Outfit Formula: Is it Fall yet?
In these strange days of fall – where the leaves are changing but the weather can still be hot in the afternoons – I have been working to understand how to cobble together my warm and cold weather wardrobe in a way that brings me joy, not just physical comfort.
On weekdays, I’m out of the house by 7 am, so I’ve found that planning my outfits the night before has made a huge difference in how composed I feel throughout the day. I would love to be one of those people who just throws stuff together and it magically looks good, but because I have specific ideas about silhouettes that look best together, I can often end up feeling frumpy (in a bad way) instead of cool.
One way I plan to dress appropriately for the next few weeks of fall weather is to take advantage of my dress collection before it’s too late. I decided to create a few looks based around the formula of a vintage dress and ethically sourced sweater, all accessorized with a classic pair of Doc Martens.
I chose to highlight dresses from The Kissing Tree Vintage because I’ve been a big fan of their curation for nearly ten years, and can almost always find something with the 80s and 90s vibes I’m going for.
Outfit Formula: Vintage Dress + Ethical Cardigan + Doc Martens
Look 1: Grunge Flapper
I envision wearing this marled Everlane sweater at full length over the dress (i.e. not tucked or pulled up to make it appear cropped) for a silhouette that recalls a drop-waist dress. The crew neck on the sweater completely covers the neckline of the dress for a look that is put-together and surprisingly chic.
Look 2: VSCO Girl
I might be too old to be a VSCO girl, and I am not likely to wear a dress quite this short. But I like the playfulness of the cropped Lucy & Yak fleece over a plaid pinafore-style dress. It would also work with a longer length, flannel shirt layered underneath.
Look 3: Sock Hop Sweetheart
This Everlane Alpaca cardigan is begging to be worn in a 1950s-throwback outfit. The high neck, pastel florals, and tea length of the dress suit it perfectly. I would definitely wear this with my cat-eye glasses.
Look 4: Boarding School Dropout
Last but not least, a simple but statement-making look featuring this bright yellow Everlane ReCashmere Sweater. I would wear it layered under the pinafore dress to show off the dress’ cute overall-strap hardware.
This outfit is really good.