Bringing Autumn’s Palette into My Wardrobe

Every year I’m torn when summer ends and autumn begins.

On the one hand, I know I have to kiss warm nights, breezy dresses and sipping frappes on terraces goodbye, but on the other… Where, oh where should I start?

The first chilly, foggy morning of September always has me feeling giddy with excitement, because I know the season of crunchy leaves, carved pumpkins and cozy outfits is coming.

Plus, October is when I was born, so in my heart it will always have an unfair little advantage compared to the rest of the months.

And sartorially speaking, autumn is the most generous of seasons in my opinion.

It allows you to play with layers, textures and colours in a way that summer simply doesn’t (because you’d be pretty much broiling under the sun). But it also doesn’t force you to hide your well crafted outfit under a wool jacket, mittens and hats (ahem, winter).

So from soft, cozy cardigans to stunning biker jackets, to sumptuous robes and unctuous velvet dresses, the world is your oyster!

I for one love putting my creative hat on and experiment with bringing autumn’s palette into my wardrobe. And although there are a myriad of tints and tones in the autumnal spectrum, I want to show you the ones that I’m most fond of:

Turmeric yellow

The yellow colour family is a newly found love interest of mine, as until a couple years ago I used to hate it with a passion.

I never thought there could be a shade under the sun that would fit my skin! They all seemed to wash me out, make me look greenish and sickly or simply didn’t feel like me.

But this all changed after I started dying my hair red, and I found a whole new world of colours opening up in front of me!

Shades of ripe quince, rich turmeric, deep mustard, or antique gold were all within my reach now. And slowly but surely, I started adding them to my wardrobe. They are a wonderful for autumn months, when they warm up any outfit you add them too.

Emerald green

Now this has always been one of my favorite colours- and can you blame me?

Its opulent shade always makes me dream of glamorous, regal dresses and- yes, well- of emeralds. It is a generous shade that pairs well with a number of cool and warm shades.

Here for example, I paired it with a brighter tangerine, another fall favorite.

And if you’re part of the redhead club, this is a colour that looks especially good against your hair.

Feel free to reach for a fine sweater or a long-sleeved emerald dress this autumn, or even look for a cozy wool coat for winter. This shade never goes out of style and you’ll be wearing it for years to come.

Caramel

If you’re looking for a classic to add to your wardrobe, there is nothing I can recommend more wholeheartedly than a structured bag in a shade of brown.

My choice was this beautiful caramel number (a recent vintage find which I’ll tell you about in my upcoming vlog). But feel free to look at brandy, chocolate or tobacco shades. These earthy, warm hues will bring a splash of timeless elegance to your looks.

And the best part is you can add them to pretty much any of your outfits, because they are easy-to-work-with neutrals.

Just picture this bag paired with the above emerald green dress, a sand coloured coat and a burgundy scarf. Finish it off with leg lengthening black tights and knee high boots, and you have an absolutely luscious fall outfit.

Wine

Deep dark reds, maroons and port hues are ones I always gravitate towards in the cold season. And one way I love incorporating them in my looks is on my lips.

If you’re going for a vampy look, a retro one or even a super- minimalistic, urban one, then wine hued lipstick is my suggestion.

And although a bold lip can be understandably intimidating, you can pull it off! Just make sure to search for a shade that matches your skin tone, hair and eye colour.

The one I’m currently loving is from Douglas’ own Mattissim collection. It’s a bold, velvety liquid lipstick that dries matte and still shows up on your lips after eating and drinking.

Steel grey

This is one of the best cool shades for autumn, I believe, matching the season’s moodiness.

It will look great on those of you with cool or neutral skin tones. And for warmer tones I recommend a lighter shade, such as dove gray.

As for me, I picked up two gorgeous pieces for the office in this shade, which you can see in my Back to School/ Work Haul.

Now of course you can wear a few of these colours together. Or you can add only one or two of them in a more basic, neutral outfit for a measured pop of brightness.

But the truth is they play beautifully off each other- and that’s the magic of the mellower fall colours! Instead of clashing, they actually enhance one another to an amazing effect.

And with that being said, I’d like to hear from you all!

Which are your favorite fall hues and what do you pair them with? Do you feel like your style changes during these months to accommodate the autumnal palette?

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