Fall Mood Board

Last week I went to dinner with poop on my shirt. In my defense, I didn’t realize it until I got home. Not that it would’ve mattered. I was just so happy to be out of the house. Chloé slept in her stroller while Billy and I enjoyed a casual meal outside on a beautiful September night. It was perfect, poop and all.

It’s probably foolish of me to dream about fall fashion while I’m covered in poop, but I don’t care. The structured approach to fall style couldn’t have come at a better time. The truth is, I need to feel put together again.

My journey to motherhood ripped me open. When I was in the trenches of loss, it felt like I was being ripped apart. With each miscarriage, I unraveled. Grief does that to you—the pain tears your heart at the seams so that it can expand to absorb the love you lost. And while the pain never really goes away, you become so much more than the shell of your broken self. I’m different now, not just because of Chloé, but because of the path I walked to meet her. It’s time to celebrate the ways in which my story has changed me and embrace what I’ve come to understand about myself.

When I look at the inspiration I gathered for my fall mood, I’m struck by the bold shapes and colors. They seem to capture the depth I’ve found within myself. There’s a richness in each image—the plush velvet furniture, the grooves of those rusty corduroy pants, the deep caramel color of coffee waiting to be poured. I especially love the cracks in the marble slab; they remind me of that Leonard Cohen quote: “There’s a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.”

1. Silk Floral Loretta Dress, Madewell x Karen Walker®; 2. High Waist Wide Corduroy Trousers, & Other Stories; 3. Corduroy Overalls, Madewell; 4. Jacquard Empire Midi Dress, & Other Stories; 5. Carver Wool-Blend Coat, A.P.C.; 6. Oversized Cashmere Turtleneck Sweater, Vince; 7. The Perfect Rain Jacket, J. Crew; 8. Genève Leather Shoulder Bag, A.P.C.; 9. The Etta Pump, Madewell; 10. Belted Trench Coat, & Other Stories; 11. The Drawstring Transport Tote, Madewell; 12. Cropped Wool Blend Sweater, & Other Stories; 13. Suede Smoking Slippers, J. Crew; 14. Oversized Wool Scarf, & Other Stories; 15. The Asher Boot, Madewell; 16. Satin Wrap Maxi Skirt, & Other Stories

My wishlist is a good balance of high and low. But I have to say— fall is the perfect time to invest in the classics. The coat and bag by A.P.C., for example, will never go out of style. I bought an oversized tweed coat from A.P.C. twenty years ago and I’ve worn it every single year. People still stop me in the street to compliment me on that coat. It was a great investment.

Each piece can be dressed down or dressed up—the Nila Suede and Leather Boots with jeans or a tailored skirt; the High Waist Wide Corduroy Trousers with a big chunky sweater or a silk button-down shirt; the Oversized Cashmere Turtleneck Sweater with jeans for brunch or tuxedo pants for dinner. I’ve already added the Jacquard Empire Midi Dress to my closet, and I can’t wait to wear it with boots, heels, and sneakers.

I’m excited to step into this new season of my life in style. And it helps that the season’s it color just happens to be the color of baby poop. I hope my mood board inspires you to embrace your own personal style and, more importantly, connect to the why behind the choices you make. Fashion, then, becomes a practice—an opportunity to experience ourselves through the art of self-expression. My story will be told in deep colors, rich textures, and bold shapes, expressing the person I have become.

SHOP MY STYLE