Key Fall Fashion Must Haves-Invest Now!

Fall is fully on and although I've tried to transition a few summery pieces into my fall wardrobe I realize how much I need to add a few key statement pieces to my wardrobe. If you've been keeping up with fall fashion trends than these items might already be neatly tucked away in your closet. If so, I salute you! Otherwise, start putting together a fall fashion checklist and investing in the pieces (within your budget) that will help enhance and tie together your fall/winter look seamlessly. 

1- Tailored Statement Outerwear: Ponchos, Capes, Caplets-Designers like Milly and Jill Stuart showed off great tailored jackets with embellishments, belted waists, and funky details to make your outerwear is as fashion-fabulous as your carefully crafted outfit.

2- Faux Fur-A fabulous fake fur vest, jacket or fur lined sweater will not only make you feel bundled this winter, but will also pair well with a sexy dress or simple skinny jeans and a white t-shirt.  Faux Fur is one of the biggest trends this season and extremely versatile.

3- Chunky Knits- The runways were filled with cozy knits. Phillip Lim's fall collection showed off boucy fabrics in tailored, oversized and asymetrical designs. Pair knits with a little sheen, sparkle or shimmer to dress up the look. Layering is HUGE this season so don't be afraid to layer your knits with jackets, capes and tops.

4- Military Inspired Clothes- A fitted military inspired jacket layered over a floral-printed dress or ultra-feminine top is exactly what designers have in mind. Don't go head to toe military. Look for fitted cargo pants in army green, lace-up military-inspired booties, or a fitted jacket with military buttons, a high neckline or a deep shade and go from there. The key is mixing this piece with a fairly neutral color palette. Add a cozy sweater, school-girl skirt or patterened cardigan. The beauty of the military look is that it's versatile. Have fun with it.

5- Mixing and Matching Prints- This is by far my favorite trend because I can finally look at my closet and blindly pick two items and know I'll still be on trend. Just kidding. Mixing and matching prints, patterns or textures is all about finding common ground. If you're pairing together two different prints, look for a unifying theme or complimentary color scheme (the colors don't have to match but must be cohesive in some way). Patterns need to look like their long lost cousins not Aliens Vs. Monsters. Textures are even more fun but you really need to be aware of what works and what doesn't. Mix brocade and tweed or tulle and lace just make sure it makes sense and has some unifying message. A great way to mix and match is by adding a fun scarf, textured belt or over the top shoe. Sometimes all you need is that one accessory that stands out but in the ends makes the look interesting and polished. Rachel Bilson and The City's Olivia Palermo (ugh) both do a great job of working this trend.

6- Fall Florals- Florals aren't just for spring and summer. The versatile print looks great layered, belted and paired with a chunky heel or boot. Try a dress with bright florals or a full, high waisted skirt and layer it under an oversized sweater. Cinch your waist with a funky colored belt, detailed satin scarf headband and thick-heeled over the knee boots.

7- Exaggerated Cat Eyes-Jill Stuart was one of my favorite fall shows and the designer paired big Brigette Bardot bed head hair with exaggerated cat eyes. The result was utterly sexy and mysterious. The cat eye is easy to achieve. All you need is liquid liner and a steady hand. Use your finger on the hand your not using, to act as a placemarker for where you want the line to sweep up and go. Thicken that line up from your bottom lash line to the top. Let the lines connect and swoop out. Also add in a dark shadow in dark blue, charcoal gray or even dark green and extended the shadow out to meet the flipped up line. The eye will instantly be drawn to the outter corners and make your eyes look bigger, darker and more sultry.

8- Gray nails-Nail polish is becoming as big of a fashion accessory and must-have statement as the clutch, cocktail ring, or bib necklace. I remarked that every single person in the tents during fashion week had polished nails and gorgeous manicures in totally trendy tints. Even if you paint your nails yourself, invest your time in making them look one up. It completes an outfit and shows that you care about your appearance and overall look. Grey nails or Gris nails are the "it" color of the season. Grey nails are great because you can find a shade that works for your skintone. Polishes with a purple hue, dark green tint or beige-grey mix look great on a variety of shades. OPI, Essie, Butter London, Deborah Lippman and Sally Hansen all do great grey nails.

9- Fall Shoes: A fall shoe is a must-have investment this season. Find the one that best suits your personality. Jewel-toned suede platform heels or booties (try cobalt, emerald green or plum), over the knee boot and oxford flats are huge this season. Pair them with colored or patterned tights, a great full-waisted skirt (also a great fall trend) or a pair of skinny-minnie jeans.

10-Leopard Print is here to stay! No need to go head to toe leopard print, although an understated leopard print sheath is acceptable on certain occassions. To truly capitalize on this trend go for the accessories. Find a great leopard print flat (don't skimp on these because nothing looks worse than a pair of cheap-looking leopard print flats. The animal print is already at risk for tackiness and the more classic and well-made the better). Leopard print heels also work. Make sure the heel isn't too high and remember with leopard print shoes-either invest a little more and get a high quality shoe or don't bother and add a leopard print scarf or belt instead. Belting an LBD, high waisted skirt, or contrastingly patterned dress with this animal print will look fantastic-guaranteed.