Oct 76 min read

Fall Outfit Essentials

Hello Darlings,

Well, it's official. September has come and gone, leaving me no choice but to accept the fact that fall is officially upon us. Usually, I'm not one to wish for a longer summer. Fall is my favourite season, after all. However, the difference this year is that fall is here, and yet, I have nowhere to go in my best fall fits. Sure, I could put on a cute sweater and go to an apple orchard or pumpkin patch, which I surely will end up doing, but nothing quite hits the same as strolling around campus in a cable knit and a skirt. To put it plainly, I'm in a bit of a fall funk. But as you know, I am not one to gatekeep. In fact, if I don't have a reason to update my fall wardrobe, I may as well live vicariously through my lovely followers.

My credentials: I recently binged seasons 1-5 of Gilmore Girls. I just watched both When Harry Met Sally and You've Got Mail. Plus, I'm assuming if you're here, you already trust my taste. If you're new - oh hi! Stay a while!

Here are my style essentials for fall 2024. You can also find my entire mood board on my Pinterest here.

Black Turtleneck

I was taking note of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy's style philosophy when I purchased a simple black turtleneck top a couple of weeks ago. It's a testament to true timeless style that a 90s fashion icon is still so revered to this day, having had a closet of essentially well, essentials. Take a look at any one of Carolyn's iconic fall looks and you will find some combination of a black or white top, well-fitted jeans, boots, and a long coat. Finding myself in possession of all but the first of that list, I thought it only made sense to invest.

Just think of all of the potential outfit combos you could make with a simple black turtleneck:

For those transitional fall days, try pairing it with corduroy pants, loafers, your favourite 90s sunnies, and a black bag a la CBK.

Or for those even warmer fall days (thanks global warming <3 ) try wearing it with your fave jeans and some thong flip-flops.

For my working girls, layer it under a plunging neckline cardigan and top it off with a belt for the ultimate office cool-girl look.

And of course, a turtleneck and a trench... a match made in it-girl heaven.

For those in the market, I recommend the Wilfred Only Turtleneck. It is fitted and hip length, making it -perfect for layering, tucking, mixing and matching.

For those who prefer a chunkier neck on their turtleneck (I genuinely could not find a better way to phrase that) KOTN has a great option linked here.

Grey Crewneck Knit Sweater

Last year I was all about a chunky cable knit cream sweater. It was a bit of an obsession really I know have one in every style possible: mock neck, crew neck, cardigan etc. And don't get me wrong - I will continue to wear and love these timeless capsule pieces. However, I have come to the realization that to round out my fall wardrobe I need a sweater with less volume. Something that I can pair layer with a button-down or turtleneck and not feel like a ninth grader waiting to grow into her new uniform.

The reason I say grey is because it is important to maintain dimension in layered fall looks. If you buy every layering piece in either black or white, your outfits will start to blend together. A little monochrome never hurt nobody don't get me wrong, but if I am paying for all of these separate pieces I want people to know that they are in fact, separate pieces. I have seen this particular grey all over my feeds recently, however, if we are at the point in fashion where a simple grey crewneck is labelled as trendy and goes out of fashion, I may have to become a nomad and throw my phone out the window, grey sweater folded neatly in my backpack.

Again, here is a great option from KOTN. I adore this company and everything they stand for. Plus, their pieces are staples built to last. What's not to love?

Brown Textured Blazer

When I started my undergrad back in 2020 my mom took me shopping for business attire. A naive 18-year-old who's idea of style coincided with how little clothing one could wear, nothing was appealing to me about shopping for blazers. However, when we went to the Bay (where my Canadian girlies at?) I found a brown micro-houndstooth Chaps blazer. I knew that by the standards of any other girl in my grade-12 class this was quite possibly the most hideous, grandpa piece of clothing one could wear. However, something about its gawkingly preppy, Ralph Lauren wannabe style was intriguing to me. We bought it and to this day it is still one of my favourite fall wardrobe staples. It looks great with a black turtleneck (wink wink) and alas, it seems as though the it-girls have elevated similar styles to the fall 2024 front lines. But trust me when I tell you I will not be made to think that it is 'last season' a year from now. I can feel you rolling your eyes through the screen - don't you all know I'm an obnoxious 'I did it firster' by now?

Now, when I say a textured brown blazer, I don't just mean houndstooth. A brown check, mixed wool, or anything with a bit of texture to it will do. I've added a couple of examples below but, when it comes to finding one for yourself, secondhand is 100% the way to go. Please don't overpay for a cheaper version of a classic style while hundreds of these gems are waiting for new homes.

OH and just picture one of these paired with a denim shirt and this Roots cap. Absolute prep perfection.

Dark Wash Jeans

Last year I found the perfect pair of dark-wash jeans that shrunk in the wash. I say a prayer for them every night. And every morning I wake up wishing I could find another pair of the same jeans. If only I treated them better. If only I listened to their needs. Maybe they wouldn't have left me so soon. But alas they are gone and I am doomed to find a decent replacement for all of eternity. Here are the contenders.

Everlane Mid-Way Jean in Pure Blue

Everlane High-Way Jean in Vintage Indigo

Madewell 90s Straight Jean

Frank and Oak Courtney Loose Jean in Dark Wash

Denim Forum Remy Hi-Rise Relaxed Jean in No-Stress Dark Blue

Belts & Boots

Leather accents are a great compliment to any outfit, no matter what the season. But there is something about leather in fall that just hits differently. This particular fall season I have noticed an influx in oval belt buckles and high shaft brownish red boots. My best advice is to pick a particular leather colour that you like and buy a belt and boots that are the same colour. That way, they can be paired frequently to build a cohesive outfit rather than interchanged to half-finish various outfits. Does that make sense? Maybe it's just Emma Chamberlain talking but that matching belt and shoes rule is burned into my brain. If you really don't want to match them, throw in a bag that matches either.

Oh and for those of you eager to hop in the suede trend, this is a great opportunity to do so without the investment of a suede jacket or purse.

Trench Coat

The ultimate fall wardrobe essential has to be a good jacket. I personally own a black wool slouch coat that never fails to elevate any outfit that I am wearing. Depending on the climate where you live you may want to pick a different type a trench, maybe something thinner and more breathable. No matter what the material, as long as the silhouette resembles a trench you will be golden. My best advice to you when picking one out for yourself is to think about whether or not this is something you could see yourself passing onto a daughter or niece one day. If you can see it being wearable that far into the future, it is a good investment to make now. Personally, just using my slouch coat for one season last winter got the cost per wear down to $3.72 (according to the Indyx app).

A Big Girl Bag

While summer nights call for shoulder bags, crisp fall days require something a little more substantial. Many of you may have already seen (and drooled over) the coach Brooklyn bag that's been all over TikTok. It is the perfect balance between structured and slouchy. Plus it comes in a range of size. But alas I understand this is a major investment for many of us. So, below are a collection of backs that give off similar vibes at different price points. Brooklyn bag dupes if you will.