Fall Collection: A Two-Month Recap of How I Wore It

When I first shared my Fall Collection in Pieces I’ve Fallen in Love With, I had high hopes for each item — but the real test is always in the wearing. Now that it’s two months later, I’m circling back to share what truly earned its hanger space and how each piece made its way into regular rotation.

I still haven’t gotten into the habit of snapping daily OOTDs, so the only images I have come from the outfits that were showcased on the blog in the past several weeks. I made a conscious effort to feature at least one fall collection item in each of the 18 posts published this fall, but unfortunately, not all items got equal time. IRL, most of the pieces were worn multiple times, so what appears in this post is more of a curated view of how well each performed. Rather than a theoretical “before,” this recap is all about the after: the outfits, the pairings that delighted me, and the pieces that worked harder than I expected.

🧥 Outerwear

Fall outerwear leaned practical but still had personality. Easy layers, clean silhouettes, and pieces that should have worked well across multiple outfits.

Rena wearing a brown barn jacket over a plaid western-style shirt and black sequin skirt, styled with vintage-inspired cowboy boots and a bolo necklace that once belonged to her father.

White jeans styled with brown jacket and neutral sweater for fall.

Rena walking toward the camera in a leopard and floral outfit with a tiered black skirt, demonstrating stylish movement and pattern mixing.

Full-body shot of Rena in gray trousers, a geometric-pattern blazer, sequined pineapple tank, and olive suede boots.

The brown barn coat turned out to be a real grab-and-go piece. I reached for it often, and two of those outfits (here and here) made it onto the blog. The leopard jacket hasn’t appeared as often, but when it did (seen here), it took center stage, even when paired with another pattern. And lastly, there were two looks with the artsy blazer (here and here), and both times it gave the outfit the creative edge I always hope to achieve.

👢 Footwear

There were three pairs of shoes in the fall collection, and all of them saw wear, though some more than the others.

Rena smiling in a pink corduroy jacket and rust-floral boho skirt, mid-stride on the steps, showing the flow and movement of her outfit

Rena standing on outdoor steps wearing a black denim jacket over a fall floral dress with black tights and tall brown fringe boots.

The fringed brown boots are so fun to wear and showed up on the blog in two different outfits (see them here and here), but IRL, I wore them much more than that. Just one appearance from the silver loafers to share (shown in the outerwear section with the artsy blazer); it seems that these beauties might be better suited for Spring.

As for the black moto boots, they appeared three times on the blog (in On The Hunt: Black Boots, with the leopard jacket, and in On The Fringes). And like the fringed brown boots, they were worn several more times over the past two months IRL as well.

👗 Core Clothing: Tops

The tops category gave me the most room to play, and several pieces ended up in repeat combinations. Each one was chosen because it could stand out on its own and carry an outfit without much effort.

Rena leaning casually against a blue pole in a floral sweater and striped track pants, casual sporty outfit inspiration

Rena smiling, showing the details of her striped shirt under a black fringed jacket paired with leopard-print jeans.

The black floral sweater hasn’t yet come into its glory, though I explored its sporty side in Stronger Every Day. It may get carried over into the winter collection. Unfortunately, neither the green knit polo nor the burgundy eyelet blouse got much airtime, both on the blog and IRL. I haven’t decided what to do about that revelation just yet. However, given the metallic striped shirt’s versatility, I’m not at all surprised that it became the workhorse of the season. It appeared in Fright Night and On The Fringes; it will also appear in next Monday’s post.

👗 Core Clothing: Vest & Bottoms

This group worked as the grounding layer for most outfits — easy to style, mix, and repeat without feeling overdone.

The collection’s funnel neck vest and floral skirt were shown together in The 7-Point Method. I wore the vest a couple of other times with jeans, but I don’t recall wearing the skirt any other time. It might look nice with the black floral sweater, so be watching for that pairing in a future post. The same is true for the black denim skirt. I think I’d prefer it with tights, but only now are the temps truly cool enough to comfortably wear them. Lastly is the black sequin skirt that I’d dubbed ‘the wildcard’. Besides the initial post it appeared in, I wore it to go bowling for my birthday.

🔎 Recap Styling

To round out this recap, here’s one of the several outfits I’d imagined I could create with the collection that would feature an item from each of the categories.

The mix of brown and black made this outfit feel grounded and easy, with the leopard jacket and fringed boots adding texture without competing. The green polo knit brought in the right amount of color — just enough to brighten the look and keep it from feeling too neutral. I didn’t include any accessories in the collection, but the purse I’m carrying has been a favorite go-to for me all season. It’s a good feeling to end the season with an outfit that brings everything together.

As winter is on the horizon, I’m building a new collection with warmth and wearability in mind, with pieces I know I’ll want to wear on repeat. That lineup will be shared soon, and I’m looking forward to seeing how it plays out over the next couple of months. What items did you find yourself reaching for most over the last two months?