Maximalism, Mocha and More: Trends for Cooler Weather Dressing

As each new season emerges, we’re often inundated with an avalanche of fashion predictions that rarely agree with each other – after all, trends are an unpredictable science. So, as the weather cools down and we trade easy-breezy for warm and cosy, it’s time for a wardrobe refresh for the new season.

We’ve looked at forecasts across the board and pulled together the five trends that everyone seems to agree on for autumn/winter 2025. Here’s how to integrate the season’s coolest trends into your own personal style.

Just three months after Pantone announced its Colour of the Year for 2025 to be chocolatey Mocha Mousse, we’ve already seen the serene shade all over runways in New York and Copenhagen. Find your perfect shade of mocha, and pare it back with suitably subtle additions. Look for modern iterations that let you channel two trends at once – like versatile, relaxed-fit pants in brown; ’90s-inspired separates; or easy-to-add, up-to-date accessories.

How to style it: If your wardrobe has been minimalist monochrome the last few seasons, mocha is the perfect way to add warmth to those whites, greys and blacks – without an overwhelming colour-matching challenge. Find a shade with the right undertone for your complexion and wade into the mocha waters by layering new-season outerwear over your already wearable wardrobe. A rich brown coat, vintage-look leather piece, or statement jacket in a textured finish are an easy addition.

Whether you’re channelling the oversized basketball jersey vibes of the ’90s or the graphic, athletic design elements in the crossover between fashion and sportswear right now, there’s no denying sporty chic is dominating casual dressing. It started with the return of the ubiquitous double-striped pant last year, and we’ll see it continue into 2025 – from the polo-rich tennis whites of summer’s Australian Open through to trackside at the upcoming F1 in Melbourne.

How to style it: Planning to channel Sporty Spice? All power to you (this ’90s kid won’t deny you an icon), but delivering on the ’25 trend is all about mixing sporty elements with more elevated separates. Look for fresh 2025 “it” pieces like a bright sweatshirt that pops, or this season’s iteration of the classic bomber in denim. Pop it over the top of a crisp white tee and a side-stripe pant (or double your cultural cachet with choc-brown trackies), and you’re good to go from day to date night.

To combat the oversaturation of minimalism, quiet luxury and capsule dressing over the past few years, we’re seeing a return to maximalism and graphic interest – and at the centre is the graphic print. Think a vintage band tee, sports team-inspired oversized jerseys, or fun pop prints that hark back to the colourful advertisements of the Mad Men era. The idea is to grab attention – and lots of it.

How to style it: At the intersection of graphic maximalism and the sporty-chic trend is the sports jersey. Try pairing something like the motocross-inspired Speedway tee dress with a sleek mini or a feminine midi and winter boots for a casual-but-cool daytime look that unexpectedly contrasts both soft and sporty. If an effortless Princess Diana look is more your vibe, choose a bold varsity sweater layered over a pleat mini topped off with sneakers.

Perhaps one of the most talked about shows at New York Fashion Week was the return of Calvin Klein to the runway and Veronica Leoni’s first collection for the label, following stints at quiet-luxury brands like Jil Sander, Celine and The Row. It seems minimalism – albeit in a new form – is persisting through 2025. It’s been dubbed “new minimalism”, and it takes ’90s fashion icons like Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Moss et al and brings them into the present through a flirtation with form. Can a teddy be minimal? This trend says yes – if styled with flats and a fresh face.

How to style it: The cosy teddy is a classic for the cold of winter, so why not take a typical Melburnian’s advice and switch it up with a laid-back almost-black version? Ena Pelly’s chic Gracie faux fur hoodie in dark charcoal, paired with ’90s jeans and ballet slippers, can take you from day to DJ set in a way that the classic caramel won’t. Or try something unexpected by topping a tonal butter slip in silk with the relaxed Cleo wool blend coat in camel for the warmest colour combo this side of summer.

We’ve all heard that the ubiquitous 2000s-inspired free-spirited vibe is back for 2025 – but it’s Elle’s coining of the phrase “moto-boho” that has caught our eye. Defined by the intersection of leather jackets and counter-culture dressing (two major trends of the Kate Moss era), this trend delivers all the ’00s vibes with a decidedly gen Z take on the direction, encapsulating the modern approach to referential style.

How to style it: The key here is mixing soft and hard: think flowy dresses with leather jackets, or motocross tees with fringe messenger bags. The upcoming transition from autumn to winter is the perfect time to grab your favourite sundress and throw a leather jacket over the top – the Arden leather jacket delivers the perfect updated reference with a timeless silhouette. Or live out your Penny-Lane-in-Almost-Famous fantasy with new-season shearling paired with relaxed denim and the ’25 return of the peasant top.

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Ena Pelly.