The Mostly Minimalist Field Guide To Fall Outfits

If there’s three things I hope you’ve taken away from San Francisco weather by now, it’s that wind is the overriding feature for six months straight, summer gloves are a thing, and layering is a year-round outfit requirement. So when it comes to fall dressing, your San Franciscan friends have it down.

I feel for everyone caught in a dangerous heatwave this summer and hope August is bringing cooler weather your way. If you’re just beginning to think of what to wear for fall, I have you covered with AW26 outfits I’ve been wearing since AW25 across three weather scenarios, dramatic wind gusts included. As always, I hope that this sparks new ideas for the things in your wardrobe, whether it’s silhouette, color combos, or accessorizing.

I haven’t been making the most of the barrel leg pants that are part of my favorite gray suit, which is a big mistake. Big. Huge. I finally rectified this last month. If you want to get more cpw out of your barrel legs, these are my favorite outfits so far.

A cropped blazer and classic white t-shirt are an easy throw-on-and-go outfit. Add a personality bag and a sculptural necklace to jazz things up if it’s warm enough to take off your jacket.

If you’re also in a perpetual state of 23 mph wind gusts, a fitted jacket and tucked in sweater will keep things from flapping around. I love brown and gray for fall, even more so when an outfit mixes two shades of each color.

If you’re stuck on how to style a statement collar, do I have a 50-ish degree outfit for you. Enormous collars are already pretty amazing on their own and wearing one on the outside of your jacket makes things a million times more interesting.

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As Copenhagen Fashion Week street style has proven for two years running, a lace skirt can make so many more outfits than just a t-shirt and flip flops variation. Not to mention the styling possibilities are even more exciting for fall since you can combine different fabric weights and textures.

This is where your statement jacket comes into play - fringed, embroidered, big sleeves, great color, bold print, whatever you have. Stack on a couple of necklaces for visual interest and sheer socks as a nod to the not-yet-freezing weather. These are my favorite fishnet socks that I wear multiple times a week (aff link).

Legwear and a long sweater are your best friends when the wind is trying to flip your skirt over your head. Make your outfit even better with a pair of bright tights underneath for a flash of color.

I’m wearing ancient production sample purple tights from when I was a legwear buyer. If you’re in the market for tights, I appreciate what Swedish Stockings is doing to make their legwear more responsible - this lavender color is gorgeous. The J.Crew red tights I got last year have held up remarkably well, even when they’ve gotten caught on my shoe buckles (both aff links).

Bundle up your lace skirt with a sweater under your oversized blazer. Bonus points for cinching in the waist with a row of leaf brooches to match the autumnal weather.

My The Frankie Shop balloon pants1 are my only firsthand fashion purchase of 2026. They’ve been worth every penny and I talked about why in the below post.

My old Ganni dress hits at an awkward length on me so I usually style it as a skirt. I got extra creative this summer and gathered the fabric into a ponytail at the waist to make it into a statement top.

Same jacket, same pants, new dress as a top. Fringe looks spectacular blowing around in the wind if you’re going for a main character moment and don’t mind unknotting it when you get home.

One of my favorite crisp weather minimalist looks, a cream fringed shawl breaks up an all-black outfit nicely. Winterwear with personality is going to be big this year; if you have any special scarves or shawls, now’s the time to pull them out.

If you bought a pencil skirt at the beginning of the year and are low on ideas for fall looks, first save these outfits and then watch A Perfect Murder, a 90s pencil skirt masterpiece.

Another easy outfit: a knit shirt with ruching interest in case it gets balmy enough to remove your jacket (or if you cross into a warmer microclimate in SF). Make this extra minimal with a fitted blazer and delicate necklace.

Lessons I’ve learned the hard way: a) wear tall boots with a long skirt so the wind doesn’t tangle your hem in your boot shaft, b) button your jacket so it doesn’t fly in your face, and most importantly c) look for pencil skirts with a sizable back slit so you can walk fast enough to get out of the wind.

Texture is going to be a key design element this year, and it’s a quick way to give a monochromatic outfit visual depth. The slightly bobbly sweater languishing in the back of your closet? Repurpose it as an around-the-shoulder layer.

I hope this gives you thoughts on how to shop your closet, explore secondhand, or make a considered tights purchase if you’re about to flip into cooler weather. Sending fall vibes your way 🍁

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