Fall Fashion Trends For Warm Climates
Reader Krista asked in my recent fall fashion trends post how to wear the trends when it’s so warm in Florida, she’s putting up her holiday tree while wearing shorts. Whether you live in Florida or another southern US state or a country south of the border, below I share how to rock the popular fall fashion trends for warm climates.
Fall Fashion Trends for Warm Climates: The Best Way to Look Seasonally Appropriate While Keeping Your Cool
Focus on the Colors of the Season
While you may not want to don fisherman sweaters and menswear-inspired wool trousers, you will be able to find fall fashion color trends in a range of fabric weights and sleeve lengths.
For example, green is a very hot color for fall. And while I have seen plenty of gorgeous green sweaters, I have also seen great green short-sleeved tops, leather bags, belts, and dresses.
This season, colors are saturated, and that can be done with any personal style aesthetic and any climate. Right now stores will be focused on “Back to School” fashion which will be a lot of neutrals and traditional cold-weather fabrics, in a month or so the saturated trend will hit the stores and you’ll be able to find more blouses, lighter-weight dresses, and pieces appropriate for your climate in the colors you crave.
This season also is about unusual color pairings, as I mentioned in my fall fashion trends report. This can be done with clothing of all fabrics and styles. Consider a pair of lucite hoops, a wrap belt, a bag, or shoes in one of the colors of the season and pair with your dresses, pants, and blouses.
This season we're also seeing head to toe color. Red is a hot color this season; while I would pair these red trousers with a red sweater and closed-toed shoes for where I live, you could pair them with this chic scoop top and these heeled slides or this flat option.
Soft neutrals like ivory, stone, and camel are on trend this fall and comfortable shades to wear in the heat. You can embrace this trend without having to don cableknit or cashmere.
Embrace Fall Footwear Trends
The idea of encasing your leg in leather boot may sound like torture, but shoe trends for fall go far beyond boots.
This fall, shoes have a menswear vibe. Brogues or oxfords, loafers, and lug soles are on trend and this kind of shoe looks great with an ankle pant, a midi dress, and even dressier shorts. Switch out your ballet flats for a pair of loafers, your sneakers for a pair of brogues or monk straps, replace your tan suede ankle booties with a lug sole boot or lace-up shoe.
If you need more airflow, consider loafer mules which don't encase the whole foot but still embrace the menswear trend. Camel and brown slides with square toes and clean lines work year-round. Check out sandals and slides with lug soles to get the comfort and style with warm-weather comfort.
Try Fall Beauty Trends
Even if you’re wearing a white t-shirt and shorts, switching up your hair and makeup to fall trends will make your look feel current.
This fall the look is fresh, dewy skin and full natural brows. Consider a tinted moisturizer instead of a foundation, keep things simple and give up the contouring for an all-over glow with cream blush or a very fluffy brush to apply your bronzer or blush.
With brows, an instant way to look modern for fall is to brush your brows up instead of curved outward towards your ears. You may want to go to a brow expert to have them trimmed so you don’t look like a mad professor with the occasional long brow hair heading towards your scalp. If you feel steady, brush your brows up, even with some brow gel, and use cuticle scissors to cut off any hairs that are wildly longer than the others. Allow for some irregularity, the goal this fall is natural, not sculpted. Use the brow gel to fill in sparse brows without looking stenciled.
The focus is on eyes or lips (not both at the same time). A quick way to make your whole look feel fall is to apply a fall-colored lipstick. Try a deep berry, a matte brick-colored lipstick, or a classic Bordeaux to give an autumnal vibe to any ensemble.
If you prefer to focus on eyes, lashes are lush and eyeliner is creative. The kitten eye is a trend this fall, which isn't as severe as a classic cat eye and can be done in softer colors like slate and even achieved with eyeshadow. Reverse cat eye, especially with an unexpected color like blue or purple, is also hot for fall. And a soft smoky eye not done with black or gray, but instead bronze or taupe is chic and a pretty look for evening.
As for hair, if you have been considering bangs this is the season to do so. Fringe is hot for fall, and will also instantly change your appearance for the season. Curtain bangs are an easy way to try fringe as they blend into your hair and are easier to grow out.
Soft curls and waves have returned; one of the most popular ways to achieve them is with this gadget you wear while you sleep. No product, no heat, but bouncy hair when you wake.
If you're looking for a new ‘do, the bob is back. Wavy, straight, with bangs or parted in the middle, soft or slicked back even asymmetrical; you'll see a lot of folks have gone for the chin-length chop and it's chic on most any age and face shape.
I hope this post gives you some ideas on how to embrace fall fashion trends for warm climates. If you live in such an environment and have any tips for others, please share them in the comments!
Thanks for such a timely post (as I read on a 108-degree day with an excessive heat warning!). As others have said, layers are key, and I try to find short-sleeved tops in darker fall tones to trick myself into thinking I won’t have to wait till November for cooler temps.
As a long time resident of Tucson, AZ, I really appreciate this post! I have learned that layers are key—you need some warmer stuff, just nothing truly heavy. Also key—finding the fall colors you personally love, and looking for the pieces in those colors that will be easy to wear in warmer climates. I’ve been getting better at this gradually but I also think more clothing is being that reads autumnal in light fabrics. Yay!
So thoughtful of you to post this! I live in Boston now so sweaters and blazers are spot in, but I lived in Florida for 16 years and remember having to shave my legs every day! I love fall clothing but never felt like it worked for me down there. These suggestions are great.
No suede, heavy sweaters or wool for at least 6 more weeks in humid, warm Delaware, but summer clothing doesn’t feel quite right. Thank you for your timely post!
Alison, thank you so much for this! This is a complete
And thoughtful and full of fabulous ways to look chic without melting in the heat and humidity. And since reasonable shoes are fashionable, I can trade in my Chacos for some cute loafers!
I just moved from Northern Virginia to Arizona so this post is right on time. I’ve already gotten rid of lot of my heavy winter clothes and was just wondering how to dress for a winter in the desert. I love the head-to-toe saturated color, especially that red! Thanks so much Alison!