Early fall is one of the most exciting ‘fashion’ periods of the year, but sometimes that transitional style is hard to pin down. Many bloggers talk about how to make your summer wardrobe last into winter by adding tights or a leather jacket, or layering a turtleneck underneath a button up shirt. Yes, those are great ideas, but I’m assuming you know those tricks by now. The fun part of the season is that all the good fashion is starting to emerge in stores, but unfortunately it’s a bit too early weather-wise to bundle up.
The solution is buying some transitional items now that will still excite you for true fall and winter. For instance, leather leggings. If you don’t have a pair by now (real or faux) what are you waiting for? I had a great faux pair from H&M that I wore throughout my twenties, and invested in this Helmut Lang pair a few years ago that have been my go to for cooler months. The reason leather leggings are so versatile is 1. they are just as comfortable as regular leggings (really) and 2. they regulate your temperature, keeping you warm when you need but don’t let you overheat, which is great for temperate fall days. Vegan leggings might not be as great on the temperature regulation front, but they have all the style without the price tag so that’s a definite bonus!
Let’s talk about sweaters. This is the time of year when all of the fun sweaters come out… but it’s typically too hot to wear them with a jacket. I combat this by wearing the sweater as my jacket, and layering a thin lightweight tank top underneath. Buying the sweater a tad oversize always helps for the casual feel and allows you to layer underneath it later when the temperature drops. This fall look for interesting sweater detailing (more is more this season!) with textural appliqués, color blocking, jacquard patterns and embellishments. Bonus points if the sweater is a longer, leaner silhouette to drape nicely over your leather leggings. A thick, chunky cropped knit can look cute in street style photos, but hardly ever flatters the wearer on a regular basis. I rented mine from Rent the Runway so if you join their Unlimited subscription you can rent it too!
Let’s talk ankle boots. I’ve spoken quite a bit about them this week, but they really are the one piece you should expect to wear all season. Things to look for: an easy walkable heel no more than 3″. These are supposed to be your every day/night shoe, so don’t go sky high! Second, They MUST have a pointed toe and a skinnier heel. Lastly, Make sure they are at least 2″ above the ankle and fit as closely as possible to the leg. Some boots this season are stretchy, or come as a knit ‘sock’ style, which enhances the look. They have to be high enough on the leg for a few reasons. It will lengthen the leg and foot, and look equally as chic paired with a knee length skirt or dress as with denim or cropped wide leg trousers. The goal is to lengthen the entire leg without wearing OTK boots (which you probably own from the past 8 years of them being trendy).
There are tons of other trends that I will get into as fall gets closer and closer upon us, but for now, get looking for these key transitional style pieces or check out my picks below!
