The Who What Wear Podcast: WWW Fall 100: Our Editor-Approved Essentials for the Season

0:10Kat Collings:Welcome to the Who What Wear podcast, your direct line to the designers, stylists, beauty experts, editors, and tastemakers who are shaping the ever-evolving world of fashion. I'm Who What Wear Editor-in-Chief Kat Collings, and today I'm sitting down with fashion editors Eliza Huber and Nikki Chwatt for the Fall 2025 Who What Wear 100. Twice a year, we curate 100 editor-approved it pieces in every category for the fashion season ahead. For fall, think button-downs, coats, boots, and handbags. You can find the full list at the link in the episode description. And today, we're talking about our comfiest finds for a gentle fall.

0:47Kat Collings:from cashmere sock boots to Charvet slippers. Plus we get into best practices for layering your looks with fun pieces like roll neck sweaters and tassel necklaces. It's all coming up on Who What Wear.

1:13Kat Collings:Eliza and Nikki, thank you so much for joining me. Of course, thank you for having us. Yeah, I'm so excited to be here. So to start, we are talking about Who at Wear 100, and I want to give a little background about this franchise. It's, to me, one of the most exciting ones that comes around, and you guys are the point people on it, making it all come to life. So will you share a little bit about it? Yeah, so Who at Wear 100 is a giant story that we do every season, and this season obviously is for fall 2025. It's 100 products, 10 categories with 10 products each that cover basically everything that we think you should or could consider buying from shoes and jackets and coats to more kind of broad categories like items that our editors count on during the fall season or the wardrobe workhorses that people in the industry are wearing on repeat.

2:12And also including things like holiday items or the seasonal it pieces that everyone's going to be wearing and talking about. We also include these beautiful collages. So every year I like to use the collages as mood boards to like reinterpret things that I already have in my closet or just think creatively about my style in general for the fall. Yeah, absolutely.

2:35Kat Collings:Even if you're not necessarily shopping the season ahead or only making a purchase or two, there's a lot of styling goodness packed in there as well. So I also think of fall as a time that you invest in those one or two splurge items more than any other time of year. It's kind of like a back to school. Let me get my wardrobe right and hear me out for the season ahead. So I'm curious for your advice, if you've been saving up for that one new fall piece, you know, something you'll wear for years to come, what are you recommending we buy? I like to think of investment pieces this time of year as like modern twists on classic items.

3:10Obviously, you want the item that you're spending a lot of money on to be timeless and last forever and be able to be worn all the time. But for this guide, we really focused on pieces that will also feel super relevant and fresh this time of year. So one of those items is a pair of navy and black Chanel ballet flats in patent leather. I feel like everyone has or wants the tan and black combo, but navy and black is so cool right now and such a fun clashing color combo. The same kind of goes for the Cartier Tank. I feel like a lot of people have the silver version on a metal bracelet, which is gorgeous and classic timeless.

3:52But a lot of people right now are kind of wanting to buy the golds. And so one fun way to make it feel extra 2025 and extra fall is to buy it on a cognac croc leather band. Really chic, a little bit different. So you're not having the same watch as everyone. And when that changes, you can always change the band that you want for your watch. I saw a navy that was so chic. Very into navy this season.

4:18Kat Collings:Your point about the Chanel flats, the navy and black. I like that it is sort of, you know, I think people have hesitation around navy and black together. like maybe it was even a fashion don't rule kind of face thing at some point so I like that it's just mashed up in there and it kind of sets the tone for the rest of your outfit that you can like be a little bit more experimental I think yeah what else am I investing in for designer bags right now we're loving Bottega's new bucket version of its Andiamo bag for the fall it just hit the stores it has a soft leather outer and then there's like an inner divider and it's made from the brand's signature weave.

4:51It comes in black and fondant, which is Bottega's really rich brown hue, but we're really loving the burgundy shade. It looks very luxe and expensive. I saw it in person in the store a few weeks ago. The strap isn't like overly long. It's like a perfect length that kind of hits the hip at the right place. And it's great to take to the office. It can fit a laptop or just a great bag to use on the weekends when running errands.

5:15Kat Collings:It's so cute. On the other hand, if you're looking to add something fresh to your wardrobe, but you're on a bit more of a budget, what are some great pieces to add that are more affordable side of the spectrum? Yeah. So there are so many great affordable items right now for fall. They look really expensive, but price tag doesn't have the extra zeros added to it. Every item in the section is under$300 and it goes as low as$40. One standout piece is Kasa's new plaid button-down shirt. It's a great alternative to designer options that we're seeing from brands like Bottega, Leroux, Calvin Klein, and even Proenza.

5:53Actually, Anna LaPlaca, senior fashion editor at Who It Wear, she wore it during New York Fashion Week to Kassa's show. And I love how she paired it with a suede pencil skirt and open toe kitten heels.

6:05Kat Collings:And it just looked really elegant and luxe. In terms of handbags, we're loving the Freya Jane bag. I've been seeing it on a lot of fashion people also during New York Fashion Week. It's very compact. It has sort of a cylinder shape with a top handle. It's a perfect piece to bring out at night. It could hold all the essentials. And then for an everyday bag, Charles and Keith, they make a nice top handle bag. It comes in a cream shade, which we included. And I think it's a really nice addition to any fall outfit or even taking it into the winter for an all-white winter look. Chic. I think it's very who, what, wear.

6:45Kat Collings:Like the girl that can do both. Like she's got the Bottega one and she's got the Charles and Keith bag. Really kind of a through line of taste and point of view at any price point. I think having that high-low is very important. And the last piece I wanted to point out from this section is a red parachute style jacket. It's from Uniqlo. It's a great alternative to the red sporty style jackets we're seeing from the row and this brand Alfalo. I discovered it on this London-based content creator, Marilyn, and she's been styling it so many fun ways. But I love how she uses the draw cord at the hem to kind of cinch it in.

7:26And she'll layer it over maybe like a lace trim top with trailer trousers and elevated flip flops. It really looks nice and it's just so fun to add a sporty element to something that's a little bit more polished and showing the juxtaposition between the two. Liza, I feel like you're a red sporty parachute jacket kind of girl. I do like a red sporty parachute jacket. I actually recently got a really good polo one from the Outlimo, but that was before I knew about the Uniqlo one, which would have been much easier to obtain than driving all the way to New Jersey to the Outlimo.

8:00Kat Collings:there's also a good one it's not probably unique low prices but I think there's a Massimo Judy one with like a funnel neck that's good as well I actually have a story I'm doing on just this specific trend because I feel like there was one obviously the rose version and then they just started popping up but what I like about it is that each one does have its own twist like they all give off that same red sporty technical vibe but sometimes a trend can take off and then there's like 15 versions that look exactly the same. Yeah, this is like every single piece feels unique. So no matter which one that you have, there's a level of cool to each one.

8:34Yeah, the Uniqlo one actually has a hood, which I'm not seeing elsewhere. So it's kind of also practical. Yeah, you can count on Uniqlo for the practical side of things. Yeah.

8:43Kat Collings:Layering is also so important. So I want to hear about your other coat options and outerwear picks because sometimes it's like you can be wearing the most basic jeans and a t-shirt or whatever. But then if you have a good coat, you're locked in. So lay your coat bricks on me. 100%. I feel like the coat everyone's talking about right this second after the Koss show also is this Koss crock leather car coat. The color is a dark chocolatey brown, but in the light, it's almost purpley. It's like so elevated and so beautiful. I saw it maybe on six different people at the show. It also has a matching skirt, which if you want the whole look, it's very chic, very like Upper East Side elegant.

9:22Yeah. It is kind of a splurge, especially for costs, but it's really heavy. It's actually warm enough to wear when the weather starts to dip. And that's coming from someone who is from Chicago and lives in New York. So I have a lot of experience being cold. One other coat that we're currently loving is this brown long wool coat from By Malene Berger. They always have one coat every single season that's a star. I feel like last season it was that leopard print pony coat that sold out before winter even started. And then everyone was just begging at their door to try to find one. And this season it is this gorgeous brown long coat that has a fur like Peter Pan collar almost.

10:09And it's so cute. It's such a simple coat, so it can be kind of let something shine underneath. But then the collar is so standout and cool that if you wanted to just close the coat and wear it with like a boot you could honestly go out and have your coat be your whole outfit and then I feel like this season green and red like the red uniclo coat are really the shining stars if you're gonna go bold okay I love that I feel like we've got two very good

10:34Kat Collings:recs there and then thinking back to the shows that debuted in February showing the fall items now what came down the runway that was like oh yeah that's an it item and now we're actually seeing that come to life with the stuff hitting stores. Personally, I feel like Prada always has a shoe or an item that this is going to blow up. This is going to be the it item. And this season, it was the Prada distressed leather pumps. They come in brown, black, and white and two different heel heights. They're so beautiful. I remember like in Milan, I went to the store and tried on like every color. They're a shoe that we're going to see on all the it girls, especially at Milan Fashion Week at the show.

11:14Yeah.

11:14Kat Collings:These are the ones with like the sort of raised seam that looks a little like a rod, right? Yeah. Those are good. That's what you want. Deep side. I've seen them like styled with socks and that's really cute. Like something that is kind of a scary styling thing. Like when you see it, it's so cute and you want to copy it. I was just going to say Elsa Hosk just wore them. I saw during New York Fashion Week just with a simple black trouser and cinch waist leather jacket and they looked perfect even with those elevated basics. I feel like that's what's good about Prada, right? Is like you can do it the wild styling way that's really out there and loud, but then you can also wear all the pieces just really classically with a trouser and a t-shirt or a blazer.

11:55The other item that I feel like is such a shining star right now is Kallmeyer's liquid twill mini dress. We saw a custom version on Zoe Kravitz in that hot pink color that looked so good on her. Shailene Woodley also wore kind of a custom wrinkled version on the carpet in black. I just recently noticed actually that it was long in the fall show. It was like a maxi length dress, but they like cut it super short for the season and it's actually so, so chic. There's a gold version that already sold out, but the black is still available. And honestly, I feel like would be a perfect holiday dress with a pair of sheer tights and a little pump.

12:32Kat Collings:There's something very 90s Kate Mossy about this shape, I feel like. Yeah. Also from the runways, we're seeing a lot of fringe suede and pony hair come into the market. And it's just like a great way to add interest and depth to a look, whether it's through shoes, a long coat, a handbag. And even with tassels, we're seeing those continue from spring, from summer through belts and necklaces. And what I love is how people are just getting so unique about the way that they're styling these pieces, especially I love how they're taking the tassel necklaces and styling them backwards so that the tassel hangs down your back.

13:11And it just looks so nice with an open back top or dress. Also a great look for the holiday season or any type of gala event you have coming up.

13:21Kat Collings:I feel like the long necklace, there's like a few variations. It's just like powerfully out there. Yeah. That would be cute with like a black fitted turtleneck. For the fall edition, like instead of an open back top, you could do like with a trouser or something. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. Let's talk fall aesthetics or like staples you have in your personal closets that you each come back to every year. Like, because I know we have a section of the story that is what our editors are wearing and what we wear tested and love. Yeah. For me, I feel like fall is my uniform season. Like in the summer, I'm wearing something different every single day.

13:54But in the fall, I just count on these certain simple classic pieces that will work when it's dark in the morning and I'm getting ready and I just no click for me. And so one of those outfits is a great trouser with a tee or a cashmere sweater. And of all the black pants that I have tried in my 30 years of life, the best pair I've ever had are Karl Meyers Damien pants. I got them like six or seven months ago and I've brought them on every single trip that I've gone on which has this year been a lot of trips they don't wrinkle so you can roll them up and take them right out and they look super pressed and elegant and put together but they're also kind of like stretchy and comfortable I don't know what kind of magic Daniela did with these pants but I swear by them they're also very long and they're high-waisted so they make you look six feet tall and I like to wear them with a heel, but I've worn them with like a flip-flop before and I just cuff the bottom.

14:53It's a perfect pant, works for any season. And then the other thing that I swear by in the fall is a suede bag. I'm obsessed with Koss's bowler bag because it has no hardware. And I feel like unless you're able to build this huge bag collection, it's very difficult to have like a black bag with gold hardware and a black bag with silver hardware and a brown bag with gold hardware and a brown bag with silver hardware. So having a bag that has no hardware is the best. Also, everyone thinks that it's a Margo and stops me on the street and is like, oh, I'm so jealous of your bag. I'm like, you can go to Koss and get it.

15:25It's great. I love that. I also have a capsule wardrobe. It's something that I worked on last fall to build. So now with the season coming around, I'm so happy I did that because I have those pieces that I could fall back on. They're so versatile. These pieces can be like mix and match with other pieces in my closet, as well as maybe if I'm adding something new that's trendier, it could be pared down with these pieces. So some items I'm looking forward to pulling out are these sock-like heeled ankle boots from Acne Studios that I got. I'm also a big button-up girl, so I'm excited to pull one out.

16:02I have something similar to what we included from Homegirls. And then because I love denim, I purchased the Kate Abigail jeans after going to the Soho store and reviewing the denim line. So those I'm looking forward to pulling out too, because they have a bit of a darker wash. So they're perfect for fall and winter. Yes.

16:21Kat Collings:A dark wash denim and a boot. I mean, what else do you need for fall? Exactly. I do want to talk shoes a little more. I feel like obviously the elevated flip-flop, you guys have mentioned it, that we sell that all summer long, but we're going to have to give way to like real shoes for fall and winter. Maybe not here in LA, but elsewhere. Where should we be looking to buy some key shoe styles for fall. What is that like Lola Tong meme that's like, that's my favorite question. I feel like this is one of those sections that Nikki and I spent so much time picking out. It's so hard to even narrow down all the shoes that you need to 10 pieces.

16:55But we kind of thought of this as like a capsule wardrobe for shoes. So if there's any section from this whole Who Outwear 100 that you're like, I could buy all of the pairs or buy something similar, this is that section. So we have everything from boots of various heights to low profile sneakers to shearling lined flats. One pair of shoes that's really fun are these Kate Brick Clogs. They are a sandal, but I think they're a very autumnal sandal. There's a lot of fun ways to style them and you can score really similar styles at like Zara or there's even a Dr. Shoals pair that I saw people on TikTok talking about and I looked them up and they're very similar and very cute.

17:35Kat Collings:I feel like I look at the Kate ones and I'm like, oh, you mean the Dr. Scholl's ones that have been around for a zillion years? Yeah. Yeah. I mean, they're obviously a little more fashion-y, but they're very similar. Yeah. And then there's like this It Girl brand that started last year in 2024. It's called Jude is the brand. And all of their shoes are so cute. They have this great like slit peep toe, which is very in right now. But the pair that we were loving are this like cognac-y brown croc-like pump that we saw a couple times on Instagram. Those are so chic. It's really nice to have a shoe that's not black.

18:06I feel like I struggle with that a lot, but it changes up an entire outfit when you go for a prettier brown, a little bit more of a rich color. And then finally, the Adidas Tokyo, I feel like is such a cool sneaker right now. It's really the second coming of the Samba. And like the Samba, I think it'll be popular for years because new colorways are always coming out and people can get excited about the next one that they maybe can't get their hands on and then another color comes out that they want. So if you don't have a pair yet, don't feel like it's too late. The pair that we included is this really cool vintage-y red, blue, and off-white color.

18:42I think it'll be really cool with a jean and a t-shirt and a leather jacket and you can really look like a New York cool off-duty girl.

18:50Kat Collings:I also feel like with Asamba they did some collabs that were really special and And hopefully we'll see that too at the Tokyo. Today is the first day of October. How could it be? Which means the holidays will be here in a blink. So we've got to talk about the festive category because I feel like festive dressing can kind of fall into sometimes a rut of like sequins, velvet, a little like a parody of itself almost. So I'm curious what feels fresh and like fashion forward for the holidays. I think that when it comes to holiday dressing, focusing on one or two key pieces to elevate an outfit is the most effective rather than bringing in the velvet and the fringe and the burgundy leather, like kind of combining it all.

19:33So something like focusing on a statement earring. We love the Julietta fringe. They have a tassel at the bottom with a gold shell on the top. It's a perfect way to elevate a simple miniskirt or little black dress. dress also a standout piece that we included is chloe's fur trim cultic coat it's from their fall winter 25 collection and as we mentioned before it's that kind of jacket that is the look so no matter what you put under it the eyes go to the coat and it's a standout piece and then if you're looking for something a little more paired back a satin or velvet mini dress perfect piece is Reformation's Alinda dress.

20:15It kind of gives that Kalmyer vibes that we mentioned earlier with their satin mini. We would just pair it with some kitten heels, sheer tights, and you have a chic effortless holiday look.

20:26Kat Collings:I agree that less is a little more sometimes. Yeah. And then on the topic of kitten heels, Manolo Blahnik's Maysail Mules. They're a timeless staple. You really can't go wrong with those. They're the perfect shoe. Yeah, that's a no-brainer for sure. And anytime of year, really. Yeah. I like the idea of like, you go to a holiday party and you have this Chloe coat on and they're like, can we take your coat? And you're just, I'm not giving this up ever. You're sweating and you don't care. Yeah. Okay. Last category, wardrobe, workhorses, the items. I mean, honestly, even selling all the items is extremely versatile and I get a lot of use out of them.

21:02But what are some favorites that fashion people will be wearing and layering on repeat? I mean, Nikki and I were just talking about these, the Kate Nevada boots. I think ankle boots are so hard to shop for. You wear them all the time. So there's so many little things you want. And so few boots check off every box. And I feel like these boots check off every box. And I feel like you have a pair. So I'm curious what you love about them. I bought the diamond encrusted ones, which was kind of out of character for me.