I received free product in exchange for styling. All opinions are my own.
Oh October, how you make my heart flutter. The temperatures have officially dropped in Utah and the mountains are covered in red and orange. I’m begging Dustin to take me on a scenic drive through the mountain pass before the leaves all drop – because as beautiful as Autumn is in Utah, it passes by way too fast. And you can bet that I’ve been wearing my favorite fall clothes nonstop, even when the weather was still a little warm, because FALL CLOTHES ARE THE BEST CLOTHES!
I mean, co’mon – it’s NO SECRET that fall is my favorite season to dress for. I am allllll about the leggings and cozy sweaters and booties and blanket scarfs. My fall closet is easily 3X the size of my summer closet and I’m not sorry about it at all. As the seasons turn, I get really excited to see what new trends become “THE” styles of the year. Although some of these new trends never fail to make me go “uhhhh what???” I am usually super stoked about 75% of them and can’t wait to try them out. But, let’s be real – I don’t have money to spend on re-filling my closet EVERY season with new trends. I’m just an every-day girl who loves wearing cute and trendy clothes but who doesn’t want to break the bank in order to do that. Who’s with me on that?
So, in order to feel trendy without breaking the bank, I limit myself to only 3-5 trendy pieces a season and I try my hardest to shop from affordable boutiques. I was beyond thrilled when I was introduced to Mulberry Drive, an online boutique store based in St. George, UT. This shop is filled with trendy and high-quality pieces with VERY affordable pricetags, compared to other boutiques. Plus, it’s run by a #girlboss who started it up just over a year ago and has grown it so well! I was able to pick up three on-trend items that I’ve been trying to add to my closet for some time. I styled them below to give you all ideas on how to rock these trends this year and some fall fashion inspiration because I KNOW I’m not the only one who loves fall clothes.
Crushed Velvet Black Dress – $35.00
When I first saw that velvet was coming back on trend, I cringed. I couldn’t stop thinking about the velvet tracksuits that were all the rage when I was in middle school. Whenever I spilled something on them, the material would get crusty and would be impossible to clean. I’m literally cringing right now as I think/write about it. So it was pretty understandable when I was a little nervous to see velvet becoming a trend for this fall. I wasn’t sure if velvet would ever be modern enough for me to want to wear. But, when I saw this crushed velvet black dress on Mulberry Drive, I knew I had found THE velvet piece for my closet. It had a beautiful color palette, fun details on the sleeves and hem, and didn’t look dated at all.
*Wearing a size Large
How to style velvet this fall:
- Look for a flattering silhouette – since velvet can still look dated and frumpy, it’s important to pick a piece that has a modern shape to it. This will keep you looking young and hip! I love that this dress has the ruffle hem and sleeves and that it’s a shift dress – all modern styles and shapes that have been in style for a couple years now.
- Choose a color/print that can hide stains. Since velvet can still be a catch-all for food, it’s important to choose a dark color and/or a print that will look fresh and new despite your
- Accent with jewel-toned accessories. I love accessorizing with jewel tones in the fall because they still add pops of color to outfits but give off that moody, cozy feel. Since my dress was a dark color, I knew that this emerald green bag would pop against it and bring out some of the colors of the floral print.
SHOP THIS LOOK
White Ruffle Peplum Top – $24.00
Ruffle sleeves have been ALL the rage this year and I knew I wanted to find a top with some kind of ruffle sleeve that wasn’t TOO extreme and would transition well from late summer into fall and from late winter into spring. I was all heart eyes when I saw this top because I knew it would give me an effortless, boho, fall feel without the sleeves getting in the way. Plus, the peplum hit my waist at the perfect spot and didn’t cut off my
*Note – I’m wearing a size medium here, but probably should have gone a size large. Size up if you are in between sizes.
How to wear Ruffle Sleeves for Fall:
- Flowy on top, fitted on bottom. If you are rocking ruffled sleeves and a peplum, make sure to pair your top with a more fitted bottom to give you a shape. I love my maroon skinnies from Old Navy because they give me a pop of jewel-toned color that screams fall and they fit me like a glove – balancing my flowy top out.
- Accessorize with a pendant necklace. Since your sleeves are doing all the talking, keep jewelry more simple. This is not the time for a chunky statement necklace! I love this gold leaf pendant that I got from the Happiness Boutique (also styled for fall HERE) and think it’s delicate enough to add to the outfit and not distract from it.
- Floppy Hats. Since the sleeves give such a boho feel, this is the perfect top to pair with a floppy felt hat to finish off with a perfect breezy vibe.
SHOP THIS LOOK:
Lined Utility Jacket – $35.00
Utility vests have been on trend for a couple years now, but I have been loving all the new utility jackets that have come out this year. I hadn’t bought one yet because they were just a tad bit too expensive for me. When I saw this one on Mulberry Drive, saw that it was LINED and that it came with a detachable hood and that it was UNDER $40.00, I thought it might be too good to be true. Surely, it had to be made with cheap material and would fall apart. This was NOT the case. This is a heavy, high-quality, fully-lined utility jacket that works on both ends: It’s cute and trendy and it will actually keep you warm as the weather gets cold. This jacket has been on repeat for me for two weeks now and I even wear it around the house (because we have refused to turn on the heat) because it’s so cozy.
*Wearing a size Medium
How to Style a Utility Jacket:
- Layer. Layer. Layer. This jacket it the perfect excuse to pile the layers on. Start with a base, like a swing tank or top and then add a scarf. If it’s really cold, you could even put a plaid under the jacket as well.
- Play with girly and edgy. Utility Jackets have a bit of an edge (at least to me) so I think they pair well with combat boots and moto leggings. However, don’t be afraid to add some feminine elements to balance it out, like a floral scarf.
- Rock a Bold Lip. Give your layered, edgy look the final fall touch with a bold berry lip.
SHOP THIS LOOK:
I’m so excited to share that my friend, Megan, from Mulberry Drive, wants to spoil my friends at HTC by giving away a free dress of your choice AND a 20 dollar gift card to Target! On TOP of that, if you join her FB group, you can shop styles with a discount at ALL times and get the chance to order new styles before anyone else does. I don’t know about you, but I love shopping boutiques through FB – it’s easy to ask questions about sizing and material in the comments and to check in on order statuses.
Enter to win a FREE DRESS & 20 Dollar Gift card to Target below and join her Facebook Group here.
