Styling: Fall Transition

Here is the thing about finally putting away summer pieces, retiring the white eyelet, and digging for the sweaters - it looks different for everyone. The “trend reports” are always pushing burgundy, suede accessories, and cashmere pieces it seems like year after year. Newsflash: none of this is groundbreaking!! You don’t need to reinvent the wheel by buying a lot of new pieces in order to refresh - sometimes its all in the styling. Here are some ideas in case you feel stuck in this weird in-between of summer and fall where temperatures can be a roller coaster.

PRINT MIXING

It’s not rocket science, y’all! A black and white woven print like this vintage YSL below can really be mixed in many settings. You can throw on something like this for visual interest with many options - denim, skirts, a dress topper! Here I paired it with a polka dot skirt I have had a long time from Blair Eadie’s Atlantic Pacific collab with Halogen. The rust color is perfect for this time of year.

SLEEVELESS DRESSES + KNITS

Let’s style some of my favorite cozy knits over a dress! I’ve got some tried-and-true dresses in black and navy that I love layering with sweaters once the weather turns a little cooler, especially in the AM. Play with proportions in a way that feels right to your shape and comfort level. I love belting mine sometimes for definition and other days something more slouchy can feel nice.

SOCKS + LOAFERS

I love how the French embrace socks here - truly all kinds and styles you will see on the streets. It can be their texture or pop of color for an outfit or blend in nicely depending on the intention! The loafers you effortlessly threw on in the spring/summer with no-shows now need a little something to balance heavier clothing, longer hemlines, and actual cold ankles. Here are some combos I love!

THE “ONLY-FOR-LOOKS” JACKET

I am definitely being a bit cheeky here, but I love this in-between season where if it’s not raining we get to wear all the thinner jackets in leather and suede for style and not necessarily warmth. I rejoice in my fringed milk-chocolate leather jacket and my trusty grey leather moto. Pictured also is a black cropped Diane von Furstenberg jacket circa 2007 in a wool mix that is a great dress-topper or thrown over a t-shirt and denim for a pulled-together ensemble.

SWEATER + SHOULDERS

This is not just an editorial look we see in a 90’s J.Crew catalogue or on the summer beaches of the Hamptons - it really is a functional way to live in these ever changing temperatures in the fall season. Worn over the top of a trenchcoat like a scarf; it is an instant way to add coziness, color, or texture to your outfit. You can also wear a blouse or button down with the knit worn over it in a classic way, and when the hurried commute or the afternoon sun gets too warm - take it off and tie the sleeves around your shoulders loosely to get instant polish. I frequently see this on the streets here in Paris and it is the chic version of listening to your mom as a child when she called after you to “grab a sweater, it’s chilly!”

I hope I have been able to inspire you to re-work your items and shop in your closet to put together fun fall outfits. Let me know in the comments what pieces you’ll be pulling out this season!