For fall, there is a trend towards a more polished look. Things seem to be reverting to structured layers, tailored trousers, statement blouses, and refined flats. While it doesn’t bother me personally, because I’ve always been a more tailored person who’s not big on athleisure, I was left wondering how exactly this was going to work.
For years, and very much so since the pandemic, people have chosen comfort. Sneakers? Yes. Elastic waists? Oh, heck, yes. Movement, ease, walkability, stretch? Yes, yes, yes, and YES. If the trends are correct, and we’re going back to polished and structured, how exactly do we unring that bell? Like, oh, hi, comfortable person, would you like to wear these pants with the structured waistband and the shoes that will likely give you blisters by day’s end? Um, no thanks.
POLISHED FASHION ISN’T ABOUT GOING WHERE WE’VE BEEN
It’s true, the bell can’t be unrung. Nobody would willingly be uncomfortable, and you can take comfort (no pun intended) that nobody is asking you to. The look may be more polished in appearance, but how it’s being done, or can be done, is without the sacrifice of comfort. Imagine, if you will, that the front-facing is a very polished look, while internally, the architecture is what we’ve all gotten used to: movement, ease, walkability, and stretch. Curious about how? I’ve put some looks together to give you some ideas.
OUTFIT #1: POLISHED ON THE OUTSIDE, COMFORT ON THE INSIDE
This outfit is a perfect example of how polished dressing doesn’t have to mean rigid dressing. The Veronica Beard blazer has a more relaxed shape, giving the look structure without making it feel overly buttoned-up. I paired it with Modern Citizen wide-leg ponte pants, which have the appearance of a beautifully tailored trouser but the stretch and ease of ponte.
The combination of tan and black creates a sophisticated elegance, while the Vince wool and cashmere sweater keeps the look soft and unfussy. Even the shoes are working with us here. These Sarah Flint pumps are designed with comfort in mind, including extra padding, built-in arch support, and a non-slip rubber sole for added comfort and stability. A simple link necklace finishes the look without competing with it.
Nothing about this outfit reads casual or athleisure, yet nearly every piece has some element that makes it easier and more comfortable to wear. That’s exactly what this new version of polished dressing gets right.
OUTFIT #2: WHEN COMFORT CLOTHES DON’T LOOK LIKE COMFORT CLOTHES
Here’s another example of how much the lines between comfort and tailoring have blurred. These Quince bootcut pants are made from ponte, but everything about them, from the silhouette to the seaming and even the belt loops, gives the appearance of a traditional tailored trouser.
I styled them with a ME+EM collared cardigan, which feels more polished and structured than a basic cardigan without sacrificing the comfort of knitwear. Underneath, the blue M.M.LaFleur top is an easy layering piece that also happens to be machine washable, odor-resistant, and wrinkle-resistant—all the practical features we’ve become reluctant to give up.
The same thinking continues with the shoes. These Voile Blanche sneaker loafers wear like sneakers but give the outfit considerably more polish. A Nordstrom leopard calf-hair belt adds some pattern and interest, while the Chan Luu drop earrings finish the look.
This is really what I mean when I say we can’t unring the comfort bell. The clothes can look more tailored and refined without actually asking us to give up all the things that made comfortable dressing so appealing in the first place.
OUTFIT #3: STRUCTURE WITHOUT THE RESTRICTION
A dress can be one of the easiest ways to look polished, particularly when the structure is more visual than literal. This Whistles dress has the appearance of a more tailored, structured style, but the fabric contains modal and Tencel, giving it softness, stretch, and ease. The ruching through the waist creates definition and shape while also being incredibly forgiving.
The longer length adds to the sophistication of the dress while eliminating another old-school requirement of polished dressing: stockings. I styled it with Aquatalia tall boots, which are flat, comfortable, and weatherproof, making them a practical choice for a full day on your feet and unpredictable fall weather.
Because the dress already has plenty of visual interest from the ruching, it doesn’t need much else. A pair of simple Mejuri loop studs finishes the look.
This is a great example of letting fabric and design do the work. You get the appearance of structure and polish without actually having to wear anything particularly structured—or uncomfortable.
OUTFIT #4: THE COMFORTABLE SUIT
If anything proves that polished and comfortable can coexist, it’s how far suiting has come. This M.M.LaFleur suit is made from their forgiving OrigamiTech fabric, which is machine washable, wrinkle-resistant, and travel-friendly. The pants have a comfortable barrel shape, while the brand’s well-known Moreland blazer uses a single-button closure to create an hourglass silhouette. Even the zippered pockets are practical, giving you a secure place to stash essentials.
Underneath, I used a Quince washable stretch silk blouse in this gorgeous teal-ish blue. I love the combination with the brick red suit because it’s sophisticated without being predictable. The colors have enough depth to work beautifully together, while the contrast keeps the outfit from feeling like traditional corporate suiting.
And no, sneakers aren’t going anywhere. The shift toward polish doesn’t mean we need to abandon them; it may simply mean being more intentional about which sneakers we choose and how we style them. These streamlined tan M.Gemi sneakers keep all the comfort and walkability we’ve come to appreciate while looking refined enough to work with the suit.
A navy Brochu Walker belt brings another deep neutral into the mix and ties back to the blue tones of the blouse, while a simple Reiss pendant finishes the look.
This outfit may be the clearest example of where polished dressing is headed: the appearance of traditional tailoring with very few of its traditional inconveniences.
POLISHED DOESN’T HAVE TO MEAN UNCOMFORTABLE
If there’s one thing I hope these outfits illustrate, it’s that the return to polish doesn’t require us to give back everything we’ve gained in comfort. We’re not going backwards. We’re simply taking what we now expect from our clothes- stretch, movement, walkability, easy care, forgiving fabrics- and putting it into clothing that looks more refined.
And perhaps that’s why this particular trend feels less like a trend and more like an evolution. We’ve learned too much about what we’re willing to tolerate from our clothes to suddenly decide that looking polished is worth being miserable again. The structured waistband that digs, the shoes you can’t walk in, the jacket you can’t move your arms in—nobody is nostalgic for that.
So, yes, fashion may be moving away from head-to-toe athleisure, but comfort isn’t going anywhere. The challenge now is finding clothes that give us both. And, as these outfits show, there are more of them out there than you might think.
And if you’re looking at your own wardrobe and wondering how to bring more polish back in without sacrificing the comfort you’ve grown accustomed to, I can help you figure out what that looks like for you. Fill out an Image & Style Assessment to tell me a little about yourself, your wardrobe, and where you’re feeling stuck. From there, we can connect and talk about how we might work together to create a wardrobe that feels polished, comfortable, and, most importantly, like you.
