Fall/Winter 2012 Fashion

To even talk about Fall right now is just crazy because the seasons are so screwed up in Socal (our Summer literally didn't start until the end of July and we're pretty much in the 90's to 100's up until Halloween, thankfully it has cooled down a little) but Fall is right around the corner for the rest of the country! I went crazy shopping recently for Fall/Winter clothes so I thought I do a blog post featuring some of the stuff I got and some of the biggest trends I saw while shopping.

1. Leather

Leather leather leather! I'm usually not a big fan of real leather because it smells a little weird to me but since I can't really afford real leather anyways, faux leather it is! This season is all about the traditional black leather in every which way you can wear it (pants, shorts, skirt, jacket) as well as colored leather, especially in burgundy (aka "oxblood"), one of the biggest colors this season. 

bloomingdales - doma leather jacket

I was so in love with this leather jacket when I first saw it in this video but I really can't justify a $628 piece of clothing so I decided to find a more affordable alternative. Since I already have a black leather jacket and a white leather jacket (both of them faux leather of course lol), and burgundy is such a big color this season, I opted for a leather jacket in that color. I found this bomber jacket at Forever21 for only $24.80! Score! I've paired it with a hounds-tooth (I've been seeing this print everywhere!) chiffon shirt also from Forever21. Throw on a pair of black faux leather leggings and some booties and you're ready for a night out on the town.

forever 21 faux leather bomber jacker - $24.80

2. Military

Anything from camo to just an overall more structured look, military is back in. Look for structured coats and button detailing. I'm not a huge fan of military stuff, especially the camo, so I opted for a regular cargo/utility jacket (F21 - $24.50). I also have a military shirt (random boutique) with button detailing I plan on bringing back out. 

forever 21(link similar; maybe it's only in stores right now?) - $24.50

random boutique - old

forever 21 (from last winter) - $19.80

3. Colors: Blues, Burgundy, Hunter Green, and other Jewel Tones

I've never been a huge fan of any of these colors (I'm more of a black, white and grey girl) but the recent boom in colored denim has made stepping out of my color comfort zone a lot easier. During the Nordstrom Anniversary sale a couple of weeks ago I got myself a pair of hunter green jeggings. The quality on them isn't as nice as I had hoped since they were from Nordstrom but the color was an exact match of what I had wanted so I decided to keep them. 

Pairing black and blue together is another trend this season so look for a blue top that you can pair over black leather leggings or black jeans, creating a color block effect.

my obsession with colored denim
old navy rockstar super skinny jeans in creme camel (link) - $24.46 on sale
american eagle jeggings in blue
nordstrom fire skinny stretch jeans in green (sz 3 juniors)
forever 21 jeggings in red - $19.80

Word of warning on the Old Navy Rockstar Super Skinny Jeans: Old Navy is pretty infamous for their vanity sizing so when I first ordered this pair online, I opted for the size 00 Petite. After receiving it and not being able to even put 1 leg in, I opted for the size 6 Petite. Now that I've been wearing them a couple of times (and also maybe because I have no ass), the crotch area and ass area is a bit saggy although the waist and thigh area fit me fine. I would just take that into consideration and maybe size down one size when ordering online. The jeans themselves are super soft so I highly recommend them, it's just that I probably ordered the wrong size.

I just purchased another pair of colored denim in burgundy from AE so we'll see how well that pair fits when it comes in. It took me so long to get this post up that I ended up getting the pair of pants already. I would highly recommend these to anyone looking for a pair of burgundy pants. They are super stretchy and feel like a second skin. I only purchase items online that can be returned in stores just because I don't like having to go to the post-office, etc and AE.com has a great return policy so I feel particularly safe buying stuff with them especially during the Labor Day sales with free shipping. 

american eagle knit jegging in 4 short (link) - $27.97 on sale (orig. $39.95)

4. Prints

Animal and reptile prints are still booming. Polka-dots are definitely another essential this season. 

forever 21 poodle sweater - $19.80
old navy heart sweater (link) - $17.46 on sale (orig. 24.94)
nordstrom juniors frenchie bow sweater in cream (i saw this still available in stores on sale for $13.99)
old navy polka-dot sweater in camel (same style as the heart sweater)- $17.46 on sale (orig. 24.94)

target jeggings in snow leopard (link) - $20 on sale (orig. 22.99)
(FYI the material is very rough. I've already washed this and it still feels extremely stiff :/.)

5. Lace

I absolutely love lace but I have super sensitive skin so I'm really particular about what lace items I purchase. I saw two items from Forever21 I just had to purchase. First is this lace peplum blouse. Super versatile because you can pair it with virtually any colored denim depending on the look you want. Pair it with some pink skinnies for a fun and flirty look or pair it with those leather leggings for a more vampy look. 

I also bought this baseball-esque sweater with lace details all over the front. You can dress it down during the weekends over some jeans or dress it up with a pair of slacks for work. 

Hope everyone enjoyed this post! Happy Monday and have a great week lovers!

Currently listening to... while shopping:



Want more? Here's a one-stop shop of my favorite resources for Fall/Winter Fashion 2012:

• Bloomingdales - It's On (link)
• Nordstrom - Fall's Top 10 (link)
• R29 - 30 Fall Wardrobe Essentials (link)
• Who What Wear - F/W '12 Trend Guide (link)

note: all photos taken with canon t3i