Is it a mere coincidence that our Student Council picked a “decades” themed Homecoming week or have they been eyeing the fall fashion trends? Many pieces inspire a back to the future trend this fall. From the ’50s to ’90s, these looks have proved themselves timeless.

Oversized sweater vests

An absolute adorable look with a high versatility factor. The base layer could be a tee, an oversized button-down, or nothing at all. Sweater vests work with jeans, tennis skirts, kilts, plaid, or printed pants. They come in cable knit, argyle, and houndstooth. You name it, they are all super fun.

Letterman jackets

Letterman jackets came in the ’50s, and again in the ’80s and then made a brief appearance in boy bands through the ’90s. This season, I first saw them in the Boohoo x Madison Beer Collection. These jackets give a very cute and sportier look. Maybe soon they’ll make a true comeback, and we will see all the FHC football players sporting varsity jackets.

Knee-high boots

These boots are a hit or miss; depending on the outfit and accessories, I’ll either love these shoes or hate them. They are reminiscent of the ’60s and then ’90s, but I’ve seen a lot of knee highs in a more cowboy-style look this year, and I actually like them. These boots are definitely a good shoe to have in black or brown to pair with a variety of fall and even winter outfits.

Leather jackets

We saw leather jackets quite a bit last fall and, of course, this trend has recirculated from the ’50s and the ’90s. These seasons’ leather jackets are shown cropped, fitted, oversized, puffy, blazer style, and anything and everything in between. One new aspect of this look is that crocodile leather, specifically, is very in right now. Leather pants are also making their debut again, and overall, this trend isn’t going anywhere and hasn’t changed much from last season.  

Low-rise bootcut jeans

This is quite controversial, and I know a good portion of people reading this right now disagree, but I don’t mind them. I feel like when you picture this particular pair of jeans, you’re imagining a baby tee and a cross-body bag, but this isn’t the ’90s. Let’s get two things straight: just because low-rise is in doesn’t mean high-rise is out. High-waisted jeans are here to stay, and if you like them better, don’t buy low-rise. Secondly, just because the low-rise bootcut trend is swooping back in doesn’t mean it will be styled the same way it used to. I’ve seen this paired with t-shirts, tank tops, crop tops, sweaters, and layered shirts. They’re versatile and definitely a staple for this season.

Fur-trimmed sweaters

I’m truly obsessed. This trend is giving me Cher from Clueless, and I absolutely love it. The fur-trimmed sweaters and fur-cuffed sweaters are here to stay this season. I’ve seen this style debut in button-downs, jackets, trench coats, and quarter zips. This is a fashion must-have for me; my fingers are crossed that this trend doesn’t leave us with the green leaves.

If I’ve learned anything from studying fall trends, it’s probably the extent to which clothing recirculates. Several of these looks were launched in past decades and then revisited in the early 2000s. Because of this, I would highly recommend thrifting or secondhand purchasing of any kind because styles always circle back. It’s important to play around with trends in sustainable ways because many of them are timeless. You can participate in whatever trends you want and avoid whichever ones aren’t for you; wear what cultivates your own personal style.