Autumn Fashion Trends 2021

Whether you’re a ‘Dedicated Follower of Fashion’ or not (women of a certain age will no doubt remember The Kinks’ somewhat unusually-titled song from back in the day…), it’s hard not to notice the regular changing fashion trends. Each season of the year brings a flurry of new styles, new patterns, new colours. While we prefer to focus more on timeless styles and cuts than seasonally in/out attire, we will admit to taking a sneaky peak at the current trends and colours for outfit inspiration. In fact, it’s often difficult NOT to follow trends when buying new clothes – have you ever tried seeking out a blue jumper when the season’s colours are pistachio green and pastel purple? It’s like looking for a needle in a haystack!

This year’s autumn collections included a little something for everyone; whether you’re into powerplay pantsuits or ultra-femme florals, there’s an autumnal style and colour palette to match every sartorial taste.

Monochrome ensembles are an easy way to style a minimalist look while still appearing put together and fashion forward. The added bonus of this trend is that it makes it much easier to style, as matching cuts and cloth matter less when you’re working from a shared colour palette. We love this trend, as it lends itself to longevity and won’t necessarily require additional purchases – we all lean towards buying our favourite colour, so the likelihood is they’ll already be enough in your wardrobe to pull together a core colour look.

Iconic pantsuits made with sumptuously drape fabrics, bigger shoulders and wider legs, cinched at the waist with a thick belt to accentuate the female form ruled the runways this year. With deep pockets and lines similar to loungewear, these designs were clearly made for comfort and confidence. Match your pantsuit with a womens waterproof raincoat from our Protected Species collection. The timeless trench in the range is called, “The Waterproof Mac” and does what it says on the tin. It’s a lightweight waterproof jacket with hood which finishes office-ready smartness in style, or perfectly disguises Sunday lounge wear when a dash to take the dog for a quick flit around the park is required.

Long knitted dresses are probably the simplest and comfiest trend on the high street at the moment. Pair with heavy soled boots or trainers and you are ready to jump out the door in 15 seconds flat.

Checks and Ginghams make an appearance this Autumn in the form of very relaxed suits silhouettes. This oversized trend essentially means no one will know if you layer up with cosy brushed base layer tops and/or leggings, pulling off that smart look with full preparation for any sharp changes in the weather. When the weather gets really Baltic, womens waterproof winter coats aren’t commonplace in the market, but do exist. Sharpen up your internet surfing skills to find them and make sure they are fully seam sealed (otherwise they’re not really waterproof). The Protected Species version, aptly called The Winter Parka,comes with a full body and sleeve soft fleece lining to keep you cosy and warm on the frostiest of winter walks.

Layering is the key this Autumn/winter, which scientifically keeps your warmer than heavy garments by trapping warm air between the layers. It also means moving from snow filled mountains to lunch in a log cabin next to a roaring fire (or possibly more realisticallyfrom biting December winds to the stuffy commute home on the tube) you can de-layer and adapt your attire accordingly without breaking into a sweat.