This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I make a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Disclosure here.

TikTok and social media have convinced us that huge walk-in wardrobes are completely normal. That having our homes stuffed with new pumpkin décor every fall is something everybody does. That decluttering half of the wardrobe and then going out to buy a whole new wardrobe for the season is such a flex. 

I’m not exempt from this myself. I still feel inclined to do impulse buying, and there are lots of trending pieces that sometimes end up on my wish list.

But I’m here to deinfluence you today. 

Since I’ve been on a decluttering journey for the past couple of years, I have seen what a damaging effect all of the shopping for trendy pieces can have on my mental health, my stress levels, and my budget. 

However, I’m not here to say don’t indulge in any trend ever. But if you also want to be a bit more intentional with your spending, I’m sharing some things I won’t be buying this autumn, even though they’re very trendy at the moment. I’d love to hear what would be on your list, so do let me know in the comments below.

And I also want to ask your opinion on an item that’s been on my wish list for a long time. Yet I’m still not sure whether I should buy it or not. I’ll share that towards the end of the article, and please influence or deinfluence me. I would love to know your opinion. 

Keep reading below or watch the video:

1. Barrel jeans

I know these really oversized jeans are very trendy at the moment, but I always find that they look really weird on me. Maybe because I’m quite short, maybe it’s my body shape, or it might be just preference, but I don’t feel like myself in those jeans. 

There’s nothing wrong if you love wearing them. Obviously, this is just my personal preference, so this is one trend I won’t be buying into this year. I much prefer just a straight-leg jeans or mum jeans. Those are my go-tos. 

2. All things furry

I have seen this new trend emerge, which feels a bit weird to me: it’s a furry trend, and everything is furry. And I don’t just mean like a faux-fur gilet, which I used to own, but I mean furry shoes, furry collars that you can add on top of your coat, furry bags, and lots of other furry things. 

Personally, I don’t feel like I’m going to add any of these to my wardrobe, especially not the shoes. I don’t see them as being very practical, especially in British weather. Having furry shoes in wet, rainy weather does not sound like a recipe for a good outfit to me. But I have seen these on TikTok, on H&M and lots of other websites, so it seems like they’re popping up this year. Yet it’s not a trend I’ll be buying into.

3. UGG boots

I used to own some of these boots, but as I was doing my decluttering, I realised I wasn’t wearing them. They were in my wardrobe, stored in the cupboard under the stairs, gathering dust, and I had had them for years. I loved how cosy and comfy they looked and felt, but still, I was never reaching out for them. Living in Britain means being often caught in the rain or drizzle during autumn, so UGG boots aren’t that practical for me. So they were among the first things I let go of when I started my minimalism journey.

Obviously, if you have a different kind of weather where you live, they might be practical for you, as I think it really depends on the climate. But for me, I just don’t see myself wearing them a lot, so I’m not going to buy any more of those, or at least not this year.

4. Cow pattern 

Don’t get me wrong, I do love certain types of patterns. The leopard print is one of my favourites. Yet the cow pattern is something I just don’t see myself wearing. 

If you like it, obviously, nothing wrong with that. Everybody has a different style, different preferences, and I think different things look good on different people. But to me, the cow pattern is just not something I see myself wearing a lot. So I’m definitely going to skip the cow pattern items. 

5. Bold patterns

As I was decluttering and trying to be more intentional with my shopping, I also created a digital wardrobe. It lets me see the pieces I own, the ones I wear most, and the ones I rarely touch. It’s been really eye-opening, and I realised that the vast majority of items in my wardrobe—probably more than 90%—have no pattern at all. They’re just plain colours: plain white, plain beige, whatever it might be.

I do have a few striped or checks pieces, but for the most part, there’s no real pattern. And those are the pieces I wear the most—the classic, timeless ones. Decluttering really helped me see what my style actually is, and that bold patterns are just not what I like to wear.

So now, if I go into a shop and see a cute top with a fun pattern, I know I’ll probably think, “Oh, that’s lovely. I’ll wear it loads. It’s such a bargain.” But in reality, if I were to buy it, I’d wear it twice, and that would be it. This whole process has made me far more intentional with my purchases, and the pieces I do buy now I end up wearing for much longer—and I enjoy wearing them too.

6. Skirts or dresses for fall

Skirts or dresses for autumn are also something I don’t really see myself wearing. I used to buy them—those really beautiful knit skirts or pinafore dresses, or similar pieces—and I owned quite a few. But I realised I was never actually wearing them. They just don’t fit my style.

It’s not that I dislike how they look; in fact, I think they look really lovely on other people. But when I had them, I just wasn’t reaching for them myself. And I think it’s okay to acknowledge that we all have certain “uniforms” we feel most comfortable in. For me, that’s an oversized jumper with leggings, pretty much every day. I also go for simple combinations like a shirt and jeans, or a plain top and jeans. Those are the outfits I gravitate towards most.

So if I keep buying skirts, pinafores, or similar items, I know they’ll only end up gathering dust in my wardrobe.

7. Fall décor

I’m not saying don’t buy anything pumpkin or autumnal—I know some people really enjoy decorating, and I used to be one of them too. I still decorate when it gets closer to Halloween, because it’s such a big celebration here and one of our favourites. We love trick-or-treating and seeing how people decorate their houses, so I love taking part in that.

What I don’t enjoy anymore is covering every surface with pumpkins, leaves, and lots of plastic décor from the shops. The other day I went to The Range and saw this huge autumn display with so many beautiful pieces. I’ll be honest, I was drawn to it—it looked so nice and cosy. But then I remembered I already have a few items from last year that I can use for Halloween, and I really don’t need more.

It feels like it’s become so normal now to buy loads of new décor every autumn, even though we probably already own very similar pieces that give us the same cosy feeling. For me, decorating is about pulling out what I already have, looking through it, and “shopping” my own things first. I can still create that warm, festive atmosphere with last year’s items without buying new ones this year.

I know there’s pumpkin everything in the shops, and it all looks so cute. But for me, I know I’m not going to want to buy any of those this year. Instead, I’m going to try decorating for autumn or winter with things I can find in nature—like long sticks I can put in a vase, pine cones, or other little treasures I might pick up outside. Maybe even some craft activities I can do with the kids. Just simple touches like that, rather than buying yet another pumpkin I probably don’t need.

And one more thing—so many of the items in shops are huge. If I bought them, where would I store them all until next year? Yes, we have loft space, but if I bought big décor every year, it would fill up quickly. So if you do pick up new items, it’s worth thinking about where you’ll keep them once the season’s over, because they’ll be sitting in storage for the next twelve months.

8. High-neck items

Another fashion trend I’ve been seeing, but don’t really see myself wearing now, is high-neck jumpers or tops. A lot of them are very tight, and I just don’t like that feeling anymore. I used to own a few, but I realised I hardly ever wore them.

The reason is simple: they were uncomfortable. Anything that makes me feel restricted or not like myself is something I just won’t reach for. Those pieces only end up gathering dust in my case, so it’s better to declutter them.

9. Chunky jewellery belts

I actually came across this trend again recently on TikTok. I’m not sure if it’s really a big thing that everyone’s jumping on, but I’ve seen it a few times—it’s those really chunky jewellery belts. They remind me of when we were teenagers and had something very similar, but I just don’t see myself wearing them anymore. I suppose it feels more like a Gen Z trend than a millennial one. Either way, it’s definitely not something I’ll be picking up this year.

10. Beauty advent calendar

And another trend I wanted to mention—one that might not seem like an autumn trend at first—is advent calendars. The reason I’m bringing it up now is that they’ll start appearing in shops very soon. A lot of places advertise them early, so you can buy them well before December.

This year, though, I won’t be buying any of the big ones. I’ll still pick up the simple chocolate ones for the kids, but not the beauty or skincare calendars. In the past, when I did buy one of those, I realised they usually came with 24 products, and although they look exciting, they can be quite expensive. Of course, the shops promote them by saying you’re getting everything at a fraction of the full price. But when I think back, only a handful of the products were things I actually used regularly. The rest just sat in my bathroom cabinet for ages until I eventually decluttered them or passed them on.

So now, it just feels wasteful to me. Maybe before you buy an advent calendar, it’s worth pausing to think about how many of those products you’d genuinely use. That can give you a good sense of whether it’s really worth it or not.

The one trend I’m still debating

And the one item that’s been trending—and sitting on my wish list—is a pair of Adidas trainers. I wasn’t sure whether I should buy them or not, so I wanted your opinion. Influence me, deinfluence me—let me know what you think. Especially if you own them, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

I do need a new pair of trainers because my plain white ones, which I wear all the time, are starting to fall apart. And I’m pondering what to buy: the same white pair of trainers or these Adidas ones.

I love my white trainers because they’re fairly waterproof—not if I step in a huge puddle, of course, but enough to keep my feet dry most of the year. They go with everything, and I wear them all year round.

Now, the Adidas ones I’m eyeing are really trendy, but they’re in suede. On the one hand, I know I’d wear them a lot, and they’d go with most of my outfits. On the other hand, I’m not sure they’d hold up well in autumn and winter. We don’t get snow here, which is fine, but if I got caught in the rain, would the suede get ruined? If so, they’re probably not the best choice for me.

So, if you have these shoes, let me know how you’re finding them! I’m still trying to decide whether to go for them or not.

And that’s it—those are the fall trends I won’t be buying this year. I’d love to hear from you, though: are there any trends you are buying? Or ones you’re steering clear of? Let me know where you’re at.