Favorite Fall Outfit Formula
My favorite fall outfit formula requires just two main ingredients:
Boots
A dress, tunic, sweater, coat, or other article of clothing that covers the upper 2/3rds or so of your body
It’s probably not going to win the award for most precise formula, but that’s what I like about it. You can customize it to your essences and silhouette preference.
I also love it for so many other reasons:
1) Flatters any style essence
One iconic version of the formula is carefree and cool—perfect for Naturals:
Choose a roomy sweater dress and slouchy boots for a casual and cool Natural look.
To embody striking Dramatic, glam Romantic, and posh Classic, try a more formal-feeling version:
Dramatic knee-high leather boots and Romantic Classic belted wrap coat.
The sweater dress beneath might add some Natural, with its slouchy neckline. But you could choose a fitted or body-skimming version to flatter one of your other essences.
The “boots+whatever” formula is especially great for Dramatics, who have so many powerful, eye-catching footwear options:
Edgy Dramatic over-the-knee boots. Choosing boots and a dress in similar colors works well, creating a monochromatic or tonal effect.
Or, as we saw above, it can be striking to pair darker boots with a lighter dress.
For Romantic boots, look for sensual detail like soft fabric, silky laces, or ruching:
Ankle- or mid-calf-length boots suit Romantic. Sometimes tall boots also work when they have iconic Romantic soft fabric and glam detail.
Pair with a feminine and flirty, ruffled and smocked Ingenue dress, plus dreamy Ethereal from the bishop sleeves.
Ethereals can also sometimes do mid-calf or knee-high boots in soft fabric, especially in very light colors and with gentle shimmer or other mystical detail.
And Classics, Gamines, and Ingenues have various ankle-boot (and sometimes mid-calf) styles to choose from:
Minimalist, polished-appearing ankle boots embody Classic’s versatility and near-universal appeal.
To reflect Ingenue’s soft femininity, choose a version of these boots with delicate detail, like floral embroidery.
And to suit fun-loving Gamine, choose a version with contrasting buckles, other playful hardware, or a bold color.
2) Transitions seamlessly from summer to fall
For warmer fall days, summer dresses pair amazingly with ankle or mid-calf boots:
This outfit is so cute. Highly Ingenue fit-n-flare dress and peplum with a bit of Ethereal from the top’s watercolor print.
The boots appear edgy and Dramatic with a little Natural slouch.
3) Follows the rule of thirds
“Boots+whatever” may kind of be my soulmate outfit formula, because I’ve loved it for a while now. But I was never quite sure why—besides that I just think it looks super cool.
Recently, though, I was reflecting on timeless fashion rules and was reminded of the “don’t cut your body in half” mandate.
That is, some people argue that outfits look more aesthetically pleasing when they cut the body roughly into a 1/3 top to 2/3 bottom ratio, like pairing a high-waist top with a mid-calf skirt:
Flowy Ethereal high-low dress or skirt, casual Natural button-down, timeless Classic boots, unique Ethereal Dramatic belt.
Another way to avoid “cutting the body in half” is to do a roughly 2/3 top to 1/3 bottom ratio, like with a knee-length dress and boots:
Or a coat—this would work well for someone with a lot of playful Gamine and posh Classic, with a little Dramatic and Romantic from the boots.
So I realized that this might very well be part of why I like this method of dressing: it can mean following the rule of thirds by default.
Plus, it’s still versatile for silhouette, because as seen above, you can choose a version that tightly emphasizes the waist or doesn’t at all.
But the main reason I like it might simply be:
4) It looks super stylish, takes little effort
Dark neutral boots + leggings in the same color + dress + long cardigan = a no-brainer formula that passes for having a much higher IQ:
Sleek Dramatic boots and dark leggings with Natural oversized cardigan, with Dramatic oversized geometric print.
5) Sexy or modest (or both)
For an ultra-sensual look, thigh-high boots, a short dress, and nixing tights is a reliable method:
Going-out look for an Ethereal Dramatic Natural (maybe with some Romantic if the boots are ruched—hard to tell in the moody lighting!)
But you can also keep covered from neck to toe:
This rendition still has Romantic sensuality, with a timeless Classic and powerful Dramatic feel.
If you want to ensure it’s a modest look, simply wear a dress that’s at least around knee-length. Or choose a dress and boots that overlap. Or add leggings or opaque tights. Many options.
6) Casual or elevated
Not only does the formula look stylish, it’s also achievable for everyday and can be quite comfortable.
You can even swap the boots for knee-high socks and do a loungewear version:
Carefree Natural lounge look with some sexy Romantic from the slit hem.
And the method even translates well to more avant-garde styles:
Outfit on the right—very fun ensemble for a Natural Dramatic Ethereal Gamine.
Left outfit—doesn’t follow our formula, but it’s a daring look for a Romantic Dramatic (with a little Ingenue from the tiny floral print).
Ultra-casual, ultra-dressed-up, or anywhere in between—you can make it work.
Should You Wear Autumn Colors in the Fall?
Many of the above looks incorporate iconic fall-time hues, like rich burnt oranges, rusts, browns, and camels.
I love these shades, but of course the truth is that warm, softened tones clash with certain color seasons.
So you should wear Autumn colors in the fall, even if they aren’t a part of your personal palette?
Change is Good
It really depends on what will bring you most joy and what feels right for you.
For some people, that may mean wearing Autumn’s gorgeous hues in fall—even if this doesn’t match their personal color season.
And I think that’s great. Ultimately the “rules” of style analysis and color analysis are meant to serve you, not the other way around.
There isn’t a right answer on whether you should always stick to your own palette.
Consistency is Also Good
And if love wearing your personal colors 24/7, then that’s great, too—even if your palette isn’t stereotypical for the time of year.
A wonderful thing about style analysis is that it illustrates how we can still appreciate qualities that aren’t a part of ourselves.
Every essence has amazing beauty, and it’s simply not mathematically possible for a single person to have high amounts of all seven. And all the color seasons are gorgeous, but it’s only possible to have one.
Similarly, it’s not possible to be amazing at every endeavor, whether that’s sports or music or cooking or any intellectual or creative pursuit.
So we can recognize and appreciate our own strengths, and we can also admire the kinds of beauty and skills that we don’t personally possess, whether in faces, fashion, or other qualities or abilities.
This isn’t necessarily always easy to do, and it may require some cognitive reframing and reminders. But I think at times when I really internalize this principle, it’s so freeing. And it facilitates feelings of connection, contentment, acceptance—maybe even promotes deriving greater joy and meaning from everyday life.
