Fall Outfit Concept: Steal From Children

Hi! Most kids dress better than I do, including Child Me! Today, I’m sharing some concepts to fall back on this fall (or spring, if you’re in the same hemisphere as I am at the moment), inspired by kids’ fits (mostly mine) (I feel weird about sharing pics of children on my blog but I feel ok about sharing pics of myself so). One unimpeachable outfit recipe, one color, and two items that will carry you safely through whatever transition you are entering at the moment.

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This Exact Outfit

Everything about this outfit (on a random child who was publicly shared on Instagram and passed on to me by similarly impressed fashion lovers) is perfect. The knee-high, cherry-red, patent boots. They should be rubber in case of spring or fall showers. Then, the confounding bottoms: ARE THOSE SHORTS?? A SKIRT? A SKORT????????? I could not find anything that seemed to match the perfection of these bottoms, but either long shorts or a short skirt, pleated and plaid (any colors), would do.

Then, it’s time to dig out the ol’ tie-dyes from summer 2020. You know the ones. You also, if you have been following this blog for a while now, know I won’t link any recs for a tie-dyed top, because I believe the magic of tie-dye lies in its hand-making. This would be even better, as above, if the tie-dyed tee/long sleeve/sweatshirt had an insouciant logo already printed on it that the tie-dye reclaims as part of an almost neutral pattern. I swear that you could pull off this combo with literally any colors as long as you have the red boots. I don’t know why this works, but don’t look a gift outfit in the mouth.

Purple

Purple was my favorite color as a child, but for some reason I have eschewed it almost completely in dressing since then. I think it’s time to return, abashed, into the always-welcoming arms of this secondary color. I’m not sure why, but I think it’s the color of the second half of 2022, as I mentioned a few posts ago. I am being really vague about the rationale behind this post, but that’s just because I’m going by instinct like a KID with this stuff.

Water shoes are back, much to the vindication of my Keen-wearing high school self. Gingham is cool too, especially on shoes, as seen above left. This baby was me, by the way! I guess I had multiple pairs of purple overalls. I like a rich, blueish purple or a greying, faded purple, not as big a fan of the more magenta-inflected variations.

Striped Long Sleeve Shirt

Effortlessly cool, perfect companion to jeans (and again, GINGHAM SNEAKERS), looks great on monkey bars. Don’t get too precious or French with the cut or stripe pattern. This is sandbox shit.

Mary Jane Flats

Preferably in an unexpected color or pattern! I don’t have any pics on hand, but trust that I wore MJs for 90% of my prepubescence. My mom can corroborate if you don’t believe me, just send me an Instagram DM and I’ll connect you two.