Watch Out—These 8 Fall Trends Are Blowing Up in New York

New York Fashion Week has once again come and gone, and in its wake, it left a flurry of delectable runway looks and emerging trends. While the shows in Europe tend to be on the more aspirational side, there's a special place in our hearts for the designers that call New York home because they tend to offer some of the most accessible and re-creatable runway looks of the entire season. Maybe it's because the designers on the schedule tend to be a mix of emerging talent and contemporary labels as opposed heritage brands, but regardless of the reason, the F/W 20 runways at NYFW were flooded with outfit ideas and trends we could easily incorporate into our current wardrobes without expending too much effort or imagination. 

Now, let's talk trends. It's hard to play favorites since there were so many we loved, but if we had to choose, we suppose the following eight are what we're anticipating the most. So you'll be ready with an answer when someone asks you what you're looking forward to wearing six months from now (that answer being cutout tops, cropped blazers, and head-to-toe gray, of course.)

Ahead, get your download on the coolest fall trends from New York that are ripe for re-creating, and since we know you won't be able to wait for fall to actually arrive, we've included our shopping options so you can start wearing them now if you're so inclined.

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(Image credit: Dion Lee; Khaite; Brandon Maxwell)

Cutouts were one of the most dominant trends we spotted across the collections at New York Fashion Week. With a focus on creative interpretations—holes at the hips, slashes through crop tops, openings made at the sides of dresses—there is no one way designers are executing them.

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Dion Lee)

At Dion Lee, we saw an exploration of skin-baring details—a theme we're seeing across collections.

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Khaite)

With bare midriffs and exposed bra tops, Khaite showed us a collection that felt sexy—a buzzword that has been percolating this season

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Brandon Maxwell)

One of Khaite's standout looks is this two-piece evening look with a cutout crop top and voluminous skirt.

Shop the trend:

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(Image credit: Alejandra Alonso Rojas; Eckhaus Latta; Christopher John Rogers)

Suiting is the trend we're convinced will never die (nor do we want it to), and with each new season, designers pinpoint a detail or two that ensures these tailored separates feel fresh. For fall, that detail is overwhelmingly the cropped blazer. We saw the shortened jacket paired with skirts, pants, and even long shorts, which tells us that there's no single way to incorporate this updated classic into your wardrobe.

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(Image credit: Noam Galai/Getty Images)

Emerging talent Alejandra Alonso Rojas proved she was one to watch this season. We love this look in particular because long shorts and knee boots are a favorite styling trick among the street style set.

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(Image credit: Mitchell Sams; Courtesy of Eckhaus Latta)

Eckhaus Latta took a punk-inspired approach to the suiting trend, pairing a cropped blazer with a school uniform–style skirt—in a punchy orange hue, no less.

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(Image credit: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images for NYFW: The Shows)

At Christopher John Rogers, sharp silhouettes gave a nod to the '80s and interpreted the cropped blazer with notably exaggerated shoulders.

Shop the trend:

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(Image credit: Getty Images; Johnathan Simkhai; Getty Images)

We’re calling this the Bottega Veneta effect. Ever since Daniel Lee put chunky chains on the runway, we’ve seen a rise in chunky jewelry and chain details on the runways. The hardware has migrated from jewelry to bags to shoes and will be a defining detail for accessories in the year ahead.

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(Image credit: Peter White/Getty Images)

At Ulla Johnson, big chains were the details that adorned bags and shoes. We're already predicting the accessories will be in huge demand next fall.

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Jonathan Simkhai)

Jonathan Simkhai brought us a collection of expertly crafted wardrobe essentials styled to perfection.

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(Image credit: Victor Virgile/Getty Images)

At Longchamp, we saw a nod to '70s-inspired Parisian style.

Shop the trend:

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(Image credit: Proenza Schouler; Monse; Area)

Classics with a twist were the leading theme for the outerwear that came down the runways in New York. Blazers, overcoats, and trenches all went under the knife and came out the other end with a transformative look. Deconstruction, mixed prints, and updates on standard silhouettes are all the details to look out for here.

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(Image credit: JP Yim/Getty Images for NYFW: The Shows)

Off-kilter coats grabbed our attention at Proenza Schouler where it was all about asymmetry.

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(Image credit: firstVIEW; Courtesy of Monse)

Monse has made deconstruction a signature of theirs and this season the designers set their sights on reimagining the classic trench coat.

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Area)

Area showed us the most forward take on the deconstruction trend with their heavily cut out blazers with collarless sweetheart necklines.

Shop the trend:

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(Image credit: Tory Burch; Brock Collection; Getty Images)

With the emergence of Victorian-inspired prints and silhouettes, it seems that Greta Gerwig’s Little Women was on the minds of designers this season. Ruffled collars, luxe brocade fabrics, and sweeping romantic dresses all punctuated the runways, lending a sense of soft romance to the collections.

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Tory Burch)

Tory Burch showed us stunning a Victorian-meets-equestrian collection.

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Brock Collection)

Brock Collection stunned with a collection of beautiful floral prints, covered-up dresses, and ruffle-trimmed jackets.

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(Image credit: Victor Virgile/Getty Images)

A mastery of gorgeous brocades and ruffles at Zimmermann.

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(Image credit: Sally LaPointe; Tom Ford; Marc Jacobs)

The term groutfit might have a negative connotation, but designers this season sought to convince us of gray's redeemable qualities—i.e., timelessness, practicality, sophistication. Shades of slate, charcoal, and ash ruled the runways and informed us that wearing the so-called "boring" color is actually quite stylish when worn from head to toe.

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Sally LaPointe)

Sally LaPointe's sumptuous layered silk separates are an excellent alternative to cocktail attire.

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Tom Ford)

At Tom Ford, various textures from tweed to feathers collided to create a gray look that's far from dull. Also noteworthy: socks with sandals.

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(Image credit: Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)

At Marc Jacobs, retro pieces like peacoats, top-handle bags, and sensible pumps ruled the runway in an array of candy-colored hues, but it was this understated gray ensemble that caught our attention the most.

Shop the trend:

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(Image credit: Coach; Marina Moscone; The Row)

The runways were styled with many buildable layers—collared shirts over turtlenecks, coats over trenches, outerwear over outerwear. The rule here is that there are never too many layers, and experimentation is key.

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Coach)

Creative Director Stuart Vevers put his own spin on the preppy school uniform with bold colors and leather.

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Marina Moscone)

We saw uptown elegance for cool, modern women at Marina Moscone.

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(Image credit: Courtesy of The Row)

The Row continues to iterate on tailoring with a commitment to a reserved palette of neutrals.

Shop the trend:

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(Image credit: Collina Strada; Michael Kors; Jason Wu)

For fall, skin is in. If you need further proof, just look to the necklines that keep popping up with shoulder-baring silhouettes. From halter necks to gathered turtlenecks, designers are putting an emphasis on exposed arms.

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Collina Strada)

Collina Strada brought vibrant colors and prints to the runway.

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Michael Kors)

At Michael Kors, we saw a Western-inspired collection brimming with plaid prints, capes, and fringe-trimmed dresses.

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(Image credit: Dan Lecca; Courtesy of Jason Wu)

Jason Wu excels at eveningwear, and this season was no exception.

Shop the trend:

Next up, the latest street style from New York.

Associate Director, Special Projects

Kristen Nichols is the Associate Director, Special Projects at Who What Wear with over a decade of experience in fashion, editorial, and publishing. She oversees luxury content and wedding features, and covers fashion within the luxury market, runway reporting, shopping features, trends, and interviews with leading industry experts. She also contributes to podcast recordings, social media, and branded content initiatives. Kristen has worked with brands including Prada, Chanel, MyTheresa, and Luisa Via Roma, and rising designers such as Refine and Tove, and her style has been featured in publications including Vogue.com, Vogue France, WWD, and the CFDA. Before Who What Wear, Kristen began her career at Rodarte, where she worked on assistant styling, photo shoots, and runway shows, and at Allure, where she moved into print and digital editorial. She graduated from the University of Southern California, where she studied art history and business, and currently lives in New York.

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