Fall Trends to Skip in 2015

Trends aren’t all bad, but here are the fall trends we’re going to be passing on in 2015

The biannual GQ Style Guide is one of those publications I always look forward to picking up. Tons of great articles, a healthy dose of inspiration and a forecast of the top trends for the upcoming season.

Now, people of a certain mindset often use the word “trend” pejoratively. But trends aren’t always bad – think plaid suits, turtlenecks and double-breasted blazers – except when they are, of course! (I’m looking at you, Athleisure…)

Thumbing through the latest issue, I was pleasantly surprised to see many of GQ’s top fall trends to be ones I can totally get behind. And, actually, many of them we’ve been wearing and touting for the past couple of years. The layered denim jacket. Arctic parkas. A classic tweed suit. To name only a few.

On any trend list, however, there are bound to be some that just make you cringe, roll your eyes and think, “Really? Really?! How on earth could that be considered stylish?”

So in honor of the change in season – and to help keep your style classic and elevated – here are five of GQ’s fall trends that we highly recommend passing on in 2015.

1. High Fashion Hoodies

I’ve got nothing against the hoodie. It’s a fantastic casual piece for weekends, camping trips, or just lounging around the house. But trying to elevate it to a different status via a higher price tag isn’t going to change that fact that it’s, well, a hoodie.

2. Dressy Cargo Pants

Dressy cargo pants are the trouser equivalent of the bro-couture classic untucked button-up with a blazer and bootcut jeans that are faux-distressed and slightly fraying in the back of the hem because they’re too long so dude steps on them constantly. In other words, I want to dress up but I’m too cool to dress up. Make a choice – don’t go in between. It doesn’t work.

3. Retro-Graphic Sweaters

I know fashion is cyclical, but it seems as though not quite enough time has elapsed since the 1970s came back for them to come back again. If you caught the last revival, you’ve probably got a retro-graphic sweater laying around. If this is your trend, use the old one instead of paying through the nose for a newer version you’ll wear once.

4. The Urban Woodsman

The urban lumberjack is coming back! The first appearance of this individual – bearded and buffalo-plaided man carrying a bespoke axe around the mean streets of Williamsburg – was a reaction to the metrosexual. Not sure why it’s coming back this time, but it is.

5. Sneakerboots

As far as fashion mash-ups go, this is an odd one. Let’s take the utility of a hiking boot and combine it with the comfort and swagger of a sneaker for some franken-footwear. Hmmm. I feel like this is more boot than sneaker, so why not just make a more comfortable boot?

Chime in: What’s your take on the fall trends for 2015?

Thanks for reading.

Stylishly Yours,

Brian Sacawa
He Spoke Style

Featured image by Rob McIver Photo