The leaves are falling, the temperature is dropping, and midterm season has students in its grips. Don’t let the drawbacks of autumn get you down. Here are some staple fall pieces to look adorable, stay warm, and survive the rest of October in style.
Fingerless gloves
If you’re not ready to commit to encasing your entire hand in wool just yet, or if you just can’t forsake the ability to use your touch-screen smartphone, fingerless gloves are the alternative way to go this fall. Generally considered to be popular in ‘scene’ culture, in reality these gloves can be incorporated into a variety of different outfits as they can both toughen up and soften a look. Karl Lagerfeld has been sporting leather studded fingerless gloves since the dawn of time, and consistently pairs them elegantly with a white shirt and black jacket. This stylish albeit standoffish uniform keeps your body warm and your appearance cool throughout these colder months, and is an infallible fall combo. Another route to take is to slip on a cozy, knitted style. They’re easy to pair with a boxy jean jacket and your favourite black skinny jeans for a relaxed feel, or with a camel wool coat and matching ear-muffs for a more preppy, put-together look. In any case, they’re mostly just fun to wear, and bring back a sense of nostalgia for a time when these were the raddest accessory to sport to school.
Turtlenecks
Whether the goal is to look like a 1960’s Parisian philosophy student or to prevent the Montreal chill from creeping down your neck, turtlenecks are the perfect solution. They are now available in so many different styles that it’s nearly impossible to settle for just one. There’s the classic fitted turtleneck sweater that tops off any pair of jeans perfectly and luckily comes in almost every colour in the rainbow. Feel free to add a simple pearl choker to this look to dress it up. Next comes the more avant-garde, sleeveless, long turtleneck. This chic new addition to the turtleneck family beautifully complements the straight leg trousers that are in style this year. This look is both minimalist and professional. Finally, the comfiest style is the loose-fitting turtleneck dress. With many silhouettes to choose from, there’s something for everyone. They look amazing with tights, knee socks, and tall boots, so keeping your legs warm won’t mean sacrificing a trendy look.
White sneakers
This one might not be an obvious fall staple but it deserves mention on this season’s list: Any fall outfit seems to be complemented by a pair of white sneakers, whether they are adidas Stan Smiths, Nike Air Max, or classic Supergas. They are the perfect way to dress down outfits that are otherwise too stuffy or uptight for a regular school day. Skirts look less formal paired with white sneaks, and become more wearable on a day-to-day basis. Trench coats, wool coats, and moto jackets all also become slightly more casual with white sneakers, and make for a foolproof outfit for those days when mornings are insufferable and deciding what to wear is the last thing on your mind. Any pieces in your wardrobe that haven’t seen the light of day because they are deemed just a touch too dressy can now be worn regularly. Sneakers are insulated enough to keep your feet warm (with socks on, of course) and also have a comfortable sole that is ideal for trekking around campus all day.
