The leaves crunch under your feet as you walk to your first class. You look around and campus is covered in a blanket of brown, red, orange and yellow leaves, perfect eye candy for an otherwise dreadful walk. You look around and notice something you hadn't before: everyone has broken out their fall apparel, but something is different this time. Suddenly everyone is wearing the same few colors and styles, which begs your question, "How does everyone know what the fall colors are and where did they come from?"
Junior apparel merchandising major Rachel Strouse fills us in on how to spot this years' trends.
"There's not just a class on it," Strouse says. "You have to do your research."
Strouse emphasizes Vogue Magazine as a first stop, as well as other trendy magazines. Strouse personally loves scrolling through personal blogs to take note of what users are wearing.
Fall Fashion Week is another way to observe what designers are bringing to the table. Fall Fashion Week even offers services online to predict what fall colors will arise this year, according to Strouse.
However, if you don't want to do research ahead of time, Strouse urges to check Urban Outfitters or Anthropologie.
"If they didn't have the trends there, we wouldn't see them on campus," Strouse says.
So, what are this year's colors? Strouse believes the most popular colors of the season will be mustard yellows, burnt oranges, and maroons. She also predicts more of the 'vampy' look, which she describes as a fashion style incorporating burgundies, maroons, and wine colors for a deep edgy feel.
Strouse is excited to see earthy tones mixed with pops of royal blues, brighter yellows and vivid reds to "spruce the look up a bit and give it a bold statement," Strouse says.
Strouse predicts the number one color this fall with be a rust color, something she's noticed a lot in magazines, blogs and online boutiques.
"I'm gonna start seeing this more," Strouse says when she repeatedly notices the same color online.
Colors aren't the only thing that keeps fashion up to date. Strouse says there are many different styles and directions even within fall colors of the past. This year, she expects an introduction to mixing patterns.
"It's still tricky for a lot of people to master and people are intimidated by that still but if you find a few common colors like 'Oh, this plaid skirt has a nice stripe of red in it every once and a while and I'm gonna mix it with this floral shirt that has these red poppies," Strouse said.
Strouse also anticipates the mixing of fabrics this season. She thinks mixing furs and suades provides a new fun style option.
Ultimately, Strouse believes your decision to mix patterns and fabrics is purely your personal preference.
"If you look at what happened in the New York Fashion Week, there were some stylists and designers who went very bold patterns for all of their looks, some that mixed and some that, like Kanye West, were all monochromatic and earthy skin tone colors," Strouse says.
Strouse is still trying to develop her own personal style. She loves bohemian fringes, wearing dark clothes with a pop of color, faux fur vests, stalking the Kardashian's style, and the color wine.
"It just makes me feel sexy and sultry, like 'I got this, I'm working it," Strouse says.
Strouse's advice to those trying to stay with the fashions of the season to not model your style off of what you see someone else wearing if it won't make you comfortable. It's all up to what you will feel good in.
"I'm gonna wear what I feel confident and what I feel comfortable in and I think that's a big thing for other people to remember," Strouse says.
