Fall and winter are dangerous times for me. Summer fashion just isn't my scene; I'm all about the layering and darker colors of the latter half of the year, so when the fall collections start dropping, so does my bank account.
I did a major closet refresh and purge over the summer in anticipation of the coming cooler months. Here are some of the pieces I've added to my wardrobe recently that I recommend checking out for yourself.
Outerwear
Fantastic light coat and transitional piece from summer to fall, perfect for layering. This coat isn't available in petite sizes, but I feel that it's very petite-friendly as-is; the sleeves hit exactly at my wrist and aren't too long, and I feel it's pretty true to size in the body. I took my regular size in Madewell tops/coats (XXS) and can layer a light to medium weight sweater underneath.
In terms of warmth, this is a pretty quintessential fall jacket. If you live in colder climates, you'll definitely need to layer this under a heavier coat if you want to be able to wear it into winter. But this will work nicely for fall and winter in the Bay Area, albeit with a thicker sweater once the temperatures really start to drop. I'd recommend sizing up if you want more room in the body and arms.
I own a cropped "leather" jacket from Zara that looks pretty convincingly like real leather (and has fooled many people who thought it was), but I thought it was time that I invested in a real cropped leather jacket. I'd never owned or tried anything from AllSaints but knew they might be exactly where I needed to go for what I was looking for.
Given that my Madewell Ultimate Leather Motorcycle Jacket has a pretty streamlined look, I didn't want to go for something that was too similar (because why bother getting something that's basically exactly the same, just shorter), so I opted for a more biker look with a belt (like my Zara jacket).
The Balfern was exactly what I wanted: hits perfectly where I wanted it, doesn't look too cropped, has full length sleeves as opposed to cropped sleeves, and is made of the most buttery soft sheep leather. It's almost like a second skin. The difference in size between 0 and 00 was minimal on me, so I went with 0 for the sake of layering.
I recognize that this piece is prohibitively expensive for many people – I definitely needed to save up a bit before taking the plunge on this one. If you sign up for AllSaints' mailing list you'll get 15% off your first purchase (which I was able to use in-store), which is something at least. But this was worth it to me as an investment piece I'll wear until it's worn out completely.
I got this coat in the Light Gray color in XS and absolutely love it. It's on the thinner side, so good for light layering in the fall and heavier layering in the winter. Not too long on me in the body (I'm 5'2.5"), but slightly too long in the sleeves. Unfortunately, when I tried to buy this online in my usual size of XXS at UNIQLO (since UNIQLO doesn't carry XXS in stores, for the most part) every color was sold out in XXS; there's one review from someone who bought the coat in a XXS, so it had to have been available at one point, but it just seems odd that every size in every color is in stock – and has been since I checked a couple of weeks ago – except XXS.
Definitely a roomier coat meant for layering, but I don't look like I'm swimming in it. Sharp piece.
This shirt jacket is such a perfect piece for the coming seasons. It's thicker than a shirt, so it's got enough substance to wear alone as a jacket, but it's also great to layer with. At the time of writing, a lot of sizes across all of the color options are sold out, but if you can get your hands on the one you want in your size, I definitely recommend.
I'd been looking for a brown-toned blazer but wasn't having much luck, until I decided on a whim to pop into Gap, where I don't do a ton of shopping. It was total coincidence that they happened to have this coat, which looks much nicer and expensive in person. They only had regular sizes in-store and when I asked if it was available in 00, the Gap employee told me it didn't come in that size. She was wrong, and 00 is available online as a petite size. I got this in 0 and it fits just fine, perfect in the body and arms and just a touch oversized, as it's meant to be.
Jeans
I've been on a straight jeans kick lately and these fit the bill. I did have to get them hemmed to a 24" inseam (they're a 27" inseam when you buy them), and asked the seamstress to maintain the "slight taper," according to the product description. Also described as having a relaxed fit, I took my normal size (24) and found that these don't look as relaxed on me as they do on the model. I couldn't size up, either – 25 was too big. I'd highly recommend trying these on in-store, if possible.
These skyrocketed to my number-two favorite pair of jeans on my first wear. Super flattering with the perfect amount of minimal distressing on only the hem, and such a great wash. I bought these in-store and was able to try them on; I had to size down in these (I took a 23) because they run a little big and they stretch a bit after wearing them. I got the regular inseam (26") which worked out perfectly for me. I LOVE everything about these.
Tops
Incredibly soft, delicate, and feminine, the Gaspard Jumper was so nice I had to get it in two colors – and might get it in two more. It's meant to be worn backwards or forwards, though the buttons are running down the back of the cardigan. I got it in Ecru and Camel, both in XS, and they fit great. The fit is supposed to have just a slight amount of slouch. It can be a bit itchy around the neck but I didn't find myself itching all day. It's also kind of annoying that almost every style shot shows the models wearing the cardigan backwards, but the size tag/brand label is pretty large and sewn on in a way that makes it impossible to hide when wearing it backwards unless you remove it or have that part of the sweater always folded in. (Which is what I did.) Regardless, really stunning piece.
Shoes
I've never been an animal print girl – until I discovered snake print, croc, and lizard. Like the true Slytherin that I am, I gravitated towards these snake print mules and knew I needed them. (Especially because they managed to be the exact right color and pattern. Not just any snake skin will work for me.) I'd never tried on a pair of Schutz shoes before these so I wasn't familiar with their sizing, but I needed to go up a full size in these. I'm a true size 6 but had to take a 7. They do stretch out a bit with wear, but overall they run small.
Not to get all TMI, but I have hyperhidrosis, aka I sweat too much, so I've always stayed away from mules because they're one of the worst shoes you could wear as a sweaty person. These hold on tight to my feet (perhaps a little uncomfortably so as you're breaking them in), and I never feel like I'm on the verge of slipping out of them and embarrassing myself. If you've had to avoid mules like I have for the same reason, you might want to look into these.
Continuing with the snake print trend, these slip-on sneakers are the perfect way to add a pattern into your look while maintaining comfort. They were so nice I bought 'em twice – I got them in the tan and stone/beige colors.
Note: I am not affiliated with these brands, this is not a sponsored/partner post, and I am not receiving a commission from these links. They're included solely for your information and convenience, and these are all recommendations based on my personal opinion.
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