THREE STYLE MOVES
A color story not driven by trends, denim pieces to buy now (not jeans), and waist tied moments.
Fall looks are filling my mood boards for inspiration. I’m not buying yet, just visually collecting the pieces that have potential to do something interesting for my wardrobe. Sometimes simply adding a single piece has impact, or introducing a color story that feels fresh. It’s never an overhaul of my closet. Years of mindful shopping has rewarded me with a wardrobe of great staples to use as a jumping board for adding complementary pieces and creating new looks. So, before I make my first fall purchase, I want to take stock of what I have and am still excited to wear. That will hopefully prevent me from the habit I have of repeat buys.
Some of these stories are recaps of posts recently published on the blog:
CONSIDER A NEW COLOR STORY
This mood board is a good example of what’s spinning around in my mind for fall. It’s not trend driven but serves as inspiration for rethinking my closet and how to make my most loved pieces feel new. I’m starting with another (see this post) striking color palette - shades of brown and blue working in perfect harmony with black. So good. It's a sophisticated story that feels both timeless and modern. I own a strong selection of black staples, so the investment this season will be in finding a couple of interesting blue pieces. A dusky teal, faded indigo, deep petrol or muted cadet would create just enough contrast to feel intentional. I’ll also want to bring in a brown trouser and sweater for this story and a million others. Brown looks good.
It’s also worth noting the focus on accessorizing the neck with something other than gold jewelry. I’m drawn instead to pieces that add an element of softness: scarves worn high and loosely wrapped at the back or tied in a low knot at the front, creating that effortless, undone elegance. Lustrous pearls work here too. Classic white is always good, but I’m eyeing something with more personality in unusual blue-gray tones or the irregular, organic shapes of baroque pearls that create beautiful contrast against structured silhouettes.
NEW DENIM - NOT JEANS
Denim will always have a place in my wardrobe, but this season my focus is away from jeans. Of course, I’ll still wear them heavily but as far as eyeing something new, separates lead the way. A stop at the local COS store presented me with two options - a shirt jacket and straight skirt. I bought both. The denim is very lightweight, making them wearable now and deep into fall with layers. I love the simplicity of both. The lack of hardware on the shirt jacket in particular makes it interesting with the beauty coming from the silhouette. A subtle side tie detail adds to its allure. I purchased a size 4 and it’s generous.
A matching denim skirt and top was a hopeful set, but I was disappointed with the fit of the top (which is the case for me with a lot of COS pieces - the shoulder and chest measurements seem to be an issue for my body shape). The skirt was perfect though. I love it as a new no nonsense essential. I’ll start wearing it now with a light poplin shirt tucked in and sandals, then add a sweater and loafers or ballets when it’s cooler. Both size 4 and 6 worked, but I went with the 6 so it rests a little lower on my waist.
Then there’s the humble jean jacket, now reimagined in fresh silhouettes. The Row’s oversized Ness Jacket (on sale here) in an inky Japanese Supima cotton is great. Tossed over shoulders is more my speed than paired with matching denim. For something softer, I love the gathered bottom on the faded denim jacket from Brandon Maxwell. It has presence and would nicely finish off a variety of looks. For structure with shape, there’s the DL1961 Utility Jacket. With the self belt, it’s good for nipping in any excess volume but also looks great simply buttoned up or worn loosely open.
A WRAPPED WAIST
The scarf tied waist is a big look right now. I’m still on the fence if it feels a little contrived for my taste (although as I write this, I can picture one tied over the COS denim skirt above). A sweater is a different story. It’s an obvious move - one I’ve been doing forever for practical reasons. It just looks more intentional and stylish than before. What makes it fresh now is the contrast of pairing it with more polished pieces.
It’s especially effective when breaking up a monochromatic outfit by adding definition at the waist. It feels more relaxed than the structure a belt would bring to the same look. The key is to work with lightweight knits for minimal bulk and to achieve a pulled-together, not sloppy, aesthetic.
I love the blue with brown too. I'm always worried that some fabrics make deeper blues look cheap or too worn. Would love to see your recommendations in the near future.
Love the idea of bringing blue in with brown for fall… your choices are beautiful!