The Fall season is arguably the most balanced season of all: not too dry, not too wet, not too cold, and not too hot, therefore I find it’s the easiest to build outfits for.
Last year’s fall outfits were defined as ‘effortlessly chic’ as the combination of comfort clothes and the ‘luxurious’ feel of footwear, accessories, and outwear elevated looks from an at-home outfit to an off-duty model attire.
The colour palette was often muted, with tones of grey, beige, browns, and occasionally a pop of butter yellow and/or baby pink to add life into a look.
However, this year, I’m opting for richer, darker toned pieces: maroon, mulberry, burgundy paired with olive, forest green, hickory, and walnut.
I’ve been seeing a lot of bolder silhouettes on the runway where designers are accentuating the body’s natural shape, which I find compliments the richer colours of the fall. For example, Italian luxury fashion house Ferragamo’s F/W 2026 collection featured an array of trench coats with sharp shoulders and deep necklines, as well as thick leather jackets over silk slip dresses, soft black satin tops underneath structured navy blue trench coats.
So for those taking inspiration from this collection, or other F/W trends, finding pieces at your local thrift store can be an easy task…if you know how to look.
Most early mornings require a jacket to keep the chill from creeping in but by the time it’s noon, the sun’s rays often warm up the environment.
Trench coats are a great solution.
Light enough to not make you sweat but can keep you warm if needed. They can come in varying colours and patterns and match any outfit a wearer chooses. I personally have a cherry red Via Spiga trench coat with gold hardware that I thrifted and it elevates a simple look—especially on days where I’m too lazy to properly figure out an outfit.
When looking for a suitable coat, make sure all the buttons aren’t falling off, no rips in the lining, the belt is still there, and most importantly, the sleeve width allows for a sweater or a cardigan to be worn underneath.
For footwear, I truly believe you can never go wrong with a knee-high boot.
Whether it’s stilettoed, flat, or platformed, it’s a type of shoe that sits between casual and formal—just depends how you style it. Since boots come in different styles, I think a good starting point is to figure out what you’re comfortable with and what you can wear everyday.
To find a good pair of secondhand boots, the main thing I usually look for is dry rot. Dry rot is the breakdown of leather or rubber due to lack of use, trapped moisture, or bad storage.
A good way to test and check while thrifting is pressing your thumb firmly against the side of the boot. If it makes a subtle cracking sound or if it feels papery, it’s most likely dry rot. You could also grip onto the heel and pull it gently side-to-side. If it wobbles or feels like it’s going to rip, it’s most likely dry rot. I also like to try them on and see how well they hold up by walking back and forth, paying attention to how the heel feels as it hits the floor. There aren’t ways to save a shoe suffering from severe dry rot, so no matter how cute it is, put it back before you’re walking around with one shoe on and one shoe off!
In terms of the main outfit, layering is your best friend.
As a reporter, my rotation of outfits prioritize professionalism. However, I also make room for an outfit that makes me feel confident as it really helps combat the nerves of interviewing people everyday. I love layering a vest over a light button-up shirt, and this combination never fails. I also think a mock neck beneath a sheer blouse has the same effect. Bonus points if the blouse has ruffles and lace for added texture.
For bottoms, it usually depends on my mood. If I’m feeling like I need an extra boost of confidence and sass, I like to wear a midi skirt with tights. A fun way to add some “whimsy” is to find patterned or coloured tights. These are easily found at the thrift store and are usually two to five bucks a piece. As for pants, I like to wear baggy black dress pants, as well as black denim jeans that fit like mom jeans—both of which are comfortable, and easily styled.
Accessories are also your best friend, especially if you’re already running out of ideas or don’t feel the need to dress up as much as you want to.
A good statement piece is always large jewelry—but only one per outfit. Either large earrings—my signature being silver hoops—a large necklace, a large ring, or large bangles, a simple addition to the outfit makes you look put together without the work.
If you’re someone who is worried about thrifted jewelry potentially turning green—especially with rings, and necklaces— a way to slow and prevent that process would be to coat it in clear nail polish!
I also love a thick, waist-defining belt because I find it adds to that exaggerated silhouette. I have a silver, woven belt that I like to wear with a midi skirt and white button-up to imitate Dior’s iconic 1947 ‘New Look’.
Lastly, we can’t forget the bag!
Hobo bags have been trending for the past year and are a perfect bag to wear to work, school, or an errand. These bags are crescent shaped, slouchy, and stylish.
My everyday bag is a black and white Angel Kiss zebra and leopard print hobo bag that I found at the thrift store for $15. I bring it to work, I’ve used it for school, for grocery runs, for library runs—everything. It’s very spacious as I am able to fit books, my lunch, my laptop, my microphone equipment and its multitude of pockets and compartments make it easy to bring my other smaller everyday essentials like makeup, pens, and gum. I highly recommend these bags as they’re made from vegan leather, affordable (ranging from $840 to $80), and can be found online in a myriad of styles.
These are my recommended pieces and accessories for the fall season.
In my opinion, the fall season is truly the easiest, most fun time to experiment with fabrics, textures, and silhouettes because of the balance of weather—and it’s not hard to find at a local thrift store!
