Leaf it to me

If I’m being honest, spring is definitely my favorite season. I might be biased because my birthday is in April, but I also love the feeling of the weather warming up after a cold winter, the flowers starting to bloom, and the return of being able to wear cute outfits without hiding them under a parka. However, fall is a close second in the favorite seasons category, partially because of all the pretty colors. While some of the leaves may be falling off the trees right about now, the changing colors of fall make for a very beautiful walk to campus everyday. One fun way to embrace the colors of fall is by playing up the red, orange, and yellow hues in your outfits. These colors are always popular ones for the fall, as are tans, olive greens, and darker yellows. Of course my favorite color for fall and winter is burgundy, but that’s just me. No matter which natural fall colors inspire you, you should think a little like Pocahontas, and paint with all the colors of the *leaves* in picking out your fall outfits.

My favorite fall leaves have always been the big maple leaves that are a combination of dark red and orange with a little hint of green. In seeing the color of this top, I knew it would be the perfect top for fall because the colors were so beautiful. I decided to pair the blouse with a darker wash of jeans with a slight flare at the bottom (read below, this cut it totally in right now), and a cute pair of cutout booties in a natural tan color. This outfit is perfect for a day of running errands, spending time outside enjoying the weather, or getting lunch with friends. I love how it is cute and casual, and also how it perfectly embodies everything that fall stands for (except maybe sweater weather). Keep on reading for outfit details!

Top:

 

As soon as I saw the colors and pattern of this top I knew that I needed to have it. I found this blouse at Primp, and it has quickly become a statement for my fall wardrobe. It is the perfect top to wear by itself when the weather is a little warmer, or to pair under a jacket for when it’s chilly. Specifically, I have an army green jacket with gold hardware from J. Crew that it looks amazing under. I love the pattern of the top, and I really enjoy the cut-out at the top. This design is super on trend right now, and can be found in a wide variety of styles. With the flowy sleeves and paisley pattern, this top is the perfect way to style boho chic for fall.

Jeans:

One really popular trend for jeans this season is having a slight flare at the bottom, especially in cropped jeans. The pair that I am wearing are the Billie Demi-Boot Crop from J. Crew, and I bought them near the end of the summer. In addition to having a flared bottom, they are also high-waisted, which is always fun. Being a dancer and having more muscular calves, I don’t think that these jeans look quite as flared on my legs as they could, but I still really enjoy that they are clearly different from a pair of skinny jeans, and I also really love the wash of the denim. Because they are cropped, they are also the perfect pair of jeans to show off a fun shoe with, just like I did here.

Shoes:

These open-toe booties with the laser cutouts are also from Primp, and they are perfect for almost any occasion. Because they are nude, they go great with almost any outfit, and they are a nice change from a simple nude pump. The laser cutouts are super cute and add intricate detail to them, and the laces in the front are a super cute detail as well. For the most part they are super comfy to walk in, however I have had to break them in to avoid too big of blisters from the zippers in the back. The chunky heel is another aspect of the booties that I love; I will be so sad once it starts snowing and I can no longer wear these, but I’ll be rocking them until the first flakes fall, and they will get to make a reappearance come spring.

Accessories:

To accessorize this outfit, I played up the colors of the top with multi-colored rings that all shared a gold metal connection. From top to bottom, the orange and gold ring is from Lucky Brand, the gold midi chevron ring is from Catherine’s Boutique in Iowa City, the gold sparkly ring is from Francesca’s, and the stack of two rose gold rings are from Brandy Melville. Rings are one of my favorite accessories because they can add a lot of simple yet elegant detail to outfits, and you can play around with stacking and combining rings of different metals and textures. In addition to accessorizing with rings, I also played up the colors of the top in my lipstick by mixing two Kylie Lip Kit colors together; to achieve the color I wore, I used Dolce K with Kristen layered over it. You can never go wrong with lipstick, especially when it perfectly plays up the colors of your outfit.

Although the trendy colors for fall change every year, you really can never go wrong with matching nature and being inspired by the colors of the changing leaves. These beautiful hues are fun to play around with, and allow you to embrace the world around you. Just as life imitates art and art imitates life, fashion can imitate nature. Even if changing leaves mean that colder weather is coming, they sure do make for a beautiful site as we begin to increase our layers and break out the mittens and scarves. If you’re like me and dread the coming of snow, remember to just focus on the weather of now, be inspired by the changing colors, and if all else fails, just keep laughing through life.

XOXO, Chloe

Stylish and Starving at Twenty Something