Fall Vibes - Part 1: That back to school feeling!
Fall 2023 Part 1: Diving into the trends I'm into (and not into) this season, and a little bit about how I think about style as the seasons change.
I love the back to school feeling of September. It makes me think of back to school shopping with my mom and sister, selecting and lining up all my school supplies (I’ll never stop loving a new notebook for a new season), and picking out an outfit for the first day of school. I have a vivid memory of an olive green tank top, an olive green denim skirt, styled with a sheer green button down tee with white daisies on it, and a puka-shell necklace. All selected from the Limited Too. It was an outfit I was deeply obsessed with - a perfect example of why I’m so passionate about style and getting dressed - that outfit made me feel like I could do anything.
While I am excited for the new season, and to reach for my favorite knits and jackets, the shift from fall to summer is hard. The emotional transition from summer (even though I’m a full grown adult and haven’t been in school for well over a decade) to fall is feeling especially challenging this year! Maybe it is because I actually have a school age child and watching him get ready for, and taking him to school feels like a huge parenting milestone, and is a sign that he is really growing up - something that fills me immensely with equal parts excitement, happiness, and sadness? Maybe it’s because I’m on maternity leave and the change to a new month means another month of my leave has passed and we’re getting closer to when I will return to work? Maybe it’s because we had an incredibly special August that I wish could have lasted just a little longer. Maybe it’s because I’m still in my in-between body, having had a baby just a few months ago (sometimes it feels like it’s been years, so I have to remind myself that it’s only been three months), and I’m not sure what I have that fits, or what I want to buy. Or maybe it’s because it’s been extremely hot, and it’s really f*cking hard to think about wearing fall clothes when it’s 90 degrees and 95 percent humidity!
Whatever it is, it’s been harder than usual for me to think fall style and fall clothes. Even though it’s my favorite season. This week though, as the temps seem to be cooling a bit, fall activities are starting up, and I can actually walk outside with a baby again without risking heatstroke, I’m starting to lean into the shift. I have been keeping an eye on some of the big (and small) trends this season, what we’re seeing on the runway, in magazines, in major cities, and at retailers of all kinds, and I’m feeling a little bit more ready to get into it! Note: You can browse/refer to all the pieces in this piece, and that are on my radar for fall here.
Over the past couple years, I’ve been working hard to stay focused on things that I actually want, need and will use, and not constantly getting swept up in trends or impulse purchases that don’t make sense for me (and then sit, sadly, in my closet). This has been a little tricky over the past year as I’ve been pregnant and am only a few months postpartum, (every time I am postpartum, I need to go through a little personal style refresh/wardrobe review, but more on that another time!) but I am ready to focus in on pieces I will get a lot of wear out of, spark joy in me, and make sense for my life. This means fewer things - both because I want to consume less, and also because I want to be able to invest in higher quality pieces that will last - so I basically have to buy fewer to stay in my budget!
Making sure I don’t buy too many things, or have buyers remorse about the things that I do buy requires a little strategy and planning. It includes doing A LOT of browsing, followed by A LOT of editing and refining to eventually develop a seasonal wishlist (I do loosely follow the fashion calendar - with major reviews at spring/summer and fall/winter, and refresh quarterly).
I thought it would be fun to share a little more of this process with you all! Starting by diving into fall fashion and style, what I’m seeing and liking (and not liking!), and how I plan to approach the upcoming seasons (and cooler weather) in terms of my own personal wishlist. This will be a multi-part series. Since there are a lot of trends I want to discuss, I’ll cover part today, part next week, and then get into my own process for developing and executing on a seasonal wishlist, and then talk about how to pull the pieces all together and hopefully provide lots of inspiration of what to wear this fall and how to refresh your own wardrobe!
I hope to also do some edits on wardrobe refreshes at different price points/budgets — like, if my budget for fall was $250 or $500 or $1000- what would I buy. If that would be on interest to you, please drop a comment & let me know! Fall is my favorite season, and my favorite clothing, and (at least in New England) Fall/Winter is LONG and cold, so form and function are very important.
Anyways, fall trends. I’ve created an extremely official and data-driven summary of the main trends that I have been seeing, been drawn to, and inspired by (and some that I’m really not that into!)
I use the notes app on my phone to “organize” (in quotes because it’s actually quite chaotic), my thoughts on everything, but, specifically, in this case, the vibes for this upcoming season. I’ve created it, edited it, added to it, removed things and modified things. I’m sure there are things that are missing/wrong/imperfect (I already wish I had written barrel/horseshoe jeans,) but at some point (at many points), I have to remind myself that perfect is the enemy of good enough, and move on.
You can get a visual of the full vibe, as seen through my eyes, here. As an aside, for the past several years I’ve been using Pinterest as a place to save links and things that I don’t want to loose track of, but, more recently, have come back to using it with a vengeance for creating mood boards, inspiration for outfits, things I’m considering for my wardrobe, and even to plan a project in our home. I love it!
Okay, we have a list, and we have some visuals, so, let’s dive in, shall we?
Knit Polos - in t-shirts, long-sleeves, and also polo-style sweaters. As someone who used to rock a double polo, with both collars popped, I am enthusiastic about this. A fitted, knit polo shirt is a great pick for the office, whereas a more oversized style is great for a casual weekend look. I’m really into this sweater, and I saw this one from Alex Mill in store the other day and it stopped me in my tracks.
Dark Denim is everywhere! Dark denim is so flattering, and a bit more polished looking and easier to dress up! So, you can wear to work, out for dinner or drinks, and on the weekends. I’m planning on incorporating via a wide-leg style, and potentially a boot-cut style this season. A major splurge, but also possibly a perfect pair in the Khaite Abigail style. I have this pair from Mango that I love, and is a great way to dip your toe into the trend, and these on my wishlist for when I’m ready to invest in a new pair!
Oversized Blazer - A blazer is a perfect layering piece for fall, and instantly elevates an outfit. I love a blazer with an otherwise casual outfit (seen in many of the pinned images above). And you get versatility because you can wear it to work, or over a dress to stay warm, with jeans & heels, etc. The slightly oversized look, but with a fitted waist is what I am most excited about, and also feels timeless. In other words, not your Dad’s too-big suit jacket; yes to just enough oversized that you could fit a layer underneath. I tried this one on from J.Crew this week and can’t stop thinking about it! I’m also deeply obsessed with Veronica Beard, and this camel blazer and this navy one are high on my lust list - especially with the Dickey functionality, you can get a super cool layered look!
Trousers - I am a trousers girl through and through. This is my preferred pant for work, and also a preferred piece to dress up for dinners out, date night, etc. This year I am most excited to wear trousers with a casual shoe (read: sneaker) and dress them down. And, a trouser tailored to hit right at the ankle bone, paired with a ballet flat!
Long Denim Skirts - I am undecided about this trend While I absolutely love the western vibes we are seeing everywhere (and also saw last fall/winter), I’m not sure about a skirt like this. I’ve loved the style on others - especially an ecru denim skirt - but don’t think it’s something I would ever wear myself. I’ll go for western-inspiration in different ways.
Penny Loafers / Loafers - I am all in on this look. I’m not sure this is even a trend, because a loafer is timeless. A great combination of form and function, and I particularly like the chunkier soles because they also serve the purpose of providing a little more weather protection for the shoe! Stay on trend and wear with a frilly sock.
Riding Boot / Tall Boots - Yes, yes, yes. I love boots in winter, and especially love a tall boot. Wear with jeans, with leggings, with dresses, with skirts. I am excited to give some of my old pair of riding boots some love this season! A splurge-worthy pair right here!
Brown anything (especially accessories) - A look at the pinned images reveals many shades of brown, and many ways to incorporate the color into your look. Obviously, brown shoes and belts have always been on heavy rotation, but I am especially loving them in rich, chocolate browns, and then also incorporating brown through a sweater, a slip skirt, even a jacket. The combo of brown and black is incredibly chic, and I think shades of brown work for all skin tones! I personally am deeply obsessed with this handbag.
Oversized Sweaters - When are we not wearing oversized sweaters, ha?! But, this year I want to style them in casual and fancier ways. Not just with jeans, but also tucked into trousers, worn over a slip skirt and cinched with a belt, and worn over dresses to add an extra layer.
Long Slip Skirt - Such. a flattering and feminine piece - loving with sweaters, paired with blazers + belts, and even sweatshirts and sneakers! I can’t decide if I want ivory, navy blue or maybe brown?
Bucket Bags - J.Crew came out with a new bucket bag and its gone viral, but that’s not the only Bucket this fall. A bucket bag is super practical - they fit a ton of things, easily fit over your shoulder and a lot of them have a crossbody option.
Short/Ankle Boots - I’m specifically talking about ankle boots with a slant heel or kitten heel. The heel is cool but practical, the height of the boot is great for dresses, skirts, and with jeans. Staud specifically is doing this really nicely, and so is Toteme (although these are not in my personal budget right now).
Wow, we got through a lot. That’s it for today! Be sure to come back next week when we’ll dive into the second half of the trends on my list!
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