TRANSITIONING TO FALL

This post is sponsored by Zappos and Clarks. 

Remember those color tests in magazines that would tell you if you're a winter, summer, spring or autumn? I always came out an autumn, but I don't really subscribe to the idea that fall colors are the only ones I can wear. However, my olive skin sure does favor them. So, now that my favorite and most flattering season is in full effect, I've partnered with Zappos and Clarks to show you how I wear fall in the west.

The biggest way I celebrate fall is sporting hues such as olive green, rust, cranberry, gray and warm browns. Rust, in particular, just so happens to be having a moment in the lime light. I fell in love with this silk blouse because of the rich color and because of the belle sleeves, which are also a hot fall trend to take note of. My style is always a bit of masculine and feminine, so I paired my new Clark booties with the romantic outfit, and accessorized with a trendy choker from Wanderlust + Co.

Along with wearing fall colors, the key to staying comfortable in the fall is to layer. The mornings and nights are cool in the desert and the days are hot. I took my summer body con dress and put it underneath my fall blouse. That may seem like an unusual pairing, but the recent NYFW runway showed a lot of unique proportions and layers. So, I encourage you to stand in your closet and rethink putting those summer pieces away for the winter. 

I also styled that same ivory summer dress with an olive green chunky knit turtleneck over it to give you another idea of how to layer. This will be a good outfit for a cool evening, and the casual quality of the knit goes so well these Clark boots.

If you're looking for a perfect fall boot that can be dressed up or down these are a dream. They are versatile in style and in color, and they are just as cute with black, navy, and well, the rainbow. Clarks is known for high quality leather and long lasting wear, so you can bet on wearing these for seasons to come. You can get yours with fast, easy shipping from Zappos.com. I am a true size 10, and that's the size I ordered. I just wear typical ankle socks and they fit perfectly.

My favorite fall color of all is this muted, silvery teal. I wish there was a more concise name for this hue. I've owned this blouse for six years, and it remains my favorite shirt in my closet. The cool tone of it mixed with the warmth of my Clarks is perfection to me. This is my casual fall outfit to a T. Skinny jeans, booties, a button down and call it good. Well, maybe add a pumpkin spice latte and then it's style heaven for me.

Photography by Rennai Hoefer

FALL MUST HAVE BOOTS

This post is sponsored by Zappos and LuckyBrand.

When fall fashion season starts I do a little happy dance because that means it's boot wearin' time! As excited I get to buy new fall shoes, I hate the process of shoe shopping. It's frustrating for size 10, narrow, flat footed people. So, I do all of my shoe shopping online with Zappos now. It's fast, easy and the online reviews help so much in determining what size is best. In fact, I've teamed up with Zappos and LuckyBrand to share with you my favorite picks and how I style them on the daily.

Not only have I learned to shop exclusively online for shoes, but I've learned to stick with a couple tried and true brands that I know fit me well. Comfort is just as high of a priority as style to me, so LuckyBrand is a go-to for me. Their leather quality is wonderful and their styles always match my west coast easy style.

I have several booties in my shoe collection already, but I just can't resist buying a black and brown pair each year. This year I chose black leather booties with a slightly pointed toe (Eesa style) and toffee colored suede wedge booties (Yamina style).

My daily outfits no matter if it's during the week or weekend usually involve some kind of denim and simple color palettes. I just spoke at Say Hi Society about Pinterest, and I wore my gray blazer, jeans, a black t-shirt and these Eesa boots. I felt comfortable and confident the whole time.

I'm also loving head to toe blue these days. Blue hues are a huge color trend for fall. Though I don't mind mixing black and navy, brown just complements blue so well and gives that fall vibe you can't miss. The Yamina style is great for miles of walking because the wedge style is supportive for your feet. I've been wearing them while I play with the kids, shop and work, and I love that the suede material makes them wearable well into the spring.

If you're in the market for new boots definitely give these a try. You can easily purchase them on Zappos with free shipping and easy free returns. They come in just 3-5 business days too! Let me know what you think!

Photos by Rennai Hoefer