Acting Brand New: The Fall Fashion Fix-Up Featuring Animal Print, Denim, and All the Things

Fall is officially here, and with it comes the endless racks of mannequins draped in trend after trend at every mall. For fashion lovers, it can feel like overload—stressful, even. But don’t toss out your dreams of turning heads and slaying the season just yet. Your style glow-up is right around the corner!

In anticipation of the fall redress, fashion stylist Carolyn Gray advises people to stray from trends and opt for styling sequences that authentically resonate personally in the form of a capsule wardrobe. “A lot of people chase trends,” while asking, “Where are you in all of this?”

“It seems like some people just pick [trends] because it was easy, but you have to keep up with that trend, or else you going to look like Boo Boo the Fool,” Gray says.

According to Gray, the real flex is honoring your body type and correctly flaunting it against silhouettes, textures, prints, and color types.

“If something doesn’t feel good, then don’t do it. Don’t force it,” she explained.

On the other hand, if you feel pressure to always swipe your card at the register for something brand new, Gray joked “We got McDonald’s at home.”

“We spend the money on our wardrobe, [so] we need to wear it. We need to not wait until the last minute or the best opportunity to wear these things. Just wear your pieces.”

Bet.com discussed with Gray how to formulate a capsule aesthetic from A to Z for the fall season and what novelties will uplift your closet.

Bet.com: Capsule wardrobes can help people easily style pieces based on cohesion. What should be considered when creating a capsule wardrobe from scratch for the fall season?

Carolyn Gray: If someone is starting fresh and feels intimidated by trends, pay attention to the silhouettes that work best for you. This is more important than trying to follow a trend. After that, figure out what works for your body type and lifestyle. Then you can play on the patterns, materials, and colorways that signify your personal style.

Bet.com: This season has already started with a bang in the fashion world. From silhouettes to textures and prints, what are some must-have pieces every capsule wardrobe needs this quarter? 

Carolyn Gray: We’ve been talking a lot about the barrel pants, the pant that has an hourglass shape. Whether it’s a longer or shorter inseam, there’s a barrel pant for everyone. People can really lean into this silhouette and have fun with it. Olive green and burgundy will mix well together this season, too. They play off each other in an elevated way that doesn’t feel like the Christmas greens and reds. We’re still seeing pale yellow and even pastel blue. But, cheetah print is going to be the biggest of everything this season.

Bet.com: Although the summer is in the rearview, some items worn during that time can get a second wind. What items from our summer wardrobe can we effortlessly incorporate into this new season?

Carolyn Gray: The best transitional pieces from summer are dresses and playing around with them, even taking up the hem a little bit higher, or tucking in a side of a dress into a pant, and letting it drape over. Also, the sheer and lace trend is transitional and playful. 

Bet.com: This season is also prime time for layering. How should we correctly layer pieces to stay warm as temperatures drop?

Carolyn Gray: Layering is a formula that takes time for people to understand, like, what is your formula of layering? Also, you have to get comfortable with the unexpected because you wouldn’t normally mix linen or lace with a wool piece, but that could be fun to play with. Dresses are really easy to layer with T-shirts, along with heavier cottons like weighted knits. Mesh is another material that you can layer on top of. If you’re feeling a bit chilly, throw a blazer or coat over top of it. A cool formula is a sweater over a dress that becomes a skirt combination.

Bet.com: The summer was all about flaunting perfectly pedicured feet and toes. What footwear trends can we rock without sacrificing comfort or style?

Carolyn Gray: Whether it’s a high heel, mid, or a flat, the over-the-knee boot is where it’s at. Loafers never go out of style. We’re continuing to see the ballet flat but in different variations. The classic pump with a pointed toe is coming back along with the retro mom sneaker that looks clean and sleek.

Bet.com: Accessories can make or break any outfit. What items should be invested in to take our style up a notch?

Carolyn Gray: The oversized clutch is something that is attainable at all price points in the burgundies or the animal prints. Those can quickly elevate any look. For city slickers, having anything hands-free like a large hobo bag or shoulder bag is king. 

Bet.com: Celebrities tend to set trends and turn heads. What Black entertainers are already ahead of the pack this season?

Carolyn Gray: Taylor Russel, Ayo Edebiri, and Tessa Thompson are all great with texture, comfort styling, and silhouettes. They are a little bit more masculine in their silhouette choices, but those three be looking good. They know what they be doing!