Stylist Maggie McGregor predicts five must-have fabrics for fall

Monday, Sept. 23, is the first official day of fall and that means it’s time to update your closet. Fashion stylist and blogger at StyleMagDaily, Maggie McGregor gave Hey, Beautiful the lowdown on the five fabrics you need in your wardrobe this season. I’ll let her take it from here. — Gia

Mmmm fall. Intricate texture plays a critical part in fall clothes this season. Snuggly sweatshirts and fleece blankets at tailgates are not the only way to keep cozy. Fabrics that fashion designers are using this year will keep you warm and chic. Great fall clothes are cozy, irresistibly soft and always feel a little academic — cue Elle Woods’ back-to-school-vibes in “Legally Blonde.”

 

Velvet

Pop culture has a huge influence on fashion, and velvet pieces started popping up more and more a few years ago, around pop star Prince’s death. Now, velvet clothes are less like the decorated Victorian velvet pieces he made famous and more dependent on the mastery of this lush fabric favorite. The velvet fabric we are seeing is super soft and flattering to wear. Velvet midi dresses and velvet slip dresses are kind of replacing the similar silk pieces we saw in the summer. Silk dresses still work; you will just find velvet a little warmer.

 

Suede

With suede, you probably immediately think of shoes (or “Blue Suede Shoes”), but my personal favorite suede items for the fall are the mini skirts and dresses designers have been coming out with, reminiscent of the ’70s. Chilly temps make us want to wear the beautiful suede boots we also are seeing, but the fragile fabric makes people hesitate to buy because authentic suede is ruined easily by water. Luckily, by 2019, the fashion industry got ahead of this conundrum and created suede protectant sprays to seal real suede before you step outside.

Leather

To get my fall wardrobe ready, I started doing research on leather leggings about a month ago. The high-tech fabric of leather leggings is really soft and comfortable. They typically fit tight, but other cuts are available, too. If you want to hide low muscle mass in your legs (which can happen in any age bracket), try a straight-leg legging. A skinny pant with a straight leg has more structure than an actual legging, and many local boutiques offer great options to try on. Downtown Scranton boutiques Runway Luxury Boutique, 128 N. Washington Ave., and New Laundry, 127 N. Washington Ave., as well as Golden Coast, 535 S. State St., Clarks Summit, all will offer variations in the coming weeks.

 

Corduroy

Yes, corduroy is back, and not just for prep school uniforms. Skinny ribbed corduroy pants in bell-bottom, straight-leg and wide-leg shapes are as on-trend as denim. With fabric advancements in the textile industry, this new corduroy has a beautiful stretch to it, so they’re comfortable and move with you the whole day. I’m loving corduroys with clogs right now, really playing into a hippie feel.

 

Flannel

This trend is going to be helpful if you have too many pumpkin spice lattes — oversized flannel is a big fabric trend for fall. It can cover up any body insecurities you have and looks great with the high-tech leggings we are seeing. I personally like belting a really oversized flannel and wearing it with platform heels and tights. It’s all about mixing and matching textures. Fashion can be so fun.

Don’t be afraid of dropping temperatures. Sweater weather is better weather where cold conditions just lead to hotter fashion.

Stay stylish.