Saturday is officially the first day of fall, and based on what I’ve been seeing on social media, it seems like everyone is pretty ready for it. It’s definitely my favorite season—what’s not to love about sweaters, boots, hot drinks, and a general feeling of coziness that’s not being ruined by adverse weather conditions outside? As I’ve been noting for a few seasons now, the challenge is that we’re amidst a major silhouette shift from long over skinny to oversized over wide; I don’t know about you, but I admit I haven’t completely figured out how to wear it, and I’m ok with that. It’s all part of the journey. I am excited about the newer, looser way of dressing, though—as someone who prefers to be more covered up, I love how comfortable wide-leg pants are and I’m always up for cocooning in anything oversized. Wearing all of these things together is a delicate balancing act but I think it somehow works? Here are the five things I’m most excited to wear this fall.
A mismatched sweater set
I had a bunch of vintage sweater sets in the ’90s; they looked cool at the time when I wore them with jeans, but that matchy-matchy moment has passed. This time, it’s more of a deconstructed sweater set. The colors, patterns, and even yarns don’t have to match exactly—in fact, it’s better if they don’t. My super-oversized cardigan is thick and ribbed, whereas the matching bra tank (I’d show more of it but Cheryl Shops is strictly a no-midriff zone) is a finer-gauge cashmere and a slightly different color. I love having the bra top pop out a bit at the top—remember Katie Holmes in her Khaite set?—because it feels like a more modern way to get all cozy with your layers. Both the top and the cardigan are from Quince (where, full disclosure, I work) and the prices are absolutely insane considering the quality, however I should mention that the cardigan does pill quite a bit. The cardigan also runs super huge; I’m in a small (and a medium in the tank).
Wide-leg jeans
If you haven’t yet made the switch to wide-leg denim, let me just say that these jeans are 100% cotton and ridiculously comfortable; don’t be dismayed by the high waist. I get so many compliments when I wear these too—including from a friend who only wears pants to work out; she asked where I got them. The key, I’ve found, is to go for a pair that starts to curve out at the hip versus the top of the thigh, and a non-stretch cotton helps hold the shape much better than something with stretch would. These are from Zara and of course they’ve stopped making this particular fit (it’s the Culotte), however I have tried their Mariner jeans, and while they run a size small, they look pretty good on and do have a bunch of stretch. If they ever come back, the 100% cotton Culotte runs true to size (I’m in my usual 28) and I would happily buy them in multiple washes.
Ballet flats
I know, groundbreaking. If you ask me, ballet flats are a classic that’s kind of always in style, but they seem to be back in full force this year, and bonus points if they have an elastic strap across the instep (which these do not). I’ve been lusting after the studded Alaia flats for months, but in a pinch, a classic style will do. I’ve had these Chanel flats for years, and as you can tell in this photo, the beige is starting to yellow (this also happened to another pair of vintage Chanel shoes I own, sigh). Normally I’d try to do a better job of matching my shades of beige here, but this is messy monochromatic and I’m here for it. BTW, these shoes run small; I’m in a 39 (I’m usually a US 8.5) and they are still on the snug side.
Quiet luxury bag
Everyone thinks this bag is Bottega Veneta…and it’s not—it’s from Quince. The leather is nowhere near as buttery-soft as the real thing, but I love this little crossbody so much, I’d almost consider splurging on the auth. This little guy holds A LOT (wallet, phone, tiny makeup bag, 2 pairs of glasses, tissues, and keys) and you can adjust the straps so it hits at just the right spot (you can also tuck them in and make it a clutch). My favorite thing, though, is that it’s very IYKYK—there are no loud logos or bits of hardware, which is exactly how I like my bags, most of the time. All she needs is a good waterproofing and I’ll be carrying her all through winter.
