7 Autumn Trends for Hong Kong Heat

Fall looks to walk you through 30 degrees…

There’s nothing like the sigh of relief the city exhales with the first hint of a breeze. Despite our subdued seasons (you’ll still break a sweat walking to the MTR in January), the slight temperature shift offers style a bit more breathing room. Though the pairing for new fashion collections traditionally fall under the Spring/Summer or Autumn/Winter umbrellas, Hong Kong’s climate calls for more of a Hot/Humid option. Pair that with our relentless rain and over-enthusiastic air-cons, and it’s no surprise that we’re constantly fluctuating between too hot and too cold. Air-cons aside, we’re not letting the 30 degrees stop us from working a few fall looks into our ensemble. From lightweight, breathable fabrics, to metallic, suede and velvet, here are some easy ways to adopt an autumn feel in Hong Kong…

Read more: How to Style your Day to Night Workwear, Where to Buy Statement Jewellery in Hong Kong

Whether you’re looking for intricate embroidery or silky prints, 2017 Autumn/Winter collections are stocked with quirky takes on traditional florals. Flowy and flowery kimonos, jumpsuits and maxis are all over the high street, despite the conventional view that pastels and florals are for spring. Opting for a navy or black base is a great way to make your prints last as we transition into the (ahem) cooler months. Keep the summer in your step in a loose maxi, layering Flynn Skye’s Unbutton Me Fresh Dress over a white tee, or pairing Jill Stuart’s Sophie Dress with a trusted denim jacket.

​Zara blouse available at Zara, Flynn Skye dress available at Shopbop, Jill Stuart dress available at Shopbop.

Add an autumn feel without breaking a sweat in a velvet-textured top. Get set for a girly evening out or a special date night in this delicate Dion Lee camisole. The bare-it-all back and strappy crisscross shoulder straps will keep you cocktail-ready and cool, whilst the plush texture adds a bit of an indulgent tone. For autumn shades, check out the midnight blue and wine red. As we head into (our somewhat fictitious) winter, sport the look by pairing loose-fitted camis and tanks with distressed skinny jeans and leather jackets. For a subtle take on the velvet trend, Rebecca Minkoff’s crushed velvet slides are just quirky enough to give (borderline) bedroom slippers a sleek finish.

Wine Red Dion Lee Cami available at Shopbop, Ink Blue Dion Lee Cami available at Shopbop, Rebecca Minkoff slides available at Revolve.

Cooler months can become synonymous with cutting out colour. Stop that easy fallback in its tracks by investing in quality, statement pieces. Charlotte London’s upcoming ‘Hong Kong Collection’ is being released in September 2017, and it’s stocked full with classy designs inspired by our city that never sleeps. The jackets are made of the finest light tweed and shimmering, iridescent threads – so they pair perfectly with day and night outfits. Our favourite of the bunch is the Rope Jacket in royal red, guaranteed to take any outfit up a notch. Versatile and comfortable, this number is set to brighten up special occasions – and you can carry it right into the cooler festive months with the Hong Kong red repping Christmas and Chinese New Year. For a softer shade (that’s equally as chic), go for the Biker Box jacket in navy or the Royal Jacket in speckled cream and gold.

Charlotte London Jackets and Blazers available at Charlotte London.

When it comes to tricky weather, nothing matters more than material. If you’re someone who consults the fabric label before buying, lightweight denim may be just what you’re looking for. Whether you’re after work-appropriate joggers or breezy dresses, nowhere combines quality and simplicity quite like Grana. The newly launched lyocell playsuit is a wrinkle resistant, eco-friendly alternative to popular man-made fibres. As a bonus, lyocell garments are (super-duper soft, and… ) fully biodegradable. For more of a timeless, transitional piece, opt for the Chambray Sleeveless Shirt Dress. This is the latest addition to my closet and I can already vouch that you’ll get your wear. Pair it with trainers and a boyfriend watch for a warm day, or ankle boots and a chunky knit cardigan for when the temperature finally drops.

Chambray shirt dress available at Grana, Lyocell playsuit available at Grana.

Metallic is a confident addition to any outfit. Whilst we’re not all ready to rock metallic harem pants, it’s easy to add in more muted touches with sheer pastel blouses – or, of course, accessories. These Sigerson Morrison open boots are a sure way to take a step in the right direction. With an amber-oak gold shade and quirky cut-outs, these heels dance down the line between summer and autumn in a way that doesn’t feel too in-your-face. Metallic bags are another handy add on to up the autumn/winter feel in an everyday look. From edgy takes on a traditional clutch, to modern mini backpacks, cooler months bring plenty of shiny shopping opportunities. We love that, for every bag purchased, STATE hand-delivers a backpack (full of essential tools) to children in need. Plus the petite size means it may even be a favourite for your little one.

Sigerson Morrison open boots available at Revolve, STATE mini backpack available at Shopbop, Rebecca Minkoff Clutch available Shopbop.

When the weather is fluctuating, statement jewellery is a fool-proof way to spark up any outfit. We know the tassel trend has been done again and again this summer, but we’re not ready to say, “so long,” just yet. For an autumn approach, complement colourful pairs with simple block shades, and relaxed silhouettes. These Mercedes Salazar fringed tassel earrings come in warm pink and maroon tones, ideal to pair with black leather for a bit of a juxtaposition. For cooler hues, Anton Heunis’s hoop tassel earrings work navy in with multicoloured Swarovski crystal accents for an extravagant finish.

Mercedes Salazar fringed tassel earrings available at Revolve, Anton Heunis’s Tassel Earrings available at Revolve.

Though there isn’t one colour trending above others this fall, the metallic-meets-matt theme is clearly running strong. In Hong Kong’s heat, do your skin a favour and invest in a quality primer to set the scene and a liquid blush to seal the deal. Whilst smoky eyes are the easiest fall-back for winter, pairing warm and cool golds with taupe and a touch of cream shimmer is a subtle take that has proven well for fall. Opt for a bit of a colour pop as an easy way to add an extra element to your look. The quality pigmentation and wide range of colours available at NARS means that the autumn collection is pretty unbeatable. For something more understated, it’s no surprise we’re loving Urban Decay’s Naked palette, packed to the brim with rose-hued neutrals. From fair, shimmery peaches to deep black matte with rosy red micro-glitter, this is a set that will let you experiment without accidentally going turquoise. If you’re going light on the eyes, throw on some bold matt lipstick in a rich shade and your summer-to-autumn transition is sorted.

Primer available from Hourglass Cosmetics, liquid blush available from NARS, NARS Autumn Collection available at NARS, Urban Decay Naked palette available at Urban Decay, Matt Lip and Cheek Pencil available from Nude Stix.

We hope you love the products we recommend as much as we do! Just so you know, Sassy Media Group may collect a small share of sales from the links in this post.