Hey Fall, Whatcha Got for Me?

For as far back as I can recall, I have been fascinated by the world of fashion. As a child, I would visit my grandmother, spending hours pouring over her gorgeous jewelry collection. I would study every piece, they all had a story to tell. I would hold each treasure, taking in its beauty and sparkle, imagining where each piece had been and what fun times lay ahead in their future. Then, the shoes. My grandmother loved her shoes. I would slip a pair on, take a step back, and take in the most beautiful dresses, hung perfectly in her closet. The colors, textures, and designs intrigued me. Each one is so special and unique. My grandmother had the most incredible personal style. Now, at the age of 91, she still does. My grandmother exuded old Hollywood style. Elizabeth, who goes by the nickname Liz, was as fancy as Liz Taylor. Even in her pink curlers or pin curls, my grandmother was fabulous!

To me, great style is not about buying every latest trend the magazines tell us we have to have. Anyone with a checkbook can do that. Great style is about adapting trends and making it your own. Personal style says, “Hey world, this is me and like it or not, I love it”. I believe as we age, our style becomes more defined, as we start to be less concerned about what others think and more about what is right for us, the individual. Fashion is about self-expression, so why not have some fun?

The fall season is such an exciting time for me. As a clothing buyer for Nordstrom Inc. I could never get enough of NYC and Fashion Week. I loved getting the inside scoop, then, challenging myself on how to adapt the upcoming runway trends, to fashion for everyone. No longer a part of that fast-paced world, I look forward every year toward the end of August, when the biggest fashion issues of the year start to hit the newsstands. Vogue, Marie Claire, In Style, and Elle, just to name a few. Big issues, chock full of gorgeous ads, fashion spreads wand editorials, each telling us what is going to be big for the upcoming fall season. For some, this may be sensory overload. For me, I love thumbing through each one, taking my time sticking post-its on what grabs and inspires me. Not looking to what the world of fashion is telling me I need, but, what I need from them.

Jewel tones, winter pastels, animal and crazy psychedelic prints. Midi skirts, wide legs, and track pants. Chunky sweater dressing and sweater dresses. 60’s and 70’s inspired dressing. Shooties, booties, lace-up pumps, over-the-knee boots, and menswear-inspired shoes. Wrap, statement, moto, and military coats. Oh, and let’s not forget dark blue or perhaps gray nails! I look to be inspired and discover what the fashion world is communicating to me with each new season. What trend grabs me? What do I love? What item will perk up my existing wardrobe and make me smile every time I put it on? Last year, it was a pair of black coated Paige jeans, a black calf hair satchel, and a Michael Kors oversized cheetah print infinity scarf. The year prior, a beautiful lipstick red cocoon coat that I can’t wait to pull out of my closet again this year.

So, for this year? The fun has just begun. September is all about window shopping to see what’s out there. Do I pull the trigger on an item I have to have because it might sell out, or, hold off until October, when the stores are in full swing with more options? I say, if you LOVE it, get it. I have made the mistake, of holding off on purchasing an item I loved early in the season, to end up finding it is sold out when the weather turns. Cut to, me, obsessing throughout the season on where I can find a replacement that looks like the item I wanted in the first place – a total waste of time and money – then purchasing two or three of something I am just lukewarm on, instead of one of the items I fell in love with in the first place. Most places are pretty generous with their return policies as long as you keep the receipt and tags on. Just go for it!

This season, I am mulling over a deep sangria dress, a pair of calf hair pumps, and a pair of 70’s inspired tall boots to jazz up my wardrobe. I love coats this season. Hopefully, the weather here will cool down enough to let me wear one. A statement coat in a winter pastel (pink) or a Chanel-inspired tweed jacket. I wam loving the chunky sweaters and capes as well as all the sweater dresses. 

Wait! We never got to accessories! Another time. Whatever I buy, it will be sure to scream, “Hey world, here I am, in my lipstick red coat and animal print wrap and I love it!”

So, do share! What is catching your eye as this new season begins to roll out? Something you are swooning over? Do you buy now or wait it out till the weather turns? I’d love to hear from you! Leave a note and thanks so much for stopping by!

XOXO Suzanne