why are we so obsessed with autumn?
autumn 2024 trends and why we love fall so much
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I love autumn. It’s my favourite season, and whenever this time of year rolls around, I get excited for October days when the weather’s crisp but the sky’s blue, evenings where the sun sets early and sets the perfect backdrop for a Halloween classic (I have already watched Beetlejuice and Twilight this year… naturally), and, of course, the fall fashion.
As much as I love summer, it always frustrates me when style choices fly out of the window to make room for comfort. You abandon outfit ideas for the most weather-appropriate one; even worse, in recent years my hayfever has meant that my skin itself feels constantly itchy, meaning my legs do not see a pair of jeans from May until September. I love the warm weather, and I suppose there’s a level of weather-appropriate-ness to autumn fashion too – but it’s less intense than having to wear a vest top simply because a normal t-shirt would leave you melting.
So… I love autumn, and it’s fashion, and of course, Halloween. But I’ve noticed these past few years that autumn has a chokehold on people, to the same level as Christmas. These past couple of months, I’ve noticed an influx of Summerween (Halloween but during summer, relishing in the setting of summer camp slashers and similar films) posts on social media, alongside other posts spotting the first autumnal decor in places like TK Maxx (the UK’s TJ Maxx) and The Range (for anyone outside of the UK, I guess this is like Target, but everything’s discounted). Facebook groups have already started popping up, where people are showing off the latest autumnal finds in their local shops, and trading these with fellow fall fans. And that’s without even mentioning pumpkin-spiced lattes.
But why does autumn have a cult-like following?
Last year, the BBC discovered that even during economic difficulties, Americans were still spending on Halloween must-haves, like costumes and decorations. As part of this article, they spoke to a professor of marketing at North Carolina State University, who explained that ‘Humans love rituals,’ and one of the most important parts of a ritual is the artefacts. They explained that this spending is fairly recession-resistant – although, I bet a lot of us can justify a new pumpkin candle as a way to indulge in the season.
Similarly, Very Well Mind looked at the psychological reasons behind this. September’s the start of a new school year, and this feeling of a fresh start stays with us into adulthood. Yasmine Saad, PhD, also highlighted that autumn is a return to the norm, after long summer months where schedules vanish like ghosts in exchange for holidays and days enjoying the good weather. She explains that ‘there’s a comfortable routine that this season brings.’
And like touched upon earlier, the chillier weather not only ‘takes the pressure off our physical appearance,’ but the ‘cooler temperatures [come with] clarity of thinking, in contrast to the fogginess associated with warmer temperatures.’
So, it isn’t just people being weird.
The Guardian argued that this ‘ostentatious love’ (their words, not mine – because fighting for my life to do Halloween copy every year arguably puts me in this category lol) has spiralled ever since a satirical piece by McSweeneys was published in the early 2010s. Titled, It’s decorative gourd season motherfuckers, the piece is a Scream-Queens-Pumpkin-Spice-latte-but-I-want-it-freezing level of autumnal adoration. My fave quote is:
‘Guess what season it is – fucking fall. There’s a nip in the air and my house is full of mutant fucking squash.’
Clearly… this piece is joking. But ironically, this piece might’ve been the My Chemical Romance to Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight; ever since the article was posted, a love for fall reminiscent of McSweeneys has become rampant across social media. The Guardian have described this piece as the Pandora’s box of fall mania.
Not just that, but when Stylist spoke to a psychologist about this, they learned that people’s nostalgia for autumn is a comfort, and the leaves turning orange is something we can all expect, when so many things nowadays are drastically unpredictable.
This love for fall isn’t just fuelled by pumpkin spice lattes and Gilmore Girls – there’s a lot of psychological reasons why so many of us get giddy about those first signs of autumn.
Some of my inspo for fall fashion this year:
Dark primaries and warm tones
I loooove burgundy and navy, but they always feel too dark to wear in the summer. Designers like Miu Miu integrated this type of colour palette into their AW24 collections, making a chic, cohesive look – without looking as dramatic as black.
Similarly, 70s-esque warm tones are the perfect way to incorporate autumn’s orange leaves into your outfits. I was obsessed with Anna Sui’s AW24 collection, which was a 70s-inspired take on academia, complete with sweater vests, suede, and more.
I especially love how this looks with grey — it gives a back-to-school chic perfect for this time of year.
Leopard print
Leopard print is always trending in my heart, though. As we’ve been told so many times, it’s a neutral – and it’s the perfect way to make an outfit look more thoughtful without any extra effort. I love my Damson Madder leopard print jeans, which I got tailored through their service with SOJO so they fit perfectly. But I also love these looks from the runway – the all-leopard ensemble from Dior is so cool and the Isabel Marant collection marries French nonchalant chic with the best print of all time.
Lace
The AW24 shows had an abundance of boho-inspired fashion, and a staple of boho is lace. I love lace, and think it’s a pretty way to dress up an outfit without much thought. At the start of the summer, I got a Free People black satin skirt with two lace cutouts on the sides, and it’s been in my weekly rotation ever since. (I’m desperately waiting for them to restock the dark-blue variation too.)
Lace feels like a nice nod to Halloween too, since most witch costumes tend to incorporate it.
Charms
Bag charms have been trending the past couple of years, with TikToks especially of people ‘Jane Birkin-ifying’ their bags with charms, ribbons, and other trinkets. Coach and Miu Miu adorned their bags on the runway, but I also love the look of adding charms to shoes. (Although, a word of caution — different laces on Doc Martens can mean different political statements, so do your research beforehand!)
