5 Best Essentials For Fall

I love the fall! This time of the year always feels like a fresh beginning, honestly I’m more motivated to make change now than during the new year. The fall is my new year!

This is right about when I start coaching my clients to take inventory, make a list , and be sure they have what they need for a styled and productive wardrobe this season. It can feel overwhelming as the promotions and marketing flood our social media pages with the ‘must-have’s’ and ‘on-trend’ looks for fall. I want you to step into the stores empowered, knowing what you actually need for your closet. I don’t want you to shop without a plan and find yourself overspending and under-buying. Too often we come home with bags full of clothes we spent tons of money on and still feel like we don’t have anything to wear. The problem is that we don’t have the right things to wear.

That’s why I created the Wardrobe Essentials Checklist. This list walks you through every category in your closet to ensure you have the essential pieces you need to put together comfortable and styled looks. Every piece on this list transcends season, meaning you can wear almost anything any time of the year (with a few tweaks.) However, there a few stand out pieces that are imperative for fall. I rounded up my top 5 essentials from the WEC that will guarantee you a styled and productive wardrobe this season.

DARK WASH JEANS

These are the bottoms that you will literally wear with EVERYTHING! It’s essential that you have at least one pair of dark wash jeans that fit you well, you feel comfortable in, and deliver you confidence. I’m pretty specific when it comes to the dark wash, let me tell you why. A dark wash pair of jeans can be worn with a casual t-shirt and some sneaker for a cute Saturday look. You can also style the same pair of jeans with a dressy blouse and some flats when you need a business casual outfit for work. I’m not done yet, you can can also rock these jeans with an edgy top and some heels when you head out for a girls night on the town! A light wash denim won’t deliver you the same versatility.

If you’ve been following me for a bit now you know I LOVE my Maurices jeans, I have bought 3 pair in 3 different sizes as my body has changed. These are the best plus size skinny jeans I’ve tried. I recently got a client into the Everflex™ jeans at Maurices and they were amazing.

Link here to shop.

BOLD COLOR CARDIGAN

You all know I can not live with out my mustard yellow cardigan from Target. I have had it for almost 5 years and it is one of the best producing pieces in my closet. I have worn it with graphics, dresses, tees, blouses, and more. I can not even count how many times this layer has been used to add a pop of color or compliment a color in an outfit. Every time I wear it I feel instantly styled and have a put together look!

You want this piece in your closet to spice up any neutrals you wear. Not everyone should have a yellow cardigan though… Maybe you should be wearing red, or purple, or green? This is where you need to find your best colors, and more specifically a color that makes you go ‘wow’ when you wear it. This is the color cardigan you should get! When you do, you’ll be shocked and awed at how much it will work with in your closet.

For essentials like this I love me some good Target finds. This one is a great style with the right details to give you the versatility you want. It comes in more colors too!

Link here to shop.

ANORAK JACKET

Beside your new bold color cardigan you are going to get this jacket, and it will probably the best layer you can have on hand! I’m not kidding you. Go on Pinterest and search ‘women’s fall fashion’, if you don’t see multiple outfits come up with this jacket I’d be shocked! It is a ‘go with everything and always deliver style’ kind of jacket. Just like the cardigan this is something you can wear with casual tops, cute dresses, and fun blouses. What I love the most about this layer is that it is a style that has been around forever and will never be out of trend. It’s timeless, so if you find the crown jewel and want to really invest in this piece I say go for it!

I’m gonna get picky with colors though, so listen up! Olive green, grey, or navy are going to be were you want to stay. These neutrals will give you the most versatility to wear with any color top or dress you layer underneath. Since this can flex from outfit wear to outwear you want the maximum productivity, and sticking with those colors will guarantee it.

If you are an Amazon gal you’re in luck. This one is currently available and comes in tons of colors and sizes, including plus!

Link here to shop.

BOOTS

My intent is not to start any controversy here but I’m going to tell you my professional opinion. Ditch the tall boot and start wearing the ankle! On the WEC I list this item as ‘boot’, leaving the interpretation up to you. However, if we were shopping together this is the direction I’d steer you in. Ankle boots are going to be another one of those styles that gives you the most versatility and productivity in your wardrobe. Also, you can go the budget route with a short ankle boot and no one will be the wiser. When you try to go budget on a tall boot the faux leather is noticeable and because they’re not real leather the shaft of the boot won’t fit as well and can become slouchy.

Ankle boots will tend to be the most flattering on all body shapes and sizes too. For my petite girls a tall boot can make you look shorter covering up half your body, and for the girls with a wide calf this won’t be an issue in fit!

This is a perfect pair from DSW with classic details and the right color to wear with tons of looks this fall!

Link here to shop.

PENDANT NECKLACE

This my all time favorite accessory from the WEC. Creating a well styled and pulled together look takes a few elements and accessorizing is one of them. A great necklace can take a basic tee to a chic urban look. The way you can wear this piece in your wardrobe is endless. A pendant necklace is the best accessories because you will not be short on choices. Walk into any store that has jewelry and you’ll find multiple styles of this accessory.

You don’t have to own just one either. I have about 5 or 6 pendant necklace in my jewelry box that I rotate through. That’s the beauty of the WEC, you aren’t limited. The list isn’t designed to create scarcity in your closet, it’s designed to give you all the options you need to feel confident in styled looks!

This a perfect option from Target. The multiple metals will work for anyone!

Link here to shop.