In an alternate universe, I imagine myself a fashion blogger or even a mom with a style-focused Instagram account.

But alas, I am just a normal mom who follows far too many style bloggers and dreams of a Nordstrom and Madewell-filled closet rather than my actual Target/thrifted/anything on sale closet.

So today as I sip my plain coffee wishing it was a pumpkin spice latte, I’m sharing the fall fashion trends that I’m most looking forward to this wonderful season.

Quick disclaimer: I am a stay-at-home mom who lives on an island. These items are part-practical (life as a mom) and part-wishful thinking (if it ever cools off here). To create this list, I shopped my own closet and found items that I already owned that I can’t wait to put back into rotation. I also headed out to Target and the Gap Factory Store for a quick fall try-on and walked away with a couple new  fall pieces to incorporate into my current wardrobe. Also, I don’t have a behind the scenes “Instagram husband” taking beautiful, edited pictures of me in all of the outfits. So please bear with my selfies!

Fall Staples

1. Jackets! Bring on the jackets. It’s an obvious choice, but one of the most fun options to spice up your wardrobe. My go-to jackets include a denim jacket, lightweight utility jacket, or leather jacket. I also have a lightweight fake pink leather jacket and conductor stripe denim jacket that I love and wear often as the weather cools down. 
   

   

   

   

    

2. Denim shirts. Notice plural shirts. I own more denim shirts that I know what to do with, but I love them and wear them all. My current favorite is a custom embroidered denim shirt from a boutique in Austin. I love to layer it over dresses and rock a Canadian tuxedo with denim on denim. 
3. Vests. I love a great vest. Much like a lightweight utility jacket, a utility vest can transform a simple outfit into a more interesting one. Vests are great with a white or grey V-neck or long-sleeved striped t-shirt. I just purchased a new vest from the new A New Day line at Target- it’s longer and more heavy duty. I can’t wait to style it this fall and winter!
4. Cardigan/cozy sweater. The softer, the better. I prefer a sweater in a neutral color so you can layer it over most outfits and wear it more often. I bought two new ones last fall, and I’m still obsessed with them (usually paired with a comfy t-shirt and distressed jeans). Also, both were recommended by mommy bloggers that I follow on Instagram (aka my dream job- ha!). 
   

   
5. Jeans. Yes, at times I attempt to wear jeans during the summer but usually lightweight and/or white jeans. So in reality, I am just looking forward to wearing jeans without sweating buckets until the jeans eventually stick to me and become part of my body. Preferably distressed and black jeans.
   

   
   
   

   The Shoes

No fall fashion post is complete without mentioning fall shoes. 

1. Ankle booties. I have several pairs and love them all. Booties function like a neutral shoe that can go with any outfit. I wear booties with jeans and dresses, casual outfits and more dressy outfits. 
2. Tall boots. Most fashion bloggers are transitioning from knee high boots to over-the-knee boots. I can’t do it (short legs), but I know many can and should. I love tall boots with tights and dresses, but also with skinny jeans. I have both black and brown and can’t wait to wear them again!
3. Mules/slides. I haven’t been able to full commit to the mules trend so I opted for the Target version versus the Madewell version. I’m still experimenting with them, but I plan to wear them more and more this fall. 
4. Casual slip-on/athletic shoe. My personal favorite is the Minnetonka moccasin- classic, comfortable, and a great choice for most casual outfits. I also like to rotate through numerous fashion tennis shoe options including Adidas and other vintage tennis shoes. 

All of these fall wardrobe staples are items that I am looking forward to wearing, but let’s be honest. I live on the island, and I’m a stay-at-home mom to two young children under five. Most days, this is what you’ll find me wearing. Yoga pants and head-to-toe athleisure. 

What fall wardrobe items are you dying to wear? What is your favorite new fall fashion trend? 

Be sure to tag and share your Fave Fall Finds with us on Facebook and Instagram using #ccmbmoms