By Politiquette’s Marissa Mitrovich: Politiquette is a place to be inspired by the art of fashion. Readers gain an understanding of the politics of why to wear–and the etiquette of when to wear–specific styles. Marissa Mitrovich founded Politiquette with the goal of bringing further substance to the dialogue surrounding style in DC.

With what feels like the blink of an eye, summer is coming to an end and it’s time to start thinking about fall. Whether you are ready or not, Congress will be back in session next week and gone are the seersucker wearing days of summer. Lucky for you there is a long weekend ahead to plan your fall fashion looks, which regardless of the weather, you will need to bust out post Labor Day.  

I selected my top 5 fall runway trends for men and women and have provided suggestions of ways you can incorporate them into your everyday Washington, DC beat.

Gone Wild

Wild animal prints are a big trend for fall that both men and women can incorporate in a conservative or understated way.

For men I recommend the slightest of flare, wearing a leopard print sock in an unlikely color and for the women, a tailored leopard print skirt paired with a solid black or white top is a great way to wear this look.

Crushing on Velvet

Velvet is a fabric that has become a holiday season staple, but this fall it is a material that you will find most garments made from; everything from pocket squares to women’s shoes are made out of velvet.  The good news is you may already have velvet in your closet, but now you can wear it – day or night – and in casual or fancy settings.

An easy way for men to own this trend is by topping your look with a velvet blazer. For women, a velvet bomber incorporates multiple trends, aviator jackets are very on point, and it is also something you can maximize use of because it is outerwear.

Eat my Stardust

David Bowie has inspired runways for years, but with his passing earlier this year, more and more runways for Fall/Winter 2016 paid homage to Ziggy Stardust.  While metallics and ostentatiously designed boots aren’t an easy look for anyone to pull off, there are certainly toned down ways to rock a Bowie inspired look.

For men I would suggest trying a metallic tie and for women, there are some very cool platform boots available that won’t have people thinking you are about to perform a music set at the 9:30 Club:

Monochrome from head to toe

It doesn’t get easier than wearing the same color from head to toe.  This is a look designers were very hip to when sharing their fall 2016 line and some of the most chromatic colors that were popular included rust, neutrals, spruce green and pink.

Men, I have put together an entire outfit for you. Turn heads in these pants, sweater, jacket and shoes:

Women, here is one option for embracing pink in full. Here are my suggestions for a chic top, pants, and shoes:

Shearling you’re happy to see me

Sartorially it’s all about shearling when it comes to warmth this fall and there are many ways to make this look work while staying within your own fashion limits, including faux shearling.

Men, I think a very cool nylon puffer vest with a faux shearling collar is a masculine and sharp way to wear the below look. Women, you can’t go wrong carrying a fun, pastel colored shearling handbag.