Corduroy

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(Image credit: Ulla Johnson, Victor Virgile/Getty Images)

The thick cotton ribbed fabric is warm, durable, and breathable as it absorbs and releases moisture quickly. Try a chic jumpsuit, pants, or jacket for a cool '70s look.

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Denim

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Chloe)

We all know denim is a year-round staple, but there's no question we love to refresh our denim collection in fall with the latest trends and silhouettes. 

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Shearling

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Stella McCartney)

A huge trend for fall, shearling (made of wool) is seriously warm and cozy—perfect for cool fall nights. Plus, we love the cool retro look of it.

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Up next, the seven biggest jeans trends of fall 2020.

Judith Jones
Senior Fashion Market Editor

Judith is the senior fashion market editor at Who What Wear and has worked in fashion for nearly a decade. Judith started on the Shop Who What Wear team, creating content and managing a team of merchandisers for the Who What Wear shopping app. She later crossed over to the editorial team, where she shares the coolest, most desirable fashion market finds and brands in her shopping-focused stories and social takeovers. She has become one of the top affiliate earners during her six plus years at Who What Wear. Before working in fashion, Judith was a TV host on the PBS travel show Globe Trekker (airing on Netflix and Amazon Prime) and shared her passion for travel and food. She studied at the prestigious London Academy of Dramatic Arts as well as Stella Adler Studio of Acting in New York. She later studied fashion merchandising and design, which laid the foundation for her career in fashion.


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