My love of extremely chill fashion is showing no signs of slowing down. As I begin to think about where my wardrobe is heading, the purchases I’m most interested in are best described as quietly cool—relevant and forward but not quite trendy, more like seasonal updates for those always-on classic styles.
For the year ahead, I’m mainly looking to reinvest in some of my most-loved items of this year, doubling down on chic and easy accessories, wide-leg trousers, flat footwear, and a slew of other items that have had the most wear. As for the new things piquing my interest, they still center minimalism: clean lines, strong neutral pieces, basics that definitely aren’t boring. I want even my most low-key buys to have a point of view, and these 37 pared-back styles all fit the bill—on top of that, they look expensive and are sure to go the distance in 2024.
Asking about fall colors always comes up with some combination of the following shades: burgundy, mustard, olive, brown, burnt orange, and tan. It makes sense given the scenery, with yellowing trees and gloomier skies aplenty during the season leading up to winter. But not everything that makes sense is worth wearing. And lately, I’ve been getting a serious case of the ick when it comes to all things that fall into the category of “stereotypical autumn,” especially when it comes to colors.
Luckily, my growing distain for fashion that can be worn to a pumpkin patch or for a day of apple picking seems to be shared with a majority of designers, with many choosing an opposing color palette for their fall collections. Some, like Matthieu Blazy for Bottega Veneta and Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons for Prada went the way of pastels like mint and soft violet, while others, like Tory Burch and Ferragamo’s Maximilian Davis chose brighter, more vibrant hues like red and royal blue. The consensus? No one will be wearing shades of beige this fall. And you shouldn’t be either.
Scroll down to shop the unexpected color trends set to dominate next season.
Hailey Bieber’s status as a style icon certainly isn’t anything new, but after studying some of the recent looks from her time this spring in New York City, I must say: her style has never been this good. From simple workout outfits for trips to Gotham Gym to low-key yet dangerously copiable short-skirt, long-jacket ensembles for errands around TriBeCa, every look she’s been spotted in during the last few weeks has been perfection—period.
That being said, something about her most recent one stands out from the rest. And that something, to me at least, comes down to the introduction of a single, specific item: her handbag. Over the last few days, the model and Rhode founder hasn’t stopped carrying a small, white version of Bottega Veneta‘s new Andiamo bag, which, despite its fairly recent release date, is already one of the year’s most talked-about purses. With the intrecciato tote, Bieber wore a baby-blue 16Arlington blazer-dress, matching Jil Sander heels, and a vintage Porsche cap.
Also spotted on the likes of Kylie Jenner, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, and of course, Jacob Elordi, the Andiamo bag is only getting bigger and more iconic as the year goes on. Shop Bieber’s preferred size and color as well as plenty of equally covetable woven bags below.
As gorgeous as Elle Fanning looks when she’s dressed in lavish period garb on the set of The Great, her off-duty style is just as impressive. Classic and sophisticated, she and her stylist Samantha McMillen work in sync to make every outfit a timeless one, always adding a playful touch here or there to personalize the look.
Take her latest ensemble, for example, which she wore for an evening with friends at every celebrity’s favorite Los Angeles dinner spot—Craig’s in West Hollywood. For the occasion, she casually combined a black waistcoat and matching blazer with baggy, wide-leg jeans and the prettiest pair of point-toe black pumps that ever so slightly peek out underneath the bottom hemline. To top it off, she added a bamboo-handle Jil Sander handbag for that aforementioned bit of whimsy.
Below, see Fanning’s night-out look and shop non-skinny jeans and point-toe heels.
When Jason Chen coined the term gorpcore in The Cut back in 2017, he wasn’t discovering a new trend — he simply put a label on an aesthetic we were already familiar with: fashion that leans towards the outdoorsy, informed by what you might see on a hiker or a camper, with an emphasis on the utilitarian. But it occupies a gray area between technical apparel and something a little bit more zeitgeist-y, like normcore.
Gorpcore went mainstream in the mid-2010s when celebrities like A$AP Rocky and Frank Ocean started wearing Adidas Terrex AX3 GTX Men’s Trekking sneakers and Arc’teryx jackets. Demand for these brands skyrocketed, both from consumers and other players in the market: This ushered in a series of collaborations — North Face and Supreme, Columbia and Opening Ceremony, Fjallraven and Acne Studios — that continue to this day. (Just last week, Reformation announced a capsule with Canada Goose.)
Gorpcore has flourished into its own subcategory in the market. And in recent years, it’s evolved to intersect with the luxury world on a whole new level.
Nylon accessories on the Prada Fall 2019 runway.
Photo: Imaxtree
Dior x Birkenstock, Jacquemus hiking boots, Prada’s hit nylon accessories — okay, the latter technically is a re-issue, but still: All of these are a testament to gorpcore’s popularity among shoppers. (The Lyst Index of 10 hottest products for Q3 of 2022 included both the Birkenstock Boston Clog and the Patagonia Better Sweater fleece.)
“Essentially, gorpcore became the new luxury streetwear,” says Lorna Hall, director of fashion intelligence at WGSN. “Its active functionality was truly performative to those buying into it — hence the infamous TikToks demonstrating a jacket’s waterproof credentials [by] standing in a shower or throwing bottles of champagne at it.”
It’s only growing in resale, too: Searches for “gorpcore” have been on the rise on Depop among its loyal customer base of teens and twenty-somethings, according to Augustina Panzoni, the company’s trends and category manager. Brands like Arc’teryx, The North Face and Salomon are driving greater traffic than ever, especially for vests, rain jackets, technical pants and bags. But Panzoni calls out Prada, Dior, Jacquemus and Loewe as luxury brands that have crossed into the space.
Patagonia Fashion Week?
Photo: Vanni Bassetti/Getty Images
Gorpcore gives these younger consumers the opportunity to mix and match different aesthetics together and express themselves. They tend not to be loyal to a single brand, nor can they necessarily afford an entire luxury wardrobe. By jumping (and cashing) in on this aesthetic, luxury brands have provided more aspirational options to those able to afford them; but it’s an aesthetic that’s still attainable on a budget.
TikTok has also helped. Panzoni points to the viral trend of people wearing Arc’teryx’s Gore-tex jacket in the shower while listening to “Arc’teryx” by YG; searches for Arc’teryx rose almost 200% in the last quarter on Depop.
Meanwhile, for the brands that originated gorpcore, this recent trend is an opportunity to expand their clientele and stay relevant.
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In 2021, The North Face teamed up with Gucci on a collaboration of groovy backpacks, colorblocked coats, Gucci-North Face monogramed puffers and heavy-duty boots. Launchmetrics reported that in just four months, the collection accumulated a whopping $15.3M in Media Impact Value. That same year, Arc’teryx partnered up with Jil Sander on a line of jackets, bibbed trousers and one-pieces that marry aesthetics and utility. More recently, on Sandy Liang‘s Spring 2023 runway, models walked out in ballet-inspired outfits paired with Salomon hiking shoes, creating an interesting juxtaposition between the designer’s über-feminine style and tougher footwear.
Sandy Liang Spring 2023.
Sandy Liang Spring 2023. Photo: Imaxtree
Teva has seen a similar resurgence in the age of gorpcore, embraced by everyone from Kendall Jenner to Chloe Sevigny — and it’s only kept growing since the pandemic.
“We carved out this unique space for ourselves in the fashion market with our statement sandals, and now with our lifestyle boots, but we really saw an acceleration of comfy-casual trends winning during the pandemic” says Julia Feldman, associate product line manager at Teva. (The brand alluded to a luxury collaboration on the horizon.)
Also on the footwear front, Collina Strada — a beloved New York label that’s often inspired by nature and driven by sustainability — introduced a collaboration with Melissa that’s generated a lot of buzz. Their Puff Sandal is futuristic-style hiking shoe that’s both funky and sporty, inspired by founder Hillary Taymour’s own lifestyle.
When it came to designing the shoe, it was equal parts about the aesthetic and functionality. “We made it so you could literally hike up rocks and jump into an ocean — it’s the coolest water-functioning shoe I have ever seen,” Taymour says. “Wear it with a pair of socks in the fall, with cargo pants or a dress, and it’s still a statement shoe. I feel like anything that’s multi-functional and can be worn for different types of outings is very much the Collina way.”
Collina Strada Spring 2023. Photo: Imaxtree
So what’s behind this new wave of gorpcore — one that toys with luxury — surging years after the trend first emerged? To a certain extent, it’s a reflection of our sociopolitical climate.
“In streetwear, the mood and mentality always fits the times, and there’s a very definite element emerging of ‘harderwear for hard times,’ which aligns the aesthetic and performance to the dark geopolitical and economic mood music” says WGSN’s Hall. “The narrative is less about outdoor pursuits and weather functionality, more about survivalism.”
As for what’s to come, some predict the next step for gorpcore is to go digital.
“Streetwear is also starting to respond to the meta economy, where we see performance streetwear increasingly being influenced by metaverse/gaming and fantasy aesthetics,” says Hall. “The question is: Should they lean into these shift, or is it a step too far from their true extreme/outdoor DNA and therefore too big a risk?” Only time will tell.
