Aren't you ready for fall? I am. I feel like autumn is when I feel most in tune with my style and appearance, which means it's when I feel most connected with myself. I think it's fairly normal to have your sense of self wrapped up in your appearance. Identity is identity, or whatever. So I'm very excited to get back to it.
For what it's worth, these edits are primarily focused on things I'm inspired by or working into my wardrobe, not reporting on the fashion industry. Although my thoughts about some of that will be at the end.
I also find fashion, at least in the US, to be at a rather interesting time. Tariffs have greatly impacted the industry, from fast fashion and the end of the de minimis rule to independent brands paying higher costs for goods. Now there are far more educated and thoughtful people who have written about this (like here and here), and I think you should definitely listen to them. But as someone who is intrigued by fashion, I do think it could be an interesting development for the vintage and resale market.
However, I unfortunately also think a lot of people have an overconsumption habit and are too attached to fast fashion. I think in some ways, many people are so removed from quality that they've really forgotten what quality looks like. Given the way fashion has really taken a nosedive in the past 25 years and the rise of worsening fast fashion quality, people don't see the tangible difference and don't fully understand quite how bad the quality of companies like Shein really is.
I would hope that more people also start caring about the economic and labor impacts of fast fashion. It's a nuanced and complicated conversation that won't fit in just one post, so I suppose we should get to why we're here: the fall fashion edit.
Suited Up
Overwhelmingly, I am deeply smitten with suits. Like, deeply madly in love. I have always enjoyed skirt suit sets in the past, in a very Fran Fine kind of way, but lately I'm particularly drawn to pantsuits, which is new for me. I'm looking for suits with wide-leg pants or ones that lean more 80s business, something with a long jacket that still feels polished but could be made casual in some ways. I'm so inspired by all the elements and interesting ways to wear suits, finding ways to mesh the subversive with playful.
Now I don't currently have one, and quite frankly would love one, but I'm holding off until I can get a custom one made. So for now, file it under research with a light dabbling in pants. Because believe it or not, I don't actually own a pair of pants, so one foot at a time I suppose.
Knee High Club
Knee-high boots have literally been in trend for decades, and there's something for everyone from square toes to suede. Unfortunately, as you might be able to tell, I do have wide calves, and for a very long time have struggled to find a wide-calf boot that is actually wide-calf. This year Dolce Vita relaunched its wide and extra-wide calf collection after really expanding its fit models and getting consumer feedback. I am more than excited to see this development.
I'm particularly drawn to their Emmi style, which is sleek and polished with a really nice pointed toe. I've always favored styling knee-high boots with a midi skirt for a very streamlined look, perhaps with a chunky cashmere sweater and oversized jewelry. Or paired with a sweater column maxi dress, long pendant necklace, and trench coat. Having a streamlined silhouette with just a pop of leather peeking out is such a mature and nuanced version of sexy, truly dressing for the femme gaze.
Dream Like Dissociation
Move over manic pixie dream girl, there's a new emotionally unstable babe in town. She's part rockstar's daughter (think Brittany Murphy's character Molly Gunn from Uptown Girls), meets extra from everyone's favorite Mormon band The Killers' "Mr. Brightside," with just a pinch of the grit of Kate Moss.
When I think of this vivid dream girl, I imagine sequins and tulle, stars, ostrich feathers. She plays with volume and proportions in ways that are both childlike and carefree, but also a little messy. I think of it as a less moody, more whimsical kinderwhore aesthetic, a distant cousin with money.
Tie Me Up
From my suit obsession, you can clearly see I'm also very into suit accessories. Ties of all sorts are definitely on the list, especially ones with interesting prints or proportions. But I'm also drawn to other accessories like pin clips, admittedly taking a lot of inspiration from fellow creator Di, who posts cool and smart fashion content and plays with ties in really interesting ways.
Looking beyond traditional ties, I want to find other ways to incorporate tying elements into outfits, whether it's bows around the neck or in hair, or in more unexpected places like straps on shoes. There's something about these tied details that adds both structure and playfulness to a look.
The Vest Investment
In the past I must admit, I wasn't the kindest towards vests. But like, we make mistakes, and I get it now. TBH it was coming from a place of jealousy and an inability to style them properly. All jokes aside, I'm very into vests right now, particularly sweater vests for layering.
I quite like them styled over a pussy bow blouse with the tie sticking out, or over a t-shirt with a slip skirt for a much more 90s look. I'm looking to explore some patterns and other textures beyond cashmere, because I think an outfit really gets interesting the more texture you add to it. I own this one from J.Crew and think it’s nice, but get it with a coupon.
In the Trenches
I think every year there's some kind of coat that becomes the must-have piece, but this year I'm really into elevated trenches. I'm talking about pieces with cutouts, embellishments, or fun textures like PVC that take the classic trench silhouette somewhere unexpected.
I have an olive green one I got about five years ago from Nordstrom that's seriously one of my favorites ever. Recently, @awkwardfitchecks on TikTok wore this stunning cutout khaki trench that was so elevated but effortless, absolutely major. The way these updated trenches balance sophistication with edge is exactly what I'm drawn to right now.
General Fashion Musings
I was really into some of Balmain's pre-fall collection this year, relying heavily on black, white, and gold, with some other accents, notably red. There's quite a bit of variety and playfulness in silhouettes, structured corsets juxtaposed against outfits with billowy sleeves. Accessories featured chunky gold hardware, especially a number of statement belts and chain details on bags or shoes. I was also particularly inspired by some of the blouse work, for lack of a better word.
I think there was a lot of different things happening, from dresses draped in crystals, to giant gold belts, and fluffed up collars, but it worked. Some is a bit extravagant sure, but undeniably interesting.
"Back to the roots, bringing a new softness to the brand... and with more of a clean silhouette," said Olivier Rousteing, Balmain's creative director, explaining he focused on the brand's core categories of tailoring, knitwear and tweeds. "We are really opening to another world."
Now, yes I was partly moved by Valentino's fall ready-to-wear because of its cherry red bathroom backdrop. Like my cruising dreams, hello. But beyond that I did enjoy a number of the pieces. I find there to be a lot of interesting things happening with the necks. High collars, tied accents, just interesting stuff. Tauruses actually rule the neck, so naturally as a very opulent one, I am drawn to this. I think there's something quite suggestive about highlighting the neck. It's where so much of your voice is coming from, your words, your breath, the sounds that make you who you are. There's an intimacy in drawing attention to this vulnerable yet powerful part of the body.
Beyond this there was a lot of play with stockings, and lace, and sheerness, some of which pulled inspiration from what Alessandro Michele calls his "golden era" of the 1960s and 1980s. He made sheer body stockings and lingerie come alive with delicate lace, twisted knot detailing, and ladylike bows. Add this to the fur trims and accents, and it was just a lot of mixing of fabrics and textures. Very lush, very intimate. And what's more intimate than a public restroom?
I appreciate Gucci's commitment to playing with the 70s, especially when it comes to texture. There's always something interesting, from sequins to velvet. Now sometimes it's a lot, yes. I wasn't overwhelmed by the collection, but I did really find the color palette interesting. There was an outfit in particular with what I could best describe as a sophisticated Scooby-Doo (which is a major compliment btw), with purple tights and a neon green scarf. Very fun, different. The one standout for me and why I even mention it is because of this belt. It's just so... hot.
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