I'm Excited for Fall for the First Time in Years

My first favorite season is making a comeback into my heart.

Today is the FIRST day of fall! And it's so, well, romantic. The drop in temperature forces us to think about the people in our lives—the ones who literally keep us warm (cuffing season is upon us!) or, to be more figurative, the ones we go to when we're feeling down from the change in seasons. It's all about safety blankets! Sweaters and turtlenecks are even appropriate for this season, especially in Stockholm where their summer feels like my fall and their fall feels like my winter, and so on. Iced coffee shifts to warm cappuccinos (with oat milk, please), and if I'm going to be honest, iced coffee has got to be the least charming beverage that exists. Nine times out of ten it's taken on the go, grasping onto the cold condensation is a very unenjoyable sensation, even in the summer, and plastic straws are the last thing our planet needs right now. My summer-loving self would never find these flaws, but now that I've accepted autumn back into my life, that oat milk cappuccino seems to be calling my name, especially since I have fika at least twice a day. I'm also a big fan of ankle boots again, my leather jacket has been glued to my body for the last week, and I weirdly enjoy having to wear enough clothing to keep warm in 50 degrees. 

This is strange.

I haven't full-heartedly enjoyed this season ever since I became obsessed with sunlight and wearing as little clothing as possible. But something about fall in Stockholm strips all its negativities and makes it feel like, as I said earlier, the most romantic season to exist. And not just in the couple-y way; I can enjoy this season to its fullest extent without an S.O. It's romantic in the sense that every single detail of a moment, no matter how minuscule, feels poetic, and that simply existing outdoors even when it's below 50 makes my soul feel good. It's inexplicable, but oftentimes, there's no explanation for love.

So! Now that I've fallen in love with this season again, it feels fitting to also fall in love with its style once more. Now that my personal style has done a 180 approximately 17 times since I claimed this season to be the best, I'm forced to seek out which autumn 'fits are worthy. Three years ago, I used to constantly layer sweaters over dresses with over-the-knee socks and ankle boots and title this my go-to (I'm pretty sure I owned at least six pairs of those types of socks, which is strange for someone who did not attend private school). Was I trying to be Suzy from Moonrise Kingdom? Without a doubt. But now that I have added a layer of queerness and vintage pieces to my style identity, this high school look just feels wrong. To find the fall pieces that would match my newfound love for this season, I decided to do what any student abroad obsessed with vintage would do—go on a thrifting adventure to seek out the best of the best in Stockholm.

If you were unaware, Stockholm has some of the best thrifting in the world. Maybe this is just my own opinion, but its selections and prices easily beat any Seattle or Brooklyn vintage shop. In the past five weeks I've been here, I've managed to thrift at least once a week and spend far less than I would at home but leave with pieces I love so dearly that I wear them at least twice a week. A few tops, one slip dress, and one pair of snakeskin pants later, I discovered the dress of my dreams. What does it look like, you ask?

Dress is vintage from POP Stockholm. Jacket by Madewell.

A few weeks ago, I stumbled upon this fantastic thrift store that only sells vintage from the '50s to '90s—no later. Not to be dramatic, but the minute I walked in my eyes immediately spotted the dress you see above. Was this love at first sight? Definitely. I knew we would enter a long-term relationship after I tried it on and it fit too perfectly. Combining the beauty in thrifting and my infatuation with autumn made this a magical, or, dare I say, romantic experience. After purchasing it and wearing it three times in one week in three different ways, I decided it would be fun to approach fall style in a very literal sense—to physically look like the season. In this case, the color scheme on the dress exactly mimics the changing colors of fall, and weirdly enough, it also matches the buildings behind me in Södermalm that should be in a brochure to entice tourists to visit in October. I paired it with my black leather jacket and black boots and at first felt strange to not wear any light or bright colors, but then realized how well I fit in—apparently every Swede only wears dark colors when the temps start to drop. Although I only find it fun to wear bright colors in the midst of a dark and depressing winter, I also think I can get used to this autumn thing. I've been told time and time again that study abroad is all about change. I said in a previous post that Stockholm almost feels too fitting for my style and personality, but maybe, just maybe, my identity will shift a smidge, possibly to its best form, as a result of my time here. Change is good, no?

Photos taken by Josie.

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The Power of the Blazer

I swear these things have superpowers.

Just before the fall semester had begun, I began to notice a specific trend—styling structured blazers in non-professional ways. Were the 80's finally back after years of rejection? Was business professional trying to be back in style, sans the whole three-piece-set suit aspect (unless you're into that)? Or, maybe more answerable, is androgyny taking over the likes (and styles) of people who were once completely opposed to the term?

With (or without) these questions in mind, it has now become more than obvious that blazers are back in fashion. Maybe they're too back, if that's even possible. Zara has an infinite amount of them and even has their own sub-category for blazers apart from outerwear; they're on every single fashion blogger, street style star, influencer, and person who is somewhat interested in fashion on Instagram; and now they're on me! I've succumbed to trends. Someone call the police.

My search for a blazer was not rooted in Zara's massive collection or my desire to imitate Spanish blogger María Bernard, but it was rather a quest that began when I noticed the resurgence of the vintage blazer at small vintage shops in Manhattan and Brooklyn this summer. After no luck of finding one that both fit me and one that I fell in love with, I took to Instagram, as one normally would, and scanned every vintage IG page that existed. Months of turning on post notifications for one too many accounts and DMing at every potential opportunity, I had found myself a vintage, wool blazer, all the way from Paris! How romantic.

Blazer, Levi's jeans, and slides are vintage. Lace slip by Urban Outfitters. Sunglasses by Lisa Says Gah.


Upon getting this baby in the mail over two months ago, my entire outlook on life changed. Am I being a bit too dramatic? Probably, but my excitement began when my DM to one particular Instagram account resulted in them finding me a blazer that hadn't even been posted to their page yet. I felt more than special—they had a reserve of vintage pieces that were practically on hold for people, like me, who came to them who had specific items in mind. As I claimed the piece before it even went on sale to the public, I knew it would have transformative powers. And as I slipped it on over a graphic tee seconds after opening the package, the myth of the superpowers became a reality.

Once again, am I being too dramatic?

Important background info is that I've never worn a blazer in my life until this one, making my strong reaction to the item completely acceptable. I had always associated them with strict business dress codes that I never had to partake in, making the act of wearing a blazer not one I wanted to associate with. But now! I want to wear this bad boy
every
single
day.

Which I did the first week I had it, if I'm going to be completely honest.

Slip it on over a band tee and jeans and sneakers, and you immediately transform a lazy look into an effortlessly cool 'fit. Wear it with a lace slip, vintage Levi's, and slides to hold on to that last bit of summer but still show you're ready for winter (as seen on me in the above photos). Layer it over a rust turtleneck with heeled ankle boots, and you transform into a fall trends kween. Pair it with a hoodie and add a leather jacket over the blazer, and you just mastered the art of layering in two easy steps. The options are endless. Just do anything but what you would normally expect from a business staple, unless you want to own that look and go full-on CEO. Because that's also completely taking over the fashion world. Pantsuits are cool now! And maybe the beauty of the blazer lies in just that—even if you're not a CEO, you could easily look like one.

Fashion is transformative, remember?

Photos shot by Maddie.

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Post Holiday Funk

I know we all suffer from this. 

We spend an entire day stuffing ourselves with various meats and delicious sides, probably wearing a shapeless dress (possibly imitating a trash bag?) or those "nice" pants that secretly have a waistband that you reserve for holidays like this. Sounds like the dream, no?

But then our families leave after that extended discussion about what I'm majoring in, my new internship (spoiler alert: I'll be a part of College Fashionista's team next semester!!), or, unfortunately, our new president, and we sit there with full bellies and exhausted minds and think: now what? Christmas is in one month; I wish I could just skip the awkward 16 days I have in D.C. (with only one final!!) and go home and celebrate a holiday where I won't get that weird "post holiday funk."

Am I the only one who feels this?

It's also strangely affecting my style -- what does one wear when all you have to do for the next two weeks is study and write papers and just wait for the best holiday to arrive?

It's like retail stores know that this funk universally exists. That's why Black Friday and Cyber Monday exist. I've never been one to partake in activities surrounding the dreaded Friday after Thanksgiving, but when one realizes the only way to get out of a style funk is to, well, purchase more clothes, one must use her resources. So commence the shopping!

J. Crew and Anthropologie and Asos and so much more!! Overwhelming is the only way to describe this experience. But maybe overwhelming is the only way to dig out of this hole that Thanksgiving unfortunately dug.

Ruffle top and Levi's jeans by Anthropologie. Turtleneck by J. Crew. Boots by Sam Edelman. Faux fur coat by Asos. Sunglasses by Madewell.

One, but two tissue turtlenecks from J. Crew (40% off!!!).

A pair of Levi's, velvet joggers, and a sweatshirt-material ruffle top from Anthropologie (30% off!!!).

A Margot Tenenbaum-esque fur coat (but of the faux kind) from Asos (also 30% off!!!).

Also these boots from Topshop that I just purchased last night and now have a very small amount of money in my bank account (but up to 50% off select items!!!).

I combined two-thirds of my purchases to create an outfit I felt fresh in, new, confident. There's something about wearing all new clothes that makes you feel as if you could accomplish anything, even if I did sleep most of the day and really only completed one task on Monday: writing this blog post. 

Knowing that I now own two more delightful turtlenecks (and of exciting colors!) that I could layer under anything, especially this strange top that I'm also newly obsessed with, gives me the ability to make any outfit way more, well, me (my turtleneck obsession has not gone away just yet). Knowing that I own a pair of Levi's that I've wanted for two years -- yes, I know I'm a bit late -- eliminates the fact that jeans are dead because they're just that cool! And the fur coat is an obvious one: having a huge blanket (practically) draped over my cold shoulders in this cold D.C. weather seems to be the only thing to get me through this peculiar time. 

I'm not saying you have to buy a whole new wardrobe to fix this uncomfortable phase of the year; playing with what you already have is always a method I've been an advocate for ever since I started this blog two years ago (side note: happy blogversary to Fractured Aesthetic!). But there comes a point when you only have so much to work with, and a purchase of a few investment pieces is just like hitting restart on your style game. It's that easy.

Kind of like getting a new haircut.

All photos shot by Kendall.

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What to Wear When: Tights Feel like Mini Prison Cells

I broke No-Shave November for this!

It's that time of year when there are two options for your legs: tights or jeans. We all know jeans are dead (bitter sweet about this concept; jeans are also another form of leg prison), and tights just feel so, well, unappealing right now. Is it our desire to rebel against the cold and let our bare legs suffer out in the open?

To break fashion norms and release our hot dogs into the wild?

Or is it just because tights give us that weird line right above our belly button that is a) unflattering and b) the last thing anyone wants to deal with and c) an inconvenience when eating pizza.

Most will say they risk the well-being of their legs due to my first excuse, but we really all know it's because of the second. Reasoning aside, tights are no fun. Are they even considered stylish anymore? I wore them for 15 years under a leotard several times a week, and ever since I stopped this routine, I can't get myself to slip them on. Not slip, but tug and pull and struggle. They've become an inconvenience, no longer a fashionable warming technique.

So do we just get rid of them altogether? Let our legs freeze in the tundra* when we don't want to wear jeans or those weird pants that don't count as jeans that only really cool people own (not including myself)?

The simple answer is: yes. Suffer through it. You will survive (beauty is pain!!).

The complex answer is:

Dress by Madewell (similar here). Turtleneck by J. Crew. Clogs by Anthropologie. Bracelet and socks by Madewell.

It's called overcompensation. What lacks on your legs goes on your feet or your arms or your neck! This works super well for turtleneck enthusiasts like me or people who are fans of socks. I almost cheated and wore thigh highs instead of these, but covering 3/4 of your legs vs. 1/10 completely defeats the purpose. We're here to free our legs (can this become the new Free the Nipple campaign?). I covered my neck and arms with my favorite tissue turtleneck (sidenote: what an investment!! I'm about to buy the same one in five different colors) and this flannel shirt-dress that someone told me looked like pajamas today but then I told them that technically pajamas are so in in high fashion right now. I wore socks with clogs instead of chelsea boots because this whole project made me want to try new things -- I feel like fashion is evolving a lot right now. Is this just me? 

Styling bare legs in late November should be enough to prove that fashion is, in fact, evolving. Despite the cold, the lack of tights felt liberating. My legs were free!

* The "tundra" in D.C. today was 60 degrees... this experiment would work better if global warming wasn't real.

Photos shot by Maddie.

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Style Inspo: Halloween

I've been feeling really down in fashion lately.

Like, really down.

I'm not sure if I should blame the strange D.C. weather or my lack of inspiration or lack of time to blog (my hiatus is finally over, btw!!), but it's been really hard to get up in the morning and actually feel good about what clothes I put on my body. I'm sick and tired of jeans, don't feel like wearing the same Madewell sweater I wear at least twice a week, and want to ban sneakers from my existence. (But I really don't feel like spending money on new clothes.)

So the real question is: what the hell am I supposed to wear?

Maybe I should look to the Halloween spirits for the answer.

I'm not even kidding -- my favorite holiday has to solve all of my style issues.

Sleeveless sweater by Forever 21 (try this one by Madewell). Jacket is thrifted (an Asos alternative). Wool skirt is vintage Gap (corduroy works too). Shoes by Sam Edelman.

The leaves are changing color! The temperature is dropping! I'm able to finally ~protect my neck~ again without becoming the human version of fire! Fall came a month late for D.C., but at least it's here. This should be enough to end my fashion depression, really. But the drop of a temperature only leads me to wearing the same jeans that I don't even like that much and an average sweater that I've owned for so long that it has almost lost all of its style value. It's time to look at something greater and more abstract and even bit unexpected -- I'm that desperate for a fashion revelation.

Halloween, on the surface level, could lead to styles inspired by witches (sheer lace dresses, anyone?). Or it could simply mean dressing up like someone you're not, like I did last year or this year (see below):

robin sparkles velma and 80s workout bitch went to a comic book store for a stranger things party and we are definitely the youngest ones here and no one knows how to socialize but we're having a good time™

A photo posted by natalie (@nataliegeisel) on Oct 29, 2016 at 7:36pm PDT

But we're going to think a little more abstract. Maybe use the color scheme to inspire your outfit choice, or simply use the holiday as an excuse to dress a little different or out-there than usual (that's what Halloween is all about, right?).

Shirt by Urban Outfitters.

It's obvious that I followed the orange and black color scheme, but I actually did a lot more than that (which will be explained in the next few seconds). I purchased a sweater sans sleeves -- what's the practicality of this? How outlandish!! I then layered this over a black and white striped boatneck tee and slipped a skirt under the sweater as well, something that felt so natural but also wasn't -- my first choice was to wear my black skinnies. I made up for my lack of denim on my legs with a denim jacket, and as I slipped on my chelsea boots on bare legs (this lack of tights is so liberating), I felt the most myself I have ever felt in months. 

Halloween is about being someone you're not for one day, but maybe my stranger style choices led me closer to my real self. Who knew a single holiday could be so valuable to my style evolution?

Photos shot by Maddie.

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Personal Style Glue

It's not a fun place to be.

Do you ever feel stuck in fashion? Like, in the sense where you feel as if you're stuck in glue and you cannot change what you've been wearing every day for the past month? Now that it's fall, an example of this would maybe be boyfriend jeans and that one sweater you so dearly love and those chelsea boots you've owned for four years that are definitely ruined from that one time you wore them when it was raining (100% your fault, Natalie) and complete the look with your embroidered bomber you've been wearing every day for the past six months. In the summer it was either that one dress with no waistline and those slides, and in the winter it was always that turtleneck with those black skinnies and other pair of chelsea boots (yes, the ones reserved for winter).

It's comforting to know that this one outfit will always work for you. It's like the order you always get at Sweetgreen that you'll never change because it's just that damn good. But how would you know if it's the only thing you've tried? Hummus Tahina sounds just as good as Harvest Bowl. Yes, that delicious, comforting mix of sweet potatoes and goat cheese sounds so, well, cozy but falafel and tahini yogurt dressing!! How fun and exciting!!! 

We can just forget the fact that I compared fashion to my favorite salad spot in D.C., but you get my point. Comfort is only comforting to an extent, then it just gets sticky. Like glue. So we're going to change that! Swap stuck in glue for progressing into the cool (or should I just say weird) world of fashion. 

Dress by Topshop. Jeans by Gap. Shoes by Steve Madden. Bag by J. Crew. 

And guess what: this change isn't all that hard. Just find something you've never tried before in fashion and do it. Or maybe try something you did ten years ago (yes, ten years!!) and do it! As a fifth grader, I wore knee length dresses with bootcut jeans and thought I was so cool. Well, my friends, I decided to bring dresses + jeans back. Over the summer I experimented a lot with dresses and shorts, which felt way less terrifying for some peculiar reason. Waistless dresses that could technically also count as really long shirts paired with denim cutoffs seemed so simple. My bored-to-death self is tired of simple and demands complexity. So I pulled out a dress that should only be reserved for spring (which I bought only two months ago) and paired it with those same boyfriend jeans I mentioned in the beginning of this post and the same chelsea boots I mentioned earlier. 

Easy

as

pie. 

Same jeans, same boots, same bomber (that one in my hand), but different top. Also a bandana to ~spice~ things up. I'm not sure if it's the florals in fall or the fact that I'm actually wearing a dress with jeans (not of the skinny type), but I magically became unstuck. What a confidence booster it is to know that I can now ease through my personal style without feeling trapped!

Photos taken by Maddie.

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In Limbo pt. II

The transition of seasons always calls for the purgatory period, the, what I like to call, in limbo period.

I've discussed this before (that's why this is the second part!!). Something about familiarity is so appealing to me right now, and maybe this is why seasonal transitions are my favorite time of the year. Every time the leaves change color or when they begin to fall, or when the flowers start blooming, or when those flowers transform into green, a common theme is found in fashion. A need to alter what we were doing for the past few months with our clothes and actually pay attention to the changes happening around us. And now we've come full circle! The leaves are starting to change color! Maybe they haven't hit this stage completely, but the four-season calendar tells us otherwise. So it's time to put pants on! Maybe a sweater or two. Pull out the knee highs and chelsea boots and, wait a second, are turtlenecks acceptable yet?

The sweat dripping down your forehead tells us these are not things we would willingly do. Yes, we'll still do it for the ~fall aesthetic~ but coercion is not something I like to do when I dress myself in the morning. I hope you feel the same way. So how exactly do we deal with this uncomfortable purgatory?

Jeans by Madewell. Slip dress (worn as a top) by Urban Outfitters. Neck scarf from Urban Outfitters. Sandals by Topshop (try a more out-there alternative here). Bag by J. Crew. Sunglasses by Madewell. 

Pants can still be worn if we widen the hem to a foot instead of three inches. Cooler weather tones (think dark!) can be seen in items meant to be worn in warmer weather. And accessories that we love to utilize in this season can still be worn -- just think light. I followed these rules exactly to create what you see above. I bought these Madewell wide-leg jeans a few weeks ago that somewhat represent gauchos, but I like to call them culottes to sound more ~fashionable~. As I purchased these, I immediately saw myself on the first day of fall, wearing them with some sort of tank and gladiator sandals. And here I am, one month later, making my outfit dreams come true. I chose my slip dress as my tank because it felt easy (the laziness from summer is still dragging along like a lost puppy) and something about silk and lace is so appealing right now. My neck scarf did a very fall thing -- it kept my neck warm!! But the sweat soaking through the scarf made me realize I did not need that warmth. My autumn-induced mood dismissed this discomfort and realized that fashion is pain. And that fall is finally here.

Photo taken by Maddie, near the Georgetown Waterfront.

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It's Starting to Feel Like Fall...

Finally! It has been fall for a month now, and not once (at least in Georgia) has it felt like it. I've had to do some intense research on how to rock fall trends in hot weather, and wearing a mini skirt in an "autumn way" is not an easy thing to accomplish (unless you're the wonderful Man Repeller). There was one perk, however, because I haven't had the chance to go fall shopping. Wool skirts and jeans weren't even needed because the temp would always be above 70, but now, this problem actually exists. I can't let the fact that I own zero new fall clothing faze me because this weather automatically puts me in happy mode. So I decided to work with what I have...

It's so simple to make practically anything work in the fall. Maybe that's why it's my favorite fashion season... Anyways, I haven't had the chance to get new clothes, so I paired my button-up skirt from Urban Outfitters with my favorite knit turtleneck (also from Urban Outfitters) that I haven't even touched since last February. Because it's been so long since I've worn the sweater, wearing it today was just like wearing a brand new one. That's the beauty of not buying a completely new wardrobe for every season (which I still find absolutely crazy) -- you can wear old items from a few seasons ago in completely different ways, and people will probably think it's new. To work with the cooler weather, I wore my thigh highs because it wasn't cold enough to pull out the knit tights that are reserved for December and January.

Skirt and sweater by Urban Outfitters. Jacket by Juicy Couture. Shoes by Asos.

Photos taken by me

I even took my denim jacket, which I usually reserve as a light layer to be worn in the spring or summer, as an additional layer for when I had to walk outside. Denim has always been a spring/summer staple, but anyone can transition it into the fall/winter (like me!). And voila! I took old basics and created a brand new look that works perfectly with fall fashion and weather. I still need to eventually get new clothes for the fall (and winter), but I find it pretty easy to create unique looks with old clothing. I think I've said this about 100 times through this blog, but I have (once again) proven that you don't need the time (or money) to create fashion-forward looks with the change of the season. You should take risks with autumn because it's the season of fashion experimentation, at least in my mind. Happy fall, everyone!

Using Fashion as a Stress Reliever

The most stressful time of senior year falls right when Fall begins (pun intended). Trying to raise your C to an A in that one class so you don't destroy your GPA and writing seven essays about yourself just so one college can accept you are just a few things that make my favorite season a terrible time. A lot of my older, college-bound or even out of college readers don't want to look back at that tragic history, but I know many of my audience is in the same boat as I am. People who say that senior year is the easiest are definitely incorrect in their assumptions, and I would like to prove them wrong by showing them my impossible schedule filled with college apps and studying and even managing two jobs. I don't want to use this blog as an outlet to complain about my miserable life, but you should understand by now that I'm not having the best senior year. Even for the people who are younger or older than high school seniors, two months into a new year can be difficult for everyone. I only bring up my stress to prove a positive point -- that there's always something good to replace the negative. In this wonderful season, I get to use the abundant choices I have for autumn fashion to almost "get me through" such a stressful period. Yeah, I'm that fashion dweeb who gets excited when I get to put new looks and ideas into outfits for the new season. It makes me think of all the opportunities I have for Fall fashion, and even if I have a C in AP Lit, at least I'll look good while having it.

One of my favorite things to do in fashion is to "solve" a fashion dilemma by creating something beautiful out of it. Of course one of the common app essay prompts says something along those lines, and because I currently live and breathe college apps, I would use it to help me with fashion. With fall, these problems are easier to solve because you can layer more items on top of each other, while in the summer, that can be really tricky. The issue I had a few days ago was that I wanted to wear a dress, but it was slightly too short in the back to wear on its own. I could have worn the dress with leggings, but I wasn't going for that kind of style. I also had another issue on top of the first one. I wanted to wear a sheer, collared dress (that is no longer a dress on its own because it's too short on the sides), which I wore here last spring, but I didn't want to wear it in the same way as that last post. I simply combined the two problems, and a solution came out of it. Although the collared dress is too short, the back is longer, and the back of the other dress is too short, so the combination of the two made the outfit an appropriate length. Not only did this solve a measurement issue, but it also created a unique outfit consisting of flowing layers, additional collars, and a classic black-and-white color scheme. Hence, the "something beautiful" was created. 

I solved the issue, but I also wanted to create something more with the outfit, so I layered my denim jacket over it to give it a casual feel and to also create the double-collar look (and you thought one collar was enough). And maybe you're still asking: why did I bring up that first story in the beginning of this post? Maybe it wasn't necessary, but I do like connecting my posts to my personal life, and creating this outfit actually did make me feel better about this stressful time (I don't care how strange that sounds, I know I'm not the only one). Fall shouldn't be a stress-filled season, at least in my perfect world, so I'm making it better by playing around with fashion ideas. With all bad comes the good, and even with something as minor as this, every little thing counts.

Both dresses by Urban Outfitters. Jacket by Juicy Couture. Shoes by Steve Madden.

Photos taken by me (which will, from now on, be done on my Canon EOS 40D).

Seasonal Transitions

Finally, after four long months of summer (including the warm months of late spring), the dreaded season is coming to a close. There's no valid reason as to why I hate this season, except for the fact that the hot weather makes me uncomfortable and fashion choices can be slightly tricky. I've still made the best of this season by making warm weather fashion choices impossibly cool, but knowing that it's almost over only brings a smile to my sweaty face. I'm excited for this upcoming season because it's the first fall where I get to show off my autumn style on this blog -- I only started getting serious with the blog this past winter. Only five more days until I can wear autumn color schemes, boyfriend jeans/overalls, and the most envied fabric of the season, aka suede. However, it gets difficult when fall weather is a few weeks behind the actual change of the season. This is especially relevant in the South, so the final question is this: how can we dress for fall and still be comfortable in this awkward climate transition? I've noticed from the weather in the past week that it can be as low as 50 degrees in the morning and as high as 85 in the afternoon. If it were a perfect world, we would just have two outfits for the day. But for most of us, this isn't possible with our unglamorous and busy schedules. To fix the problem, we have to find a happy medium. And I found this solution a few days ago when the weather was especially complicated.

Dress and socks by Urban Outfitters. Shoes by Doc Martens. 

Photos taken by me. 

Playing with seasonal transitions can be really fun and experimental at times because instead of just mixing styles for the weather, we can mix styles based on seasonal trends. With fashion today, you can do absolutely anything you want, and with good reasoning, it can be deemed stylish by even the most important people in the fashion world. For example, wearing a fun, floral summer dress with grey thigh-highs and black Doc Marten oxfords completely works because it combines summer and fall trends for an outfit perfect for seasonal transitioning. Instead of just wearing thigh-highs to work with a cool and warm day, pair them with an item that screams summer on its own, but says autumn with the combination of the fall accessory. This brings contrast to outfits, and it also gives a uniqueness to a traditional fall look. The floral and bright blue pattern of the dress brings summer style, the neutral and dark color scheme of the socks and shoes brings winter style, so the combination of the two gives a happy medium -- fall style. It's a dimensional outfit -- it solves the awkward weather dilemma, but if you dig deeper, it also works with the seasonal styles. Maybe it's not everything we see on the runways these days, but putting thought into how to make a fall outfit by combining items from different seasons proves that you didn't just copy what you saw in Vogue or the Calvin Klein fashion show. Fashion isn't just buying the most expensive things you see on the runway. It requires an innovative, creative mindset that can thrive in a world that is filled with these types of people.