Fall Clothes = The Best Clothes

What’s your favorite season? And, more importantly, which season of fashion is your favorite? As you can tell from the title of today’s post, my favorite season is autumn, both in relation to fashion and everything else. Not only is it the season of my birthday (Scorpio baby over here), but the fall always has so much to offer: from the excitement of going back to school, to that crisp autumn air, to the crunching of colored leaves beneath your feet… And of course, you can’t forget about sweater weather! There’s something so satisfying about that first fall day once it’s finally cool enough to break out your favorite sweater and booties… and maybe a pumpkin spice latte, if you’re basic AF. (Fun fact: I think I’ve only had one once, and it clearly wasn’t memorable.) But anyway… I have to admit that I’m getting excited for the new season and for the cozy clothes that come with it!

I always have a hard time putting together cute outfits during the summer. As I was packing last week for my trip to Vegas, I struggled to put together summer looks that I haven’t already worn on the blog. (Don’t get me wrong, I’m a serial outfit repeater, but I try to avoid repeating outfits in blog posts.) I have about five pairs of shorts that I like to wear and that are flattering, and most of my skirts are more fall/winter appropriate. Don’t even get me started on dresses… I have way too many, yet most of them are for cooler seasons or are too fancy for a casual summer day.

So why do I love fall fashion so much more? The LAYERS. I love layering. Whether that be a flannel underneath a sweater, a sweater tank underneath a jacket, tights underneath a plaid skirt… whatever. But it’s far too hot in the summer for any of that, and I find myself feeling rather un-stylish without the ability to layer. How can I still look cute on hotter days with minimal clothing items? My outfits never feel ‘complete’ or even stylish enough to post on the blog.

Take today’s outfit, for example. It’s fine. Cute enough, I suppose. But it’s nothing special… by any means. I added the sage hair scarf and some dainty pieces of jewelry to try and spice up the look, but I couldn’t think of anything else to add. There are no options with summer clothes.

I find myself looking to other bloggers for inspiration: How come they still look so cute and put-together in the summertime?

Part of it is the jewelry, specifically, the earrings. I don’t have my ears pierced, but I find myself wanting earrings more in the summertime than any other time. It seems like big, beaded statement earrings are always a great way to add a little extra pizzazz to a summer outfit. My favorite bloggers also have a selection of dainty gold necklaces, rings, and bracelets that they mix and match to style with every look. I love jewelry, but my pieces have always been more unique than the streamlined gold basics that all the bloggers wear (don’t be mistaken, I LOVE that look, I just have a hard time justifying buying more jewelry—especially cheap fashion jewelry—when I already have other pieces from which to choose).

The other accessories that big fashion bloggers seem to rock are fun shoes and bags. Beaded slides, lace-up sandals, wicker heels… Combined with straw bags, those funny crossbodies with three bags in one that are all the rage these days, purses that look like watermelons… I’ve decided summer fashion is an accessories game. Whoever has the biggest collection of sunglasses, purses, and shoes is the most stylish. The clothes themselves? They remain pretty much the same. A sundress here. A cropped tank top there. The colors and prints might change with each passing year, but the accessories, rather than the clothing items, make the look.

I like fall fashion more because I feel like I can get by with fewer accessories. Suddenly, my crossbody and boot collection feels like enough, compared to the summertime, when I always feel like something is missing from my outfit. There are endless combinations of how I can pair my sweaters, tops, pants, jackets, and tights, but there are far fewer combos when there’s just a handful of shorts and tanks from which to choose. If you read Thursday’s post, you know I’m trying to rein in my shopping and appreciate the pieces I already have in my closet. Well, I admit, that will be a lot easier once the seasons change.

What’s your favorite kind of fashion? Do you struggle with summer style also, or nah? Maybe one day I’ll figure out how to master the cute summer outfit… I’ve been trying to shake up my hairstyles lately, too, to add more interest to my looks. I would also love to expand my clip-on earring collection to include more summery pieces. But for now, I’ll just stick to my plain outfits until the temps finally drop. Sweater season, here I come!

-Grace

Floral Top: Hand-me-down, last worn here | Denim Shorts: H&M, $25, last worn here | Sparkly Sandals: DSW, $45, last worn here | Hair Scarf: Hand-me-down, $5, last worn here | Brown Circle Purse: Target, $30, last worn here