Currently loving: Pink Coats

Fall weather always comes with a change of color in our wardrobes. We switch out our white dresses, bright prints and pastels for blacks, browns, navy and neutrals. One of my favorite ways to bring color to a fall wardrobe is a bright coat. I've always been a fan of light pink, so I splurged toward the end of the last winter season and bought myself this coat from J.Crew. Different from the typical darker colors of fall and winter outerwear, it's the perfect pop of color.

Military inspired vest + dress

I recently bought this dress from H&M and it is my new favorite piece in my closet (not to mention a great deal) . I've had a love for lightweight, long sleeved dresses for a while now. They're a good transition piece for summer to fall, and I think one of the ways to perfect the look is with a military style vest. The military green color is a good autumn hue, and it's perfect for those cooler autumn days that are right around the corner. 

I haven't found a vest yet, but it's at the top of my fall wardrobe list. Any suggestions?

Throwback denim

Yesterday my good friend Alex texted me a screenshot of a jumpsuit she'd recently purchased online, asking my thoughts on the piece. I loved it, and then she proceeded to tell me she's thinking about buying overalls too. I can remember Carrie Bradshaw donning dungarees in more than one episode of Sex and the City, but she never exactly styled them to my liking. 

I would probably pair it with a white tee and a statement necklace, but I also really like how the girl below wears a gingham button down underneath. Asos has a few options that I really like, such as this pair and this one as well. 

Would you wear overalls this fall? 

Outdoor Style: Ditch the hats for the headbands

This winter, I want to throw caution to the wind (and cold, snow, rain and sleet for that matter). I know in Ohio we had a mild winter last year, and although I was in Washington, D.C. from January to April, it just didn't seem like winter-- there was no snow! Lately, I've heard every weatherman talking about what a "horrible winter" we're going to have because of last year's mild season. This being said, I thought I'd start a little earlier than December with some stylish tips-- and also because I went outside for my lunch break the other day and was almost frozen to death by the wind and the cold!

I'm usually the type to wear ear muffs, but have always loved the look of headbands too. It's all the style without the messy hat-hair. Here are a few of the best I've scoped out. Do you own any winter headbands?

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Fur Real

Now that the days are getting colder, I cannot wait to break out my fur vest. I got a lot of use out of it last year (and I can remember a LOT of stares) before they really became popular. I plan on pairing it with jeans and a flannel shirt or black skinnies, a grey tank and my new black jacket with leather sleeves. 

xxo

The need for tweed

Tweed always reminds me of old, stuffy professors. I've never really been a fan, but I'll admit that I've already bought a tweed skirt for the fall. When the first Nordstrom fall catalogue hit my mailbox, it was filled with tweed blazers, dresses, skirts and flats, and I knew it was going to be a major trend for the fall. So far, my favorite pieces are these below. What do you think of tweed?

Clockwise from top-left: {1} {2} {3} {4} {5} {6} {7}

Tweed outfit inspiration:

  

  

Menswear Wednesday: Plaid button-downs and racer jackets

September and October are strange months when it comes to the weather. We're transitioning from one season to the next, which means our closets don't know what is acceptable and what is too early to begin wearing. One thing is for sure: it's too soon for North Face jackets. Too soon. 

Fall is the season for layering and doing it with style.  For men, my idea of the ideal layering look involves plaid or check button-downs and crisp, breezy jackets like this Members Only Racer Jacket. Jackets like these remind me of old photos of my grandpa on the golf course during the start of fall. I've always called these jackets "Grandpa Golf Jackets" for this very reason, although they're obviously fitting for men of any age.   

At $60, you really can't beat the price of this jacket, which is from Target. Paired with any of the plaid shirts below and jeans, it's bound to keep you warm while achieving the right look for the first few months of fall. 

xxo

     

  

Clockwise from top-left {1} {2} {3} {4}

Fall must-haves: Cabernet + Forest Green

My frequent trips to J.Crew, Nordstrom and Dillards recently has opened my eyes to the two dominant colors of the fall when it comes to our wardrobes: Forest Green and Cabernet. 

To me, it only seemed fitting that one of those is my favorite color when it comes to picking out wine, so I jumped on the bandwagon almost immediately. I've never been a fan of maroon so I was a little reluctant about the red hue at first, but have grown to like it as a small pop of color in your fall wardrobe. Forest green looks great paired with navy blue, cream or chestnut brown.

 

My favorite way to style these colors is to find skinny jeans in either shade and pair them with a pair of riding boots. What do you think?

  

Uggs be gone

This fall, I want to retire my UGG boots. I have two pairs --short brown and tall black ones-- and while they've gotten the job done, I've realized that there are so many other options out there. My major issue with UGGs is the fact that they truly are not, by any means, waterproof. I nearly had a meltdown two years ago when I caught my younger brother, almost knee-deep in snow, shoveling the driveway in a pair of my UGGs. Well that was their major test of waterproofness, and needless to say, they failed horribly. 

These lace-up boots below are some of my favorites, and unlike the sheep-skinned UGGs, these can withstand rain, sleet and snow, while still keeping your feet warm. I'd pair them with leggings and an oversized sweater and boot socks or with skinny jeans, a plaid button-down and a puffer vest. 

Are you ready to ditch your UGGs for the season?

xxo

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Trends to take into the fall: Lace shorts

In the summer there's nothing more dainty than a pair of lace shorts or a lace dress. I never got around to finding a pair over the past few months, but I found a one this past weekend at Marshalls that was too good of a deal to pass up. I ended up choosing the black pair over cream, and plan on wearing them with a nice tank, blazer and heels for a night out, but here are another few ways to wear your lace shorts into the cooler months of fall.

xxo

1. Lace shorts + Chambray

2. Lace shorts + Billowy button-down + Tights + Ankle boots

3. Lace Shorts + Oversized cardigan [with elbow patches!]

4. Lace shorts + Tank + Blazer + Heels 

Sweaters at the start of fall

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The end of white jeans and dresses means the start of sweater season for me (although I have been cheating on that whole no-white-after-Labor-Day thing). It is somewhat early in the season to begin wearing sweaters, but I've devised five cute ways to wear cozy knits before you really have to start adding the layers. 

The Sweater Mini: It's not yet time for the full-on wool sweater dresses to be brought out, but you can still wear a cute, lightweight sweater dress. Roll up the sleeves and pair it with a long necklace and a messy top-knot bun.

Sweater + Shorts: I'm a huge fan of this cable knit cream crew-neck sweater Gwyneth is sporting here, but what makes it even more seasonal is the fun navy/polka dotted shorts. Just because white shorts are banned doesn't mean all shorts have to see the back of your closet as well.

Sweater + Sequined Mini: This is my favorite look, but also probably the most difficult to pull off! I've been noticing the sweater and sequined skirt trend all over Pinterest for the past few months, and I think it's a great look for the fall, as long as you find the right looking skirt. For this look, gold sequins are the way to go. 

Liquid Leggings + Backless Sweater: It's a shame this sweater is sold out, but I'm on the hunt for one just like it. I've always loved tops/sweaters/dresses that show a lot of back, and I think combining a sweater like this with black liquid or leather leggings would be the perfect match for a day (or even a casual night) out. 

'For the Home Only' Look: This picture has "lazy fall Sunday" written all over it. Definitely a look meant for staying in, I love the thought of an oversized sweater, a cup of coffee and my Bon Iver playlist on repeat for a chilly fall afternoon. 

Menswear Wednesday: The Herringbone Jacket

With the almost drastic drop in temperature lately, I think it's safe to say fall is around the corner. I'm really sad to say goodbye to discussing seersucker suits and nantucket reds, but I know spring will be here before we know it. Until then, I'm bringing up an old trend that's new again-- The Herringbone Jacket. For my high school English teacher Mr. Wade Werner, the jacket was a staple, and every time I see a tweed blazer with a herringbone pattern, my mind instantly shoots back to English class and that man in the tweed blazer with the steel wool hair, going on about John Steinbeck, Sherwood Anderson and Earnest Hemingway as if he had no other purpose in the world but to teach the American classics.

He was a very influential teacher, and apparently, was ahead of his time when it came to the Herringbone blazers.

Herringbone refers to a v-shaped weaving pattern found in items made of wool or tweed cloth. It is named after the herring fish, because its pattern resembles the skeleton of that particular fish.

What I've found in my "fashion research" is that these jackets can be either super-pricey (ahem, Ralph Lauren) or completely affordable. I'm personally a fan of the lighter shades of grey, paired with a pair of dark wash jeans or khakis.

xxo

The wallet-breakers:

                                 

           {J.Crew}                                           {Ralph Lauren}                                      {Ralph Lauren Black Label}



                                                     The deal-breakers:

                                                                               {The Gap}

                                                                                 {ASOS}

{Land's End}