Surprising Subtlety

As I wrote about in my last post, autumn is all about reinvention. Trying something new or abandoning your default look, fall is about shedding your old habits.

One of my long-standing habits is a tendency to wear lots of color. I tend to reach for bright colors and love combining colors in interesting ways. This is in stark contrast to my friend A. Her closet is filled to literally overflowing with blacks and whites. She is proud of the occasional red piece in her closet, but has to be coerced into actually wearing any of them.

I used to scoff at A’s affinity for black and white, and really any obsession with neutrals, however this autumn I’m feeling a little differently.

The fall runways were full of tailored pieces, and there is no better way to show off a beautiful silhouette than with a lovely neutral. Navy, gray, black and winter white—those are the colors I’m craving this season. When your color palette is this neutral, you can wear more embellished pieces. Ruffles, bows and sequins go from overly young and in-your-face to classically feminine.

Because of my love of color, however, I will be adding a little bit here and there. Not so much a pop of color as a hint, I’m thinking of deeply saturated colors like plum and turquoise. These can be used on accessories like a turquoise beret paired with blacks and grays; they can also be used to add a sophisticated turn to basics, such as a plum cable-knit sweater.

The difference between these colors and my usual pinks and reds is a desire for subtlety. These are grown-up colors, not concerned with being noticed but with being sophisticated. Sometimes the best way to standout is to remain neutral.

autumn awakening

Despite the random warm temperatures that have plagued Portland as of late, it is in fact autumn. The leaves are beginning to turn and fall, and soon it will be time to break out the wool coats and corduroy pants. Pumpkin Spice Lattes can be sipped at every corner coffee shop, and store window-displays are making ample use of golds, browns, and plums.

No matter how long you've been out of school, the return of fall brings to mind fresh starts. Forget spring-time, autumn is when we have a fresh-slate, a time to reinvent our wardrobes and perhaps even ourselves. Trying out version of a piece you've been admiring or finally letting go of your Uggs (heaven forbid!), fall is about trying out the unexpected.

This autumn, I intend to indulge my life-long love of hats. As a young girl, I adored hats, and would find an excuse to wear one whenever the situation presented itself. Nearly every outfit I owned was accompanied by a hat of some kind, often embellished with a bow. For my grown-up version of this, I intend to further my collection of berets beyond my camel one. I adore the classically French beret's, not the knitted and slouchy ones that have become oh-so-cool the last few cold seasons. A grey beret would look fabulous with my pale-pink wool coat, and a rich purple will complement my dark hair wonderfully.

This fall I'll also be attempting to incorporate a cloche into my head-gear rotation. A 1950's chic housewife aesthetic is huge this season, and while the cloche was popular in the '20's, the looks will complement each other nicely. A ladylike 1950's inspired ensemble of a snug sweater and elegantly tailored wool coat will be perfectly complemented by an equally elegant wool cloche. Leather boots will keep the look from looking too last century.