Y A Y F O R F A L L ! ! !
Wow wow wow I used the HEADER option for those words because it is absolutely, positively my FAVOURITE time of year. I am so excited that it's finally here! If I'm being completely honest, though (and I'm not going to try not to be because my roommates would totally call me out if I wasn't!) I've been in fall mode for several weeks now. Oh yes...the acoustic indie Spotify playlists have been made, the fresh cookies and cinnamon buns have been baked, a cute scarf has been thrifted, and I am just too far off the deep end to ever return. (Please do not remind me of the iced-over wasteland that we will be experiencing far too soon. I am not prepared and I'm definitely ignoring the reality.)
It's not that I don't like summer - I love it! But there's just something so magical and romantic and EXTREMELY cozy about fall. Candles, tea, blankets, CARDIGANS, baking, big coats, and so many other things...I absolutely adore it. And the leaves!!
And as well - probably my favourite part of this incredible season - THE FASHION. I think fall is the loveliest for getting dressed in the morning (except for when you wear a warm coat in the morning and then once the sun comes out you reduce into a pile of sweat. But just let me be idealistic okay).
Picture this: you awake to the smell of cinnamon buns fresh outta the oven. You throw off your eighteen blankets and immediately put on fuzzy socks and a hoodie. After you eat a cinnamon bun you adorn yourself in a beanie, cardigan, tights, and ankle boots, (reusable) mug of tea in hand. You are ready. You are autumnally-prepared. You are thriving.
Did it feel like you were there? My elementary school English teachers did tell me I was good at descriptive writing. ;) Anyway, now that I have set the scene, you are ready for this post. It's all about the pursuit of adorable fall fashion and how to craft ethical, sustainable outfits for every autumnal occasion! Grab a latte and a blanket. I hope this helps you and inspires you to live your best (pumpkin-filled) life this fall!
Also, an extra special thank you to my two friends Mollie and Psalm for contributing so much to this post. Mollie took beautiful photos (and let Psalm and I try clumsily to do the same), and the two of them both love thrifting and shopping slow so they volunteered their Sunday afternoon to shoot photos of their favourite fall outfits!
I've also linked my fall Spotify playlist below!!! It's got all my all-time faves and some new discoveries. If you have any suggestions for autumnal music please also send it my way! (WOW! GETTIN HIGH TECH (I literally just hit a button on Spotify to achieve this but STILL PROUD OF MYSELF)!)
Fall Look #1: A STYLISH DAY AT SCHOOL
Aspen: I love a cozy flannel, and this one is a secondhand Fjallraven BABE that I found for such a great deal on Depop. You can find the same one new here. I tucked it into a pair of boyfriend Levi's which I purchased prior to my slow fashion switch. To finish the look I've got on my number one companion (my Kanken backpack), some cozy socks from United By Blue, and I'm borrowing Mollie's Blundstones!
Psalm: My dear friend and this! amazing! look! Psalm has paired a gorgeously-vintage Levi's denim jacket with a basic white tee, then added some thrifted plaid pants that give off very chic prep school vibes. Seriously, she is School of ROCKING this outfit! To polish it all off, she's wearing a pair of Matt & Nat loafers! You can find a similar pair here.
I don't know about you, but at my university, as soon as I walk onto campus I immediately feel inferior...people do the MOST when it comes to outfits. But I actually love it! These beautiful individuals are constantly providing me with inspiration for new ~looks~ from these beautiful individuals.
The entire ensemble is totally something you could wear to school and be comfortable, casual, but still ON FIRE. As well, a tip from Psalm: clothing swaps!!! At our university there are tons of buy and sell groups on Facebook where tons of very fashionable people sell their items for really cheap prices.
We also often have actual clothing swap events, where attendees are required to bring a couple of their own items to contribute and then they are welcome to take as many others home with them as they'd like! It's completely free and reduced so much textile waste!
She also found a lot of her items from friends or even her mom who didn't use them any longer and felt as though she'd get more love out of them. What's so special about this tip is the idea of fashion as a social and communal thing! Sharing clothing and bonding over fashion can be a great way to "shop" (sometimes without even spending anything) sustainably and have an amazing time while doing it.
Fall Look #2: ROMANTIC DINNERS (or other assorted "dress-up" occasions)
Mollie: Even if your love life is in shambles (RIP) there is still always an excuse to dress up and feel GOOD! Heck, one of my best pals had a housewarming party last week and she made the dress code black tie just so everyone had an excuse to look nice. It reminded me that I do not get to wear heels and red lipstick as much as I would like to!
Okay, so the key to a FALL dressy outfit is to pair it with an amazing coat/blazer. (Unless, of course, you're going for the classic post-date "I'm cold" move to get your romantic conquest to offer theirs ;).) But if instead you decide, no, I'm gonna be independent and save my OWN self from this autumn evening's chill, make sure you bring your jacket!
And Mollie did the MOST for this tip with this beautiful fur coat! One thing you should know about Mollie - her mom works in a thrift store and is constantly picking up new things for her!!! I, personally, am quite jealous, as this coat is one of those items.
Underneath the coat is a thrifted dress with black detailing around the boatneck and sleeves. It has a gorgeous grey, pink, and blue print. I love this dress because of its versatility - you could also definitely wear this to work with a blazer and tights and look so put-together!
Mollie has finished off the look with a pair of strappy black heels, making it truly elegant and unforgettable. She is truly date (or other formal event) ready!
One thing that Mollie and I have spoken about is the stories behind thrifted items. When we're thrifting, we don't always know where things come from, or the stories they hold, but it's so special to think about what their origins might be! And sometimes we do know. For instance, Mollie's heels in this outfit were made in Italy, and she has a half-sari scarf from India. The dress she thrifted and wore to prom was also vintage from the 60s!
These are items from everywhere that we'd likely never find if it weren't for thrifting, and it's crazy to think of the journey they travel to end up with us and to hopefully be well-loved for a lifetime!
Fall Look #3: LAZY SUNDAYS...
Who doesn't love these?! I adore those amazing autumn Sunday afternoons where you just sort of get cozy with your biggest sweater, softest leggings, warmest mug of tea, and favourite book/show/study subject (maybe the latter isn't so much a fave). Everybody needs this important self-care time whenever they can get it, and setting aside a few of those hours can really reset everything.
Psalm: This cozy friend has paired a freshly-made mug of tea (actually made just for these photos because #aesthetic) with an extremely soft, extremely comfy striped crewneck sweater which she thrifted with some also comfy leggings. It's a simple look but if this doesn't inspire you to stay in this weekend, I don't know what will!Also, how is her smile THIS radiant?!
An additional side note! The black blanket on my bed is so soft, so wooly, and from United By Blue! I think it inspires the outdoorsiest of vibes, and you can find it here if you're interested.
Fall Look #4: AFTERNOONS SPENT OUTDOORS
Fall is filled to the brim with opportunities to embark outside and take in the crispness of this magical season. Whether it be a visit to a pumpkin patch or an apple orchard, a coffee with a friend on a park bench, a relaxing hike, or simply a walk to clear your head, please take every chance you get to enjoy it.
This last outfit, I must say, has got to be my favourite - which partially has to do with where we traveled to take the accompanying photos. We visited the most golden of parks in my favourite part of the Plateau (the neighbourhood in which I live) - Square Saint-Louis! Although the light was quickly dimming and it was extremely chilly, the big beautiful streetlights were gorgeous and the squirrels were so cute and we were surrounded by the oldest, most amazing houses there are! I'm sorry to ramble on but I just love where I live and I'm so thankful to be here, feeling so swept up by the beauty of it all.
Aspen: In my look, I'm wearing a chambray button-up top that I purchased from thredUP, as well as a pair of thrifted army-green mom jeans from Depop.
A quick story about the jeans - they were too small! Well, I could wear them, but they crushed my insides, and I respect my organs so I decided I needed to stretch them out. I did this by throwing them in the wash, and then putting them on before I hung them to dry (yes, damp jeans - as uncomfortable as it sounds). I then proceeded to do squats, toe touches, and honestly just some crazy air kicks and dance moves for about half an hour before I got tired and hoped for the best. And actually, after I tried them on again, they fit much better!
Finally, to "tie" the look together, I'm wearing a thrifted orange and black (ooh, Halloween-y?!) bandana around my neck that I just knotted twice. I am so obsessed with the way it looks.
Well, that's all from me for today, and for ETHIGIRL's first post in my fall series! Thank you so very much for reading this, for looking at the pictures, and for supporting me. Just to be sappy for a moment, whenever someone reads or comments or shares, or even comes up to me and tells me that they like what I'm writing, I always do an internal happy dance! So thank you a million times.
With so much love and sustainability,
Ethigirl <3