Lady Grey: Autumn Fashion Trend

A far cry from the vibrant hues that the summer flaunted, it’s shades of grey that take precedence as autumn waltzes around the corner. From pale dove and slate to rich charcoal and graphite, these stormy shades can be found in outfits and accessories around the globe.

Photo: Fashion Magazine

We Fade to Grey

Everywhere you turn, you’ll find absolute treasures popping up in clothing shops in preparation for autumn and winter.

In summer’s fashion shows, Stella McCartney, Julie Boulet, and Alexander Wang swathed their models in smoky shades, and it’s easy to re-create some of these gorgeous looks for yourself.

Maxi: Blush Fashion

One of the best things about grey is that it’s a staple hue: unlike the ephemeral colour trends of magenta, lemon, or turquoise, grey can stay relevant for years, provided that the items you purchase are well tailored and stylish. Keep in mind that you can mix and match accessories to your heart’s content in order to stay au courant – adding in scarves, tops, leggings and such, as desired – so if you get a number of classic pieces that can be re-vamped and re-styled as fads come and go, you’ll save yourself both money and frustration.

For these staple pieces, aim for a couple of dresses that you can wear to work, as well as some separates like skirts, blouses, jumpers, and blazers.

Chopin Knitted Scoop Neck Dress from French Connection | Geo and Lace Dress from Warehouse | The Anna Dress from Oasis | Leopard Love V-Neck Dress from Great Plains

There are so many shades of grey out there that you don’t have to worry about sticking to one particular tone. Try pairing a charcoal grey skirt or trousers with a lighter blouse, or a mid-toned smoky dress with a long, pale grey knit cardigan. Mixing up textures is another fabulous way to celebrate the varied shades, so don’t be afraid of combining fabrics like tweed, silk, wool (especially with knit-wear), velvet, cotton, and leather.

Tights: Denise Alcida

Should you decide that you’d like a more monochromatic look, wear pieces that are all the same shade of grey: this creates a strong, dramatic effect that can be even more intensified with the addition of one strong colour, like red shoes or a robin’s-egg-blue scarf. As another alternative, you can go for patterns instead: leggings and tights that have patterns or embroidery on them can look incredible with a pencil skirt or shift dress, while a grey-on-grey patterned blouse would look brilliant with a simple blazer.

Outerwear

Alexander Wang Outfit: Fashion Magazine

Whether your tastes lie in knee-length woollen jackets or sweeping duster coats, you’re sure to find something you love for the cooler half of the year in a grey shade that inspires you. You can take a cue from Alexander Wang and wrap yourself in knit cowls and hats paired with grey suede and fun fur. If you’re looking to create a unique ensemble of your own, hunt down a vintage grey coat from a charity shop or poky vintage boutique and team it with a chenille scarf, beret, and slouchy leg-warmers over  thick tights/leggings.

Layers: Lookbook

There can’t be enough emphasis on the use of layers for this coming season. Plait a few lightweight scarves together or just layer one atop another in contrasting shades or textures for gorgeous effect. Skip the matching hat/scarf/mitten sets and just mix-and-match those of varying shades and texture. Consider a simple warm jumper with a lace angora or cashmere scarf, topped with a cable-knit hat. Add in some fingerless gloves (so you can still text, or hold on to your latte without the risk of spilling it), and a sturdy grey suede shoulder bag, and you’re absolutely set.

 

Bootie: Love Today’s Look

When it comes to footwear, it’s best to select styles that suit your needs as well as your locale. If you’re in a region that gets smothered in snow from Halloween onward, you might wish to go for a warmer boot that can withstand slush and colder temperatures. If you work in the city centre and will spend most of your time in an office or on the tube, then you can absolutely get away with a pair of chunky heeled boots in a smoky grey.

Accessories

Scarves: Love It So Much

The aforementioned layered scarf is a must for autumn: not only will it keep you warm, but if you get yourself a variety of different scarves to play with, you can have a different combination for every day of the week. Scour your mum’s dresser to see if she has any, hit up some vintage shops, pick up a couple from H&M, TopShop or Debenham’s, or even sit down with some knitting needles and make some of your own one-of-a-kind scarves to play with. Then, twist a couple together, or plait 3 at a time, and experiment with different ways of wrapping/twisting/coiling them to suit your outfit.

Leg-warmers and arm-warmers are great to keep on hand in case the weather (or your office’s thermostat) gets twitchy, and you can find all manner of them on Etsy and other online accessory shops. Chunky belts, statement brooches, thick bangle bracelets, and assertive rings all work well against grey’s subtle shadings, as do hoop earrings and large pendant necklaces. If you can find strings of beads in varying shades of grey, white, and black, you can coil them together for interesting effect, especially if they’re of different lengths. Bold purses with great textures are also must-haves for any season, so keep an eye out for unique pieces.

Makeup

Smoky eyes never go out of style, and you can play with a number of different palettes to get your own signature look for autumn/winter. For daytime looks, aim for a lighter grey across the lid paired with black eyeliner and volumising mascara, while evening looks can be much more bold: add in deep, glittering charcoal in the crease and along the outside contours, and ramp up with black liquid liner. Remember that grey can come in either cool or warm shades, whether there’s more blue/purple in it (cool) or subtle yellow/magenta (warm). Greenish and brownish greys can be either cool or warm, depending on the hue. Try to use grey makeup that complements your eye colour, so hazel or green eyes should be accented by a purplish grey, blue eyes with brown-grey, dark brown eyes with a true neutral or slightly warm grey.

Eyeshadow: Polyvore 

Grey nails can also make a bold statement, and there’s certainly no shortage of nailpolish in these shades. From the palest pebble grey through shimmering silver, gunmetal, and sparkling charcoal, you can find the perfect polish to suit your style and skin tone. Matte nailpolish can look incredible if applied well, but it’s not very forgiving: if you’d like the matte look, get a professional manicure to ensure that your nails are free from any smudges or drips. Should you go for standard nail lacquer, nearly every manufacturer from Butter London to Opi have shades just for you.

Polishes: Polyvore

Don’t Forget the Menfolk…

Photo: Sartorialist

As a final note, remember that your guy might need a little help with his wardrobe this season, and grey is in for menswear as well! Don’t be afraid to encourage him to pick up some basic pieces like trousers and shirts in charcoal, slate, and light grey, and feel free to add in the occasional gift: a sleek cardigan or silk tie could be just the thing to shake up his wardrobe and make him the perfect morsel of arm candy to walk around town with.