Paisley at play

The transition between summer and fall might be one of my favorite times of the year simply because it means that it’s time to start dressing up in fall fashion. Although the leaves turning in the Midwest means that the weather might start getting cooler, we still have the months of September and October to wear lighter layers. I also think that it is one of my favorite times of the year because back to school shopping was always such an exciting time for me. And while at 20 years old I might not need to buy a whole new wardrobe every fall, its still fun to pick up a couple of new items in the seasons hottest colors. So keep on reading to see one of the ways that I styled a look that is a little bit summer, a little bit fall, and perfect to wear for any occasion in between the seasons.

This outfit is great because while the colors are more fall-like, the short sleeves and the length of the dress allow you to stay cool when the weather is still warm. The dress is also made of a really lightweight material, which further assists you in staying cool and looking cool. The leather booties are a great way to transition into fall, but you could also play around with suede booties, heels, or sandals if it is still really warm out. Given the fun paisley pattern of the dress, I kept my accessories fairly simple, and played off of the blue in the dress by wearing a blue, raw stone necklace. See below for outfit specifics:

Dress:

This short sleeve shift dress is from Primp, and I am so excited to get to wear it this season. I fell in love with the colors and the patterns of the dress, as well as the fun tassels. I think the paisley pattern gives it a boho vibe, but it is definitely still dressy enough to wear to more formal events. In addition to the light blue color, the orange/coral color really caught my eye, and I like how the color is repeated along the bottom of the dress and the sleeves in addition to wrapping around the tassels. I also really like the neckline of this dress, as it isn’t too low, but it still dips down a little. Overall, I think that this is a really great piece for late summer and early fall because of the style and the colors.

Shoes:

These black leather booties were one of my many purchases at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. They are the Pistol style by Steve Madden, and while they normally cost $129.95, I got them for $89.95 (seriously if you’ve never checked out the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale you NEED to next summer). I will admit that while I may not absolutely need more black boots, these are a definite asset to my closet. I love the chunky heel and the pointed toe; I also love how clean of a look the leather is. Leather is perfect to wear in early fall and into the winter because although you should still be careful, it is a lot easier to clean and protect than suede is.

Accessories:

As I almost always do, I chose to accessorize with gold jewelry. For necklaces, I layered two necklaces, one with a simple open gold circle, and another longer one with blue raw stones and gold circles. The blue colors in the necklace match the blues in the dress perfectly, which made it an obvious choice to wear. For bracelets, I wore my go-to simple gold bangle and my gold bangle with the white dots that line the top. The white of the bracelet tied in with the white background of the dress, but in a very simple way. Given the busy and fun pattern of the dress, I felt it important to keep my accessories in matching color palettes that were still simple as not to distract from the dress.

While dressing for in between seasons can be difficult at times, wearing light weight fall styles is a great way to transition into colder weather. Dresses and skirts are great for this, especially in fall colors, denim and suede fabrics, and light knits. Pairing leather accessories with clothing is another great way to move into fall, and these black leather booties paired with a lighter colored dress is a great example. So while we should definitely enjoy the warm weather and sunshine for now, we can also begin to get excited for the weather getting cooler as with the weather comes new clothing items to break out.

XOXO, Chloe

Stylish and Starving at Twenty Something