7 Fall Dress Trends That Will Stay Relevant Through the Rest of 2021
Even though we've been living in a '90s-trends-inspired world for a while, dresses that were popular during the decade are sticking around. The good news is they're being reinvented in new ways that we find particularly flattering. Puff sleeves are bringing volume to breezy, A-line dresses, making them seem even fancier than they were before (of course, you can always dress them down with sneakers). Meanwhile, the minidress will help you amp up the glamour for a night out. Brightly colored knit dresses come in all forms — some in '70s silhouettes with collars and others with cutouts to help you achieve sex appeal. Finally, feminine details such as ruffles and smocking give your outfit a noticeable boost after a year of staying inside. Scroll through all seven dress trends ahead, or jump to the category you wish to shop.
Smocked
Whether the smocked detail runs down to the hips and creates a drop-effect waist or it defines the bodice, this feminine detail isn't going away for fall and winter.
Brightly Colored Knits
While we mostly saw these in the form of lightweight tank dresses for spring and summer, fall brings more autumnal tones and '70s-inspired silhouettes with collars.
Brightly Colored Knits
Brightly Colored Knits
Brightly Colored Knits
Brightly Colored Knits
Brightly Colored Knits
Brightly Colored Knits
Minidresses
The minidress helps you get event-ready this year, so show off a little leg and shop any of these statement pieces that prove extra fabric isn't necessarily what gets you noticed.
Pouf Sleeves
The pouf either adds dimension at the shoulder or takes more of a bishop form, with room throughout and a cinch at the elbow or wrist. Shop it in a minidress or midi length.
Animal Print
Animal print isn't quite as literal this season, often blown up into a more pixelated graphic print or treated with an extra silky sheen. Expect takes on giraffe and zebra to follow.
Rixo Jolene in Antelope ($325)
Ruffles
Allow feminine frills to finish off the border of your sleeves, hem, or collar, and if your taste is more avant-garde than modest, you can even come by some asymmetrical styles that have a single ruffle trail down the miniskirt.
Cutouts
An eye-catching cutout reigns supreme this year, however big or small. Slashes at the midriff, shoulder, chest, and back will allow you to bare a little more skin and exude glamour, even when you're in long sleeves.
FANM MON LVIV Expresso Linen Side and Back Open Detail Mini Dress ($199)