fall essential #6: pattern

 

when in doubt-- slap some pattern on it!!! (yes i just said that)

polka-dot, stripes, paisley, cheetah, zebra, there are just too many to choose from!!  pattern is so much fun!!! pattern gives that extra sha to the bam of your ensemble! lol

it's pretty self explanatory, so i'm not going to lecture you on how to use it.  but i will caution you-- you can become over-cautious with pattern, and that's not cool!! in my outfit, i was pretty cautious but my friend here, dared to put paisley with stripes... and it TOTALLY worked.  so with this post i'm going to challenge you to be a little more like jessica and be bold and brilliant when it comes to your pattern!!

 

 

 

 

{scalloped polka-dot top: Sears; maroon undershirt: New York, New York; necklace: Aerie; skinnies: Express; shoes: a shoe store}

i hope you enjoyed today's essential! and remember dare to pair!! and check out jessica's blog post today!

♥ mackenzie

fall essential #5: tights

so the fifth essential is tights.  when thinking about making tights an essential i thought: it's cold now, i love color, and i miss shorter pants and skirts!  so that's where tights come in!! tights are a great way to make a spring-ish/summer-ish outfit into something very fall-ish!

 

 

 

 

 

{white button up: The Limited; necklace: Maurice's; short over-all's: American Eagle; gold tights: Macy's; heels: Kohl's}

for this outfit i layered a white button up with a tank top and through some over-all's on over my gold tights! i've had these over-all's since i was in 8th or 9th grade but i never wore them!! i could never find anything to wear them with and i was too insecure to try anything too different.  but i think i have somewhat matured in my style trends and i was willing to try something a tad risky.  i love how the tights turned out! i know they are loud and radical but you can also wear tights in a more conservative manner, maybe a more subtle color & oh and panty hose SOO count in this essential {a little shear never hurt anybody}!!

jessica also did a post today too!! so make sure you run on over and see her use of tights too!!

♥ mackenzie

fall essential #4: a scarf

it's fall. it's cold. you need a scarf!!!

the cool things about scarves is that they come in SO many different shapes , sizes, colors, textures, patterns, and can be used in MANY different ways.  they can be fluffy or thin, hole-y or dense, brightly colored or subdued, oversized or skinny, but most of all they are a great accent piece or finisher for any fall ensemble!

for this post, i demonstrated a very traditional way to wear a scarf, simply draped around the neck.  but jessica wore her circular scarf in a more radical way, draped around her shoulders and tucked in a belt like a cardigan! she is very innovative (but that's a side point-- make sure to take a closer at her scarf usage at her blog, here!)

 

 

{navy shirt: found in the closet; black scarf: chico's; brown fedora hat: target; skinnies (can you tell yet that i love them): Express; patten leather heels: some shoe store }

I am thoroughly convinced that there is a scarf for every occasion and outfit, so this is why scarves made the list for fall essentials.  they are functional & stylish, and therefore you won't regret adding a few to your closet!!!

how do you wear your scarf??  leave some scarf love below!! :)

and once again may i remind you to check out jessica's post for today too!!!

fall essential #3: the leather jacket

the leather jacket is a MUST HAVE because it's good for layering- and layering is always a good thing in the fall.  i LOVE me some leather jackets.  i used to be just into the hard core black leather jacket until a cashier at Wal-Mart told me i looked like i was going to go kill someone and they ask me to get some bad ones for them too.  LOL, i have been known to put up a very stern intimidating facade (trust me- not on purpose!!) but i never thought i would be considered the type to be on the hunt for corrupt  souls to burn like johnny blaze on ghost rider--- although i do own and know how to operate a dirt-bike. ANYWAYS, if you know me at all, this was not my motivation for that afternoon and after that whenever i wore my black leather jacket i would make an extra effort to put on a grin or big smile.  but now i own a tan one!! i first saw jess's (pictured above with me, but in the black jacket) tan one and had to get me one because she totally made the whole tan thing work AND tan tends to be a more softer color than black.    :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

{leather jacket: Elder-Bearman; skinnies: Express; sweater: American Eagle; clock necklace: Aerie; opal ring: Avon-passed down from my grandmother; burlap TOMS: Journey's}

sorry about all the pictures but there were A LOT of good ones thanks to jessica tingle!!  some other tid bits: i like weird sweaters and this navy one WAS NOT from this season.  that opal ring is Avon and it was passed down to my from my grandmother!! and guess what month opal is... October-the official beginning of fall!  i love TOMS--especially burlap TOMS! and pictured above is my lovely greyhound, Cammie whom my family rescued from the track!!  i know there is a lot of pictures and a lot of random information, but hopefully this post will not only let you in on how the leather jacket is an essential, but it will also let you see some of me being me too!!

check out jessica's post about her leather jacket and COMMENT!! please comment, even if you only want to type, something totally random!! i'm desperately trying to get to know my readers!!

♥ mackenzie

fall essential #2: an oversized something

 

next up on our fall essentials list is: an over-sized something.

this was one of my favorite essentials to do.  just because over-sized (oversized?... whatever) things make me feel warm and fuzzy inside.  i bought my grey cabal knit sweater at Plato's Closet as a sweater to wear to an 80's.  i went to the men's section picked this out as something "i would never wear again" item, paid $3 and something for it, and now it is something i LOVE to wear anywhere!!!

 

 

{grey over-sized men's sweater: Plato's Closet; clock necklace: Aerie; my favorite pair of skinnies: Express; black pumps: a shoe warehouse of some sort}

so in conclusion, i will never get rid of my men's cable knit sweater because it is pretty much the best thing fashion-wise that has ever happened to me and it makes me feel good to cuddle up anywhere i go!!  but really any over-sized top is "in" right now, so embrace the cuddliness and grab you one today! :D

& don't forget to head on over to jessica's blog to see her post on her over-sized essential! have fun with this one, it's simple and affordable!!

♥ mackenzie