fall wardrobe building blocks

Ah, fall. My favourite time of year. The couple months where I find total comfort in the weather, and the season I felt best in wardrobe-wise!

I find autumn the most exciting season to dress for, as you can really take advantage of layers without sweating profusely (like in the summer) or needing to overly bundle up (like in the depths of the Canadian winter). Since embracing slow fashion, I’ve relied on some key fall wardrobe building blocks to ensure I keep my wardrobe small while fully enjoying the fashion of the season.

As you can imagine, I’m already anticipating my autumn outfits, and I want to share some of these fall wardrobe building blocks with you! I find it’s easy to keep my fall pieces to a minimum with this foundation. But note that this is what works for me, and what works for you may be different! The goal of this post isn’t to make you buy a certain item, it’s to help you think about the foundation of your individual wardrobe and creating a season’s worth of outfits from that foundation.

my fall wardrobe building blocks

1. outerwear

wool coat

I have a couple fall wool coats (one that is about five years old, and a camel coat I purchased last year) in two different neutrals. Wool coats are a great fall outerwear option, as they’re quite warm, easy to layer, long in length, and look great with just about everything. I wear mine with everything from heeled booties and denim to loungey joggers and sneakers. I tend to stick to classic coats so I can keep and love them for years to come.

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blazer

My love of blazers knows no bounds. I love a blazer when the air is crisp but not yet cold. It’s a great layering piece over both t-shirts and thin sweaters, and looks chic with just about anything.

shacket

This is a newer outerwear piece for me as I just got my first shacket this past spring. However, I know this will be a go-to outerwear piece for me for years to come! I love that a shacket looks a bit more casual than a wool coat, and it’s easy to layer. Again, they’re classic in style, so I know I will get tons of wear out of my shacket.

2. tops

knit sweaters

I know we all know that autumn is sweater weather season, and this is the item of clothing we’re all impatiently waiting for. When I purchase a knit sweater, I choose based on colour, cut, and quality. I wear my knit sweaters a lot so I try to buy fewer, better quality knits (either new in-store or used via a secondhand site). I opt for neutral colours and classic shapes that I will love forever. My oldest knit is a light grey turtleneck that I’ve had for five years, which I got mended last year to extend its life.

crewneck sweatshirt

I personally prefer a crewneck over a hoodie. I find this style of sweatshirt to be super versatile, and will wear them with jeans, trousers, and even over a midi dress.

fitted mock/turtleneck

If there is a piece that can rival my love of the crewneck sweatshirt, it’s the fitted mock- or turtleneck. It looks chic on its own or under literally anything like a blazer, shirtdress, or cardigan. I tend to stick to neutrals here too (surprise, surprise) to really get the most wear out of them.

basic shirts

I tend to stick to basic shirts year-round. For me, they make it that much easier to get dressed in the morning. I like tops that look good on their own, or fit seamlessly under a layering piece. Fitted long-sleeves and t-shirts are forever coveted in my wardrobe.

3. bottoms

denim

If you follow me on Instagram it will be no surprise that I LOVE my denim. There’s not much more to say here other than a good-fitting pair of denim will be a classic piece for years and years and years.

trousers

On the rare chance that I’m not wearing a straight-leg pair of jeans, I’m wearing trousers. I love that trousers are ultra comfortable while also looking ultra put-together.

4. shoes

black boots

Like my coats, I keep my boots for a long, long time. If I could only keep one pair, it would be a classic black boot. I currently have three pairs that I cycle through: an ankle boot, a heeled boot, and a combat boot. I love the versatility of a boot and having a little bit of protection if it happens to rain or we get some early flurries.

white sneakers

My love of white sneakers is truly infinite. I wear my white sneakers as long as I can (even sometimes when there’s a bit of snow, if I’m being honest). Like the black boot, they’re seriously versatile and I get a ton of wear out of them in the fall.

5. accessories

toques + wide-brim hats

A hat – in any season – is my go-to accessory. If I ever feel like my outfit is missing something, I’ll throw on a wide-brim wool hat to spice it up a little. Also, I could not confidently call myself a Canadian if I did not wear a toque in the name of both necessity and accessorizing.

structured bag

I don’t have too many bags – I really love just having a few key styles that carry me through every season. I find a good structured bag pulls any outfit together, whether it’s a classic tote or a neutral backpack.

And that’s it – the fall wardrobe building blocks that get me through the season and well into winter! Again, this is what works for me and my lifestyle – the goal of this post is to help you think through the foundational pieces in your own wardrobe to help you embrace slow fashion this season!

What are your fall wardrobe building blocks?