Ahhhhh we meet again. I’ve waited so long for your embrace, sweaters of mine. This weekend I went to our storage unit to shelp out my trusty collection of fall attire and was confronted by the cold hard truth that I am the owner of 5 nearly identical gray sweaters. I love each one individually, but as they stared back at me I realized that while I’m a staunch proponent of the uniform, I had to get outside my comfort zone this fall. I’ve been dealing with a pregnant or postpartum body for two seasons now and after gaining and losing something around 100 (freaking) pounds, mama has truly earned the right to treat her self. I will wear whatever I damn well please this fall. Even if its an expensive set of organic cotton elastic waist sweatpants under my (faux) fur-lined coat.

And yet with all my energy behind spending with abandonment, shopping for a fall wardrobe is still different than what it once was. I’m balancing practicality with my stage of life (baby food flying across my house) and my age (can you wear miniskirts after the age of 34– I SAY DO WHATEVER YOU WANT, GIRL) and longevity. I want my things to last. I want to love them for a long, long time. And thus, our 2018 fall essentials guide came hither. A minimal palette of pieces that amplify a practical ladies staples and some new silhouettes that whisper “risk taker” in a way that only a woman that dresses for herself need to hear. The point is– do whatever makes your heart go pitter patter. If you’re a little weird, let that freak flag fly. If you’d rather not be noticed– YOU DO YOU. If you’d rather your kids not ruin the things you love, don’t buy dry clean only.

Anyway, that’s your fall style pep talk from yours truly. And now, some lovely things with some lovely little links for happy fall days ahead. Mwah.

Let’s Shop! Fall Essentials for your Wardrobe:

An oversized sweater, Updated Button Down, Turtleneck Jumpsuit:

A soft and cozy oversized sweater can go a long – layered or not! Add a little French tuck to make it super flattering! (Queer Eye, anyone?!)  Fall is also a great time to take inventory of your staples. If you are always grabbing a white button down, why not invest in one that adds more variety to your wardrobe? I’m also a fan of all the options we have for bodysuits these days. It’s nice to not have to worry about muffin tops (amiright?!). Note that most of these sweaters are investment pieces so you’re really only meant to pick one (or two) WOW factor sweaters. Any more would be overkill– trust me, I’ve blown my budget on sweaters alone. Not worth it. You always have one you like better than all the rest.

Top Row

Bottom Row

A cropped statement jacket and wide leg pants

More than likely you’ve got room in your wardrobe to add a new silhouette. Gone are the days of grabbing a pair of cigarette pants; the world is our oyster full of cropped, flared–even boot cut silhouettes. I picked wide-leg for this season because it makes just about anyone’s waist look small, thighs look svelt, and bootie looking fine.

One: Nothing elongates the legs quite like a print like this one. Pair it with a vintage tee and oversized blazer and sneakers for a cool look.
Two: The paper bag waist IS a hard look to pull off when you are thicker in the middle (me) but if you’ve got long legs and smaller shoulders, you can get away with it. Plus this color is amazing.
Three: Classic cut in a great material, this jacket makes any uniform look timeless.
Four: Faux fur cropped jacket over whatever you feel like wearing is always a good time. No rules apply here.

A Classic Coat in a fun color or pattern

Shoes: Sneakers that make you go OOH, a great boot, an updated loafer, dressy mule

Top Row: All great options for a statement sneaker, in the hottest colors of 2018: One, Two, Three, Four.
Second Row: Classic booties in great colors, materials, patterns: One, Two, Three, Four.
Third Row: Two loafers I’d like to add to my collection: One, Two.
Fourth Row: New shapes to add to your dressy shoe collection: One, Two, Three.

Sculptural Accessories with a Wink

Accessories have become my favorite way to collect mementos from the season. My small collection of bags and jewelry often bring me back to the year I purchased them, so I keep the bar set high when I decide to make that purchase. Here are a couple extra special things I’m eyeing:

Building Block Bag, Shop Idun: Color, shape, construction… this bag is a piece of art that feels as lovely in your hand as it is to look at.

Medallion Earrings, Another Feather: I got to keep a pair of these after we shot them for a feature a few months ago and honestly, I’ve worn them almost every day. Hands down my favorite piece of jewelry I own aside from my wedding ring! And at a good price considering how often I wear them.

Wine Warrior Crew Sock, Goodwin: Socks are my favorite gift to give Joe and he’s really diligent about keeping track of the pairs that are sentimental. This is my way of giving him a hint at what I want for my birthday. 😉