August is coming to a close it is hard to imagine that this year has gone by so quickly. We pridefully donned our color-blocked outfits, mixed bold prints with other prints [and looked quite fabulous doing so] and of course we incorporated a little peplum here and there. Who can forget the lavish mint nails and the orange lip stains?
As much as I hate that these next words are actually coming out of my brain and spilling onto my screen I must say them: it’s time for those to go. I know, I know, you have only enjoyed a few sweet months with these items, but as with the weather we too must adjust our wardrobe each season! It can feel quite overwhelming when you are forced to dig into your closet and scrape out your favorite pieces from last season, but if you strategically swap out old items with fresh, new fall must-haves it really isn’t too depressing, at least that is what I tell myself.
Photo from J. Crew
Start with your bold patterns…do any of them have collars? If so, don’t throw them, but simply layer them! These pieces can easily transition into fall when peeking out from under a cozy sweater [a serious must-have for fall]. If the printed item is a pair of cropped pants, great – these are also easy transition items. When it comes to color-blocking for fall, I wouldn’t say it is completely outrageous, but perhaps you should avoid the overtly obvious items. Perhaps layering a color-blocked T-shirt underneath a neutral cardigan will relax the boldness while also keeping your outfit bright, which is a mega-hit for fall!
Now about that peplum. I don’t know about you, but I just cannot get enough of it. But here is some fabulous news, neither can anyone else! Peplum is a must-have for fall, so put those tops and dresses back in your closet because they are survived this round. Transition your peplum into fall by pairing it with sleep dress pants for work, some distressed jeans on the weekend or go ahead and buy a peplum blazer, which looks great layered with practically anything, trust me – I already bought one!
One thing I certainly recommend adding to your closet: leather! It can be worn as a shoe, as a bag, maybe as a jacket or as a skirt. Any which way you choose to is fine, just make sure it is in your outfits one way or another, because this not only feels amazing, but it also draws in the wandering eye.
Of course the closet cleaning doesn’t end there. It’s now time to dig into your beauty area. First and foremost, don’t stress about throwing these items out, just archive them so when you need them on a rainy day you won’t have to stress. If you want to work that tangerine lipstick into your fall wardrobe, think of mixing it with a bold pink or red shade, this will certainly help you utilize it while saving you money from buying another. Plus, the fun thing about mixing lipsticks is that you almost always get a new shade each time!
Photo from REFINERY29
One hair trend I don’t recommend trying in the fall, blunt bangs! Yes, they are chic. Yes, I love them. But, I kid you not, every time I try these I love them for the first two weeks but then I am just completely depressed and contemplate firing my hair dresser for letting me talk her into cutting them. Please, DO NOT CUT BLUNT BANGS! Instead, follow the sleek hair trend of parting your hair deeply to one side and smoothing it over. This is extremely easy and doesn’t require actually chopping off your hair, I like to call that a win-win!
If you are looking to freshen your make-up look into purchasing some dramatic red or maroon lipstick. Head over to your favorite make-up counter and test all of the dramatic colors out there to find the perfect shade for your skin tone, this is an easy way to amp up your sultry style.
Please remember as your are diving into your closet that this can take a little bit of time to really way the pros and cons of trashing certain items, I always attempt to make a few outfits with it. Stick to the rule of 3’s, if you can make three outfits with an item, then it is a definite keeper for your wardrobe. If you can’t, then it goes in the bag for selling or giving away.
Cheer up though, this means you get to head to the mall to fill up those empty spaces with new fall must haves. After all, you don’t want to leave your beloved items lonely!
