September 14, 2024
How to Elevate a Sweater: Stylish Fall Outfit Ideas for 2024
September just started so that means it’s all about pumpkin spice, cooler weather, and sweater season, am I right?! I feel like most Minnesotans get in the fall mood as soon as the MN State Fair ends, September 1st shows up on our calendars and kids are back to school. Fall (along with Spring) is my busiest time of year for personal shopping and styling so common topics I chat about with my clients are the following:
- Fall trends
- Do they want to change their look from last Fall and if so, what do they want to try, and
- How to do just that!
Common Fall Outfits
The most common Fall outfit is a sweater and jeans. I always ask my clients if they’re bored with it or do they feel a bit repetitive. The answer 98% of the time is always, “Yes!” And I’ll be honest and say I ask because I started to feel that way several years ago – I figured I couldn’t be the only one 😉
Another common fall outfit is a sweater dress with boots. And another is jeans, boots, a cardigan and a tee. All of which, you guessed it, are still sweaters and are a go-to fall outfit choice. So how do you change it up? There are 3 ways!
Layering
When you read the word layering, it may seem straightforward. However, when I tell people that you can actually put the layer ON TOP of the sweater, people are surprised! You can do this with the following:
- Denim jacket
Tip: always have 2 denim jackets; the first one is your average, well-fitted jacket. The other is a little more oversized and can be used for layering…over sweaters, including chunky sweaters!
- Moto jacket
- Blazer – you’d probably want a light knit sweater, not a chunky one so it actually fits underneath the blazer
- Utility jacket
- Overalls
Accessorize
Accessories are the one thing that people always forget about. We all of a sudden get busy with work, or have a family, or whatever the case may be, then we forget to take care of ourselves sometimes. Accessories means several different things, too:
- Statement earrings
- Necklace
- Pocket square – to put in the blazer pocket if you do layer
- Brooch
- Neck scarf
- Hat
- Statement shoe
There’s a lot more where that came from, but you get the idea 😉 Just by adding a little something, it can take the outfit to a whole new level!
Mix and Match
Mix and match can also not only elevate your look, but it can also make you stand out more! Now maybe this isn’t your thing, standing out that is, but hear me out….
Mixing and matching can be several things:
- Mixing different patterns together making it more of an eclectic look
- Mixing different colors together (aka color blocking, which I wrote about a few months ago)
- Changing out the bottoms. Ex: instead of slim fit jeans, do casual dress pants, flares, wide leg, skirts, put over the top of a dress to make it appear as if it’s a skirt, etc.
Like accessorizing, it adds just a little something. And if you like this idea but it seems like a lot where you don’t want to stand out, that’s okay – Use darker colors. It will make you feel a little more at ease and you won’t stick out like a sore thumb…..yet, you’ll still probably get compliments which is an instant confidence booster.
To wrap up this month’s blog post, just like my last blog post, I have a dare for you – I dare you to try one of these fashion tips this season. Share your outfit with me by tagging me and Arc’s Value Village on Instagram. Additionally, if you have a topic that you want me to write about in the future, feel free to request your topic(s) via this form. Happy Sweater Weather!
Until next time,
-Melissa
MHstyleconsultants.com / IG: @MH_style_consulting / Facebook: @MHstyleconsulting
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If you would like to book your FREE personal shopping appointment at any of our 3 locations, visit: https://arcsvaluevillage.org/shop/personal-shopping-service/