5 Key Items to Add to Your Wardrobe for Fall

Your closet should be easy to navigate and even easier to style.

Your style should make you stand out, fit in, and give off messages of power, creativity, and approachability.

But thinking through exactly how all that’s going to work can easily throw you into the arms of those couple outfits that you have the ultimate love-hate relationship with.

They save you from leaving the house in your pajamas (woop woop!), but they’re about as exciting as vanilla ice cream (where’s the magic shell and sprinkles?!).

But awesome style is just a hop, skip, and a jump away.

With just a few simple updates, you can feel more put together and confident every day.

Sometimes that means strictly styling from what you have, and other times it’s about adding a few fresh items to your clothing arsenal.

Here’s my list of the top 5 items to try this fall, and if you’ve already got them, I’m giving you some fresh ways to style them.  

And don’t forget! Once you’ve read the list, leave me a comment below and tell me which item you’re most excited to try this fall. I love hearing from you!

Lots of love and joy,

Raquel

PANTS BELT

Can you believe they’re back?! My middle school self is so excited.

These bad boys are like any good part of your wardrobe, both functional and fashionable. Their job is of course to hold your pants up, but more importantly, the pants belt adds an extra ounce of fun to your style south of your waist.

To highlight your belt and buckle, make sure to do a full or front tuck. This brings the attention to the belt and shows that you’re detail oriented.

Watch the front tuck tutorial here.

Finish the look by adding warm-brown booties to match a warm-brown belt or a cool shoe like grey or black to a black belt. Don’t worry, the belt and shoe don’t have to match. They just need to be in the same color family.

STATEMENT BLAZER

Neutrals are good too, but this is your power piece for the moments when you’re feeling like your boldest self.

I would put lots of prints and colors under the umbrella of a statement piece like a blazer, so feel free to explore what you love – hot pink, cobalt, lavender, snake skin, lime, floral.

The sky’s the limit with how funky you can go.

If you’re feeling daring on styling, use the blazer as a compass to style the rest of your outfit.

Pull one color from a pattern to guide you to other pieces of the same color that could work in the outfit. For example, use forest green in the stems of a floral pattern to lead you to a forest green t-shirt dress for underneath.

Going with a solid-colored statement blazer? Use the type of color to guide you to a match. If the blazer is lime green, you’ll want to go with a light, clear, warm-colored piece like a watermelon or coral button-down to compliment the characteristics of the lime green.

Want to play it safe with such a bold piece? You totally can. Just keep it neutral underneath with a dark color like black, navy, or charcoal.

PRINTED TEE

Polka dots, stripes, leopard – they’re all in style, which means you get to choose your fave T-shirt. Layer them under your statement blazer if the blazer is a solid color or tuck them into a skirt for a feminine addition.

Both looks will give you a combination of power and approachability – the perfect formula for work and weekend.

Add pointed-toe pumps to either look to intensify the power or make it smart casual by wearing your favorite pair of fashion sneakers.

MOTO JACKET

If you’re not on the moto train yet, girl, you need to be. A moto jacket is a jacket that’s reminiscent of an actual leather jacket you would wear to protect you on a motorcycle.

But fashion has taken it and turned it into a fun styling tool. You can find these in all kinds of colors, textures, and faux leather options.

They’re not typically super heavy, which makes them just enough warmth for an Austin fall and winter.

Add a fine-knit v-neck sweater underneath during the coldest days of November or your printed tee underneath during the transitional months to come.

WHITE FASHION SNEAKERS

White after Labor Day? Absolutely. 

These may seem summery, but they can be totally fall. It’s all about how you style them.  

Try these with all black to give a severe downtown look.

Or pair them with other whites you’ll enjoy wearing all year long, like your classic white button down or a navy & white striped tee. Add your high-waisted blue denim and a bright statement earring to both keep it simple and add interest to your look.  

Finish the look with the statement blazer to play into the sleek feel of the sneakers. And don’t worry about keeping the blazer to office duties only. You can wear this look to work, brunch, dinner, or a shopping day with your girlfriends.

Still want to rock your sundresses into the fall? Perfect! These sneakers will add a practical and fashion-forward touch to the look. Finish it with your oversized denim jacket and your biggest hoops.