7 Fall 2018 Trends I'm Liking | Elisabeth McKnight

Most of the info and the cute backpack in this post is thanks to the Marshall’s team in Boston but this post is not sponsored, I just wanted to share what we learned and the cute pictures I took with my sisters, who ended up doing most of their back to school shopping at Marshalls and TJ Maxx all on their own.

Last month I had the chance to take in a Red Sox game at Fenway with Ben and some other Boston bloggers/influencers. Before we toured the stadium we stopped in at the Fenway Marshall’s for a few minutes with one of their buyers to talk about back to school trends and more that we’ll be seeing in the next few months.

It was so interesting to see how buying product for Marshall’s and TJ Maxx works and get a cohesive overview about the styles and trends we’ve seen pop up as the weather starts to cool. I didn’t realize how responsive the buying team at Marshalls can be, with just about two weeks from the time they pick new styles to the time they get them on the shelves. It made me want to stop in more regularly to check out what fun surprises I’d find in store.

Here are a few of the trends to be on the lookout for and what I’m thinking about each of them:

Athleisure: This trend is still going strong and we’re seeing it in everything from women’s wear to toddlers clothing. I love that it means more options for comfortable pieces and, while I still like to actually get dressed sometimes, I love that it continues to be acceptable to show up in clothes from the gym.
Graphic Tees: Again, this trend is going strong across the board and I’ve seen a lot of it in the back-to-school kids fashion. There have been some darling graphic tees for women recently but I still generally prefer the more classic pieces for my kids.
Interesting Denim: The distressed denim trend is still everywhere but we’re starting to see less distressing all over the jean and more of it concentrated at the bottom (think raw hem lines). I love this change because it makes the jeans more wearable/ versatile/ professional/ classic. We’re also seeing a lot of embroidery on all types of denim: jackets, pants, tops, skirts, etc.
Leather Jackets: We’re seeing these in the little girls section as well as the men’s section, and everything in between. If you don’t have a go-to leather jacket, this is a great season to grab one. I had a faux black leather jacket for a while that I just never ended up wearing but I purchased a suede one in Morocco last year and it has been a closet workhouse. The suede feels less edgy and easier to wear to me so if you’re on the fence, look into suede leather (or faux leather) options.
Winter florals: These busy floral patterns in softer or darker winter hues have been lining the shelves already. There a fun way to add a feminine feel to an outfit
Animal Prints: These are back (did they ever really leave?) with vengeance and I’m already eyeing little leopard loafers for Adelaide. I haven’t purchased any big leopard print pieces (dresses, skirts, coats) but I love what they add to outfits in accessories (shoes, belts, bags).
Blazers: We’re seeing work wear make a statement in a bold way and I’m thinking Lincoln might not be the only one who needs a new blazer this winter.
Jumpsuits: These have been getting more and more popular and they have been steadily growing on me. I love this chambray one my sister picked up while back to school shopping (at Marshalls, so I’m not sure if it’s still there).

A few other trends Marshall’s mentioned:

Blush home decor
pineapples (so my sister’s top seemed right on trend)
graphic slogans (on everything from home decor to office supplies)

Mostly these pictures have me missing my two sisters who are busy studying in Jerusalem and Utah right now. I’ll just be over here counting down ’till Christmas when we’ll all be back together.

outfit details:

Maddie’s pineapple shirt, backpack, jeans: Marshalls

Nicole’s jumpsuit: Marshalls, backpack (my camera backpack), Atlas Supply Co

my bow flats: M.Gemi (more cute bow flats here)

my raw hem jeans: AGOLDE (more distressed jeans here) (more AGOLDE denim here)

my lace top: J. Crew Factory (comes in a couple of different colors)