Outfit Diaries: A few weeks of fall
What I wore for a few days in LA, NY and some things in between!
Fall / early Winter is objectively my favorite season, and it’s 60% due to the clothing, 20% due to the weather and 10% due to the fun of ramping into holiday season. Coats, boots, sweaters - it’s the season me and my closet thrive in, which doesn’t align great with living in Austin where you have approximately 1 month to actually wear these items. I’ve recently been traveling a bit for work to colder climates, which has given me more of an opportunity to bring out the fall staples and exchange my regular WFH outfits for something more fun. I thought I would do a round up of some of the outfits I’ve been wearing over the last several weeks.
While yes, some outfits consist of net new pieces, I am quite proud that I tempered my usual BFCM blackout spending and dug into existing pieces in my wardrobe. It reminded me how fun it can be to shop in your own closet and rediscover pieces you hadn’t worn for years, or find a new way of wearing something that makes it feel fresh. Documenting these all here as a reminder to myself to do this more in the future!
For a casual dinner in LA
I landed in LA and was taken aback by how chilly it was at night, so I was glad I brought this jacket with me for some added warmth! This jacket is a year or two old from Zara and I cannot count the number of times I’ve worn it. I tend to shop at Zara for the more trendy pieces, styles that I want to try but am not sure I will love and therefore do not want to spend a lot of money on. But this jacket has been the exception - it’s classic and timeless. You can’t really go wrong with a simple leather jacket, but I loved the longer blazer cut of this one (rather than other cropped or bomber styles that I tend to wear).
On the bottom, I wore my current favorite jeans and current favorite boots. We need to talk about these boots for a second. They’re from Tony Bianco and I have worn them almost every time I’ve gone out this fall (see below for how many times I’ve worn them recently). I had been looking for a while for a pair of knee-height boots that are actually tight on my narrower calves (as opposed to the wider shaft of cowboy boots). These boots are amazing - the heel is flattering but not too high (I can last all night in these), the pointed toe is very chic, and they look just as good under pants (especially good with a bootcut) or with dresses/skirts. I cannot recommend them enough.
Also, I am having a renewed love affair with headbands. My hair was in desperate need of a wash (past the point where dry shampoo could save it), and the headband really worked its magic in terms of disguising that. I think the trick is to pair it with a somewhat sophisticated/older-feeling outfit, so as to not look too cutesy or like an overgrown pre-schooler.
Something about this outfit felt very 90s to me, and I loved it.
At a ShopMy dinner at Chateau Marmont
We hosted the most amazing time at dinner with a group of incredible LA-based brand founders. I’d been seeing this brand from New Zealand called Harris Tapper more and more over the last several months, and then Ilana Torbiner (one of my favorite fashion follows) shared a picture wearing this top in black, and I went straight to the website. I ended up getting the top in the light blue color, which I loved, and was a welcome change in my predominantly-black wardrobe. I also got these pants from them, which I have worn multiple times since the dinner. They are so comfortable, flattering, and versatile. They’re an almost identical alternative to The Row’s Gala pants, but much more affordable.
I finished the outfit with these silver bean earrings from one of my favorite jewelry brands (Heaven Mayhem), my Savette black suede bag, and the most comfortable heels I’ve ever worn.
My latest sweater obsession
My sweater addiction is well-documented in past newsletters, but I have to admit - I currently have a favorite child. It it this v-neck and it’s truly the most delicious, soft, non-itchy, perfectly oversized-yet-structured sweater I own. Putting it on feels like a hug and it’s the only thing I want to reach for recently. Clearly I’ve been sleeping on Reformation’s sweaters, because I’ve been so impressed by the quality and fit. I also got this one in the gray Thunder color during their BFCM sale, and it’s a more fitted v-neck that is equally soft and cozy.
Here’s two different ways I wore it while in LA - one to a client meeting and one to drinks with some of our team at Sunset Tower.
For dinner in Austin
We recently had dinner at one of my favorite places in Austin (Jeffrey’s). I wore a simple black outfit, but I felt the cuts and lengths of all the pieces just worked together in a way that was chic and made me look much taller than I am. I got the jacket from COS last year (loved it so much I bought it in both black and cream) and I sadly can’t find it on the website, but they do great lightweight jackets in very on-point silhouettes (this one and this one are good alternatives). Worn with my darker pair of Khaite Danielle jeans (am yet to find a more flattering cut of jeans), and the Tony Bianco boots yet again. Switched up my phone case to one of my favorite wristlet chains from OSSA.
For a team dinner in NY
I tend to stick to mostly neutrals and solid pieces - I’m not one for patterns often, but I do love these pants and was inspired to bring them out of the closet for the festive season. I bought them when I visited Colombia a few years ago, at a random boutique I found in Cartagena (that I sadly can’t remember the name of), but they’re by a Colombian brand called Azulu. They’re a gorgeous silky fabric, and have this little ruffle detailing at the waist. While they’re wide leg, the high waist and tailoring make the cut really flattering. I kept it simple up top with a black knit cardigan that I wore backwards so that the buttons were down the back (a recent add to my closet from RLT, and it’s very good), and paired it all with a black bag and pointed booties.
I have to say - Cartagena has the absolute BEST shopping. I seriously regretted not bringing a larger suitcase when I visited, but that was probably for the best for the sake of my wallet. The streets are full of the most wonderfully curated boutiques, filled with gorgeous, unique pieces from dresses to pants to accessories. It’s not surprising - some of the most chic designers on the market today are Colombian in origin: Johanna Ortiz, Silvia Tcherassi, and Agua by Agua Bendita.
For a happy hour in NYC
Isn’t it so satisfying when you figure out a novel way to wear an item that makes it feel like a totally new piece in your wardrobe? It’s just a great feeling, almost as if you saved money (#girlmath). So for a little team happy hour, I wore the aforementioned leather blazer from LA over a black turtleneck, and decided to wrap a belt around it to give it a bit more shape / a new feel.
Side note: I just have to sing the praises of the J.Crew tissue turtleneck. I like to wear layers under sweaters, especially when it’s freezing out, and these turtlenecks are the perfect layering piece - high quality but thin enough that you won’t look like the Michelin man with a sweater on top. I have one in black, cream and grey.
Our ShopMy holiday dinner
I actually found this Acne blazer on deep discount at Bicester Village (the greatest place ever) outside of London this past summer, and decided a festive little holiday dinner was the right occasion to make its debut. Given my height, the blazer actually worked as a dress, and I paired it with sheer black tights and - you guessed it - the Tony Bianco boots. I love that this outfit really let the boots shine in all their glory. For accessories, I carried my little black Savette, and wore a Dorsey bracelet and some sparkly earrings.
I feel so unbelievably fortunate to work with the team I do, and this night was a perfect celebration to tie out an incredible year. So excited for what’s to come in 2025.
Other things I’ve been wearing a lot this fall:
This Toteme coat - I finally bit the bullet on this coat and am so happy I did. I’ve had it on my wishlist for over 2 years, was still thinking about it all the time, and I started to get nervous that they were going to discontinue it. It’s a forever coat - incredibly warm, and perfectly tailored so that it’s oversized but still structured. It makes even the sloppiest of sweatsuit outfits look chic when worn on top.
These Dolce Vita boots - I wanted a pointed toe boot that had a bit of a heel to them, but would be more for every day wear than the Tony Bianco boots. I love these ones from DV, they’re very comfortable and the pointed toe makes them very flattering/elongating.
COS sweater - a round up of my favorite fall items wouldn’t be complete without a mention of my beloved COS crewneck. I have it in several colors (I’m partial to the beige), and it’s the sweater I’ve reached for the most for 2 winter seasons now.
I hope you enjoyed this little roundup! It’s really fun to document outfits like a diary, and know that I have this to refer back to whenever I need some inspiration, or a reminder that I do not need to shop and can create plenty of outfits I love with pieces I already own.
What are some of your favorite pieces this fall? I would love to hear in the comments!
Neesh x
I love every outfit! Especially the maroon acne blazer, so chic.