Easy Fall Outfit Ideas

Pulling out your fall inventory can be really exciting, especially with a closet that’s well curated. It’s very practical to have a capsule wardrobe, or even a little bit larger than a capsule wardrobe, with things that stand the test of time and are made of quality materials.

No matter the expanse of your wardrobe, it’s important to dress with intentionality, and that doesn’t have to take too much effort. These outfits give examples of combinations that feel natural while giving you room to be inventive and expressive.

1. Straight Jeans, Striped Sweater, and Loafers

Here she has a marine stripe sweater, which is a great transition piece from summer to fall. The loafers make it feel a little bit more academic and collegiate, which always feels like a fall theme.

The straight jeans, rather than a trouser or a wool pant, make it feel more casual than if you were going to work or running into a meeting.

2. Black Leggings, Oversized Sweatshirt, and a Trench Coat

The black leggings and oversized sweatshirt are a great combination. This is similar to the biker shorts and oversized top that we see in the summer. It’s nice to have an oversized top when you’re wearing a tight athletic bottom like this, for fuller coverage that doesn’t feel too revealing.

A white sneaker adds a clean, crisp element to an otherwise dark outfit, and then the beige trench coat is always doing the work whenever it’s present.

3. Denim Shirt, Cream Jeans, and Brown Ankle Boots

The cream jeans are a great piece to have and to know how to wear. It’s actually more about good fit than worrying about the right time of year. Here we can see that the jeans have a thicker weight and they’re not showing any lumps or being see-through in any way, which is important. They should be a little bit looser than your tightest jeans would be otherwise, in order to not be transparent.

The cream with the denim and the brown leather gives it a fall, autumn feel, rather than if it were paired with a lighter top and accessories.

4. Quilted Jacket, Turtleneck, and Wide-Leg Jeans

A quilted jacket is a great fall, durable, long-lasting piece. The turtleneck is a great layering piece. Here with the green and the dark denim, it makes sense to have a lighter turtleneck or a lighter layering piece underneath.

The wide leg jeans go well with the clog shoes that she has, which are also a great fall piece. A little bit harder to wear in the dead of winter when there’s snow on the ground, or in the summer when you don’t feel like wearing a closed-toed shoe.

5. Ribbed Knit Dress with Tall Boots

A knit dress is forever one of the most forgiving pieces you can have in your closet, and one of the most universally flattering. If you don’t feel completely comfortable despite its forgiving structure, there are always inexpensive undergarments and shapewear, found even at the most common stores, that will do wonders under a knit dress like this or any bodycon dress.

A knit dress is a great piece for fall because of the added warmth. Tall boots just make sense here, you don’t have to worry about having tights underneath or showing too much skin during colder days.

6. Matching Knit Set with a Denim Jacket

This is a good leisure look with a knit set. A taupe or cream warm neutral like this is a great place to start because it looks really chic and is easy to pair with either light or dark accessories. Here she has a light shoe, which keeps the whole thing a little bit more easygoing with the denim jacket.

7. Cashmere Crewneck, Joggers, and Leather Sneakers

Once again, we have a light sweater. Here it’s cashmere, which gives a little bit more elevated feel compared to the leisure joggers. The colors are coming from the joggers, warm neutrals.

She could play around with having a tank or an under layer underneath the cashmere sweater that’s either the same color as the joggers, or maybe the same color as the shoes, which would look a little bit more intentional if you were to remove a layer.

8. Chambray Shirt, Black Turtleneck, and Corduroy Pants

Corduroy pants make so much sense in fall. They’re also an easy way to add color, especially a burnt orange like this, which just makes sense in corduroy. Chambray allows you more room in color than a regular denim or another fabric would.

The loafers make it a little bit more pared back, and the black turtleneck underneath the denim is a classic that goes well in other combinations too. You could do a black turtleneck with black jeans and denim for a more artsy feel, and that would also make sense with the brown or even black loafers.

9. Sweater Vest, Button-Down, and Relaxed Jeans

The sweater vest is a really underrated piece that doesn’t come out often enough. Fall is the best time to bring it out, when a full sweater could be too stifling. A button down underneath a sweater vest is the easiest way to go. With a loafer here, it looks polished while the jean keeps the whole thing casual.

10. Hoodie Under a Wool Coat

A hoodie under a collar is such a great combination, striking every time you see it. It could be a hoodie under a zipped collar, or a hoodie underneath even a button up flannel.

Here with the limited color palette we’re using, the light blue from the jean and the gray look good together. Light blue and light gray are a great combination, while the navy and the dark shoe are more grounding, making the outfit feel more cold weather.

11. Long Cardigan, Tank, and Utility Pants

The warm neutrals of the long cardigan and the tank go great with the khaki green. We love a khaki green utility. A utility pant makes the most sense in this color, although it’s definitely not the only color out there for utility pants, it’s probably the easiest to use.

A long cardigan like this always reads 90s in the best way, especially in a cozy material like cashmere. It feels like you’re walking around your house with a cup of tea in the morning, reading a book.

12. Soft Blouse, Cardigan, and Barrel Jeans

Barrel jeans, I am never going to get tired of seeing them. I love here that it’s high-waisted. I often see them low-waisted, but high-waisted definitely makes sense, especially with a little cropped cardigan like this. It gives interest and almost a utilitarian feel, and there’s volume without excess because of the cinch happening at the bottom.

The little ballet flat and the cardigan are so dainty, as is the soft button of the blouse.

13. Camel Sweater, Black Jeans, and Leopard Flats

Leopard is happening so fast, there’s more and more leopard everywhere. Here it’s paired back because of the black pants. Any black in an outfit has a tendency to ground whatever else is happening, so it tones it down a little bit.

As well as the camel sweater, brown and black go great together. Camel here makes sense with the leather bag too. It’s simple with just a little bit of vibrancy from the ballet flat.

14. Flannel Shirt, Puffer Vest, and Dark Denim

A puffer vest is an easy way to get warmth without a lot of volume. I feel like it screams fall, like you’re sitting at a football game on a Saturday morning, or going out for a little run. Here she has it paired with something of a completely different texture, the flannel shirt. It looks warm while she’s still able to be moving around picking apples.

The little ankle boots have a utility feel with the laces and the low heel, and I think it’s important that the jeans are cuffed a little bit. This whole outfit looks very outdoorsy, very utility. You could play around with adding a more feminine aspect if you wanted in this otherwise androgynous outfit, which makes sense for doing outdoor work.

15. Tunic Sweater, Slim Jeans, and Riding Boots

The tunic sweater, hitting so low past the butt, almost at the mid-thigh, is a great silhouette combined with the slim jeans and the riding boots, which flow into one line. It has coverage while also not being completely tight. It feels like you could be moving while not being constrained.

It’s warmer with the scarf that she has, and there’s definitely room for layering underneath, or even on top if you wanted.

16. Turtleneck, Slip Skirt, and Chunky Cardigan

The cardigan here is one that we don’t often see with a slip skirt. It’s natural to put a tighter shirt with a slip skirt, it just makes sense with something so slinky and body-hugging, which looks great. But in colder weather, it’s nice to have an option to add a warmer layer.

The cardigan here gives the same outline of the body-hugging layer underneath while still adding warmth. She could also play around with a darker cardigan on top, or maybe a lighter shirt. I like that the boots and the shirt are matching, as well as the pocketbook, but I wonder how it would look with something a little bit more cohesive on top, keeping the two leather accessories the same.

17. Graphic Tee, Blazer, and Vintage-Wash Jeans

The graphic tee is a great piece to have in your closet. I don’t think we need too many t-shirts in our closet. Personally, I love a vintage t-shirt, but I don’t think we should be reaching for them all the time, it’s a little bit too easy to do. This is a great example of how to incorporate a worn t-shirt into your wardrobe without looking worn down yourself.

She has a loafer and a blazer, which makes it look a little bit smarter in general. Having the t-shirt tucked in ages the outfit somewhat, especially with the belt, but looking more mature doesn’t have to be in a bad way, as in this example.

If you wanted to, you could do a lower waist jean and keep it tucked in, or even untuck and just keep the blazer the same. Or even change the wash of the jeans to be a little bit darker to keep the same polished look.

18. Henley Top, Cargo Pants, and Canvas Sneakers

A Henley top is so cozy for the fall time going into winter. The cargo pants in a mid-rise like this will get a lot of use in any closet. The sneakers being canvas are also easy to throw on in the fall, rather than a leather that’s a little bit shinier and more conspicuous. It reads casual while still being put together.

19. Black Sweater, Blue Jeans, and a Tan Coat

The black sweater and the black shoes with the blue denim will always make sense. The tan coat is a great addition with the black. These three colors as a palette are so easy for fall while also being timeless and noticeable.

20. Corduroy Blazer, Tee, and Sneakers

These sneakers are a great example of neither a leather nor a canvas sneaker. Especially in recent years we’ve seen sneakers like these coming out in different colors. If you already have a sneaker like this, maybe in a color, in your wardrobe, this could be a way to wear them.

The jeans could be darker. Combined with the blazer, it doesn’t read too casual even with the sneakers.

21. Oversized Button-Down, Knit Tank, and Ponte Pants

The oversized button-down and the ponte pants pair well together because the pants are a little bit more form-fitting, possibly more form-fitting than you’d want on a normal day where you’re just reaching for something quickly in your closet. An oversized button-down open like this gives an artistic, free-flowing feel.

The ballet flats continue the ease of movement that we feel from the rest of the outfit. It all looks free-flowing, with a great color palette throughout, the bottom feeling grounded and lighter colors on top.

22. Fair Isle Sweater with Straight Jeans

The Fair Isle sweater is one that definitely comes out in the fall but stays into the winter. It’s nice to not have to wear a jacket, but also be aware of changing temperatures throughout the day, and which layers you’re putting underneath the sweater so as not to overheat.

The colors happening in the sweater really determine what your pants should be. Here it makes sense that she has a blue jean with the beige, the green, and the burnt orange of the sweater. You wouldn’t pair a dark black trouser with this sweater, something more natural and light makes sense. If it were more of an expressive sweater with a different color palette, darker pants would make more sense.

23. Leather Jacket, Cream Sweater, and Dark Jeans

Usually the cream sweater in fall brings brightness to the outfit, which is light both all together and individually. Here we have an example of an outfit that comes together darker but still uses the cream sweater as its point of lightness.

24. Poplin Shirt, Sweatshirt Over Shoulders, and Jeans

The sweatshirt over the shoulders can be done with an actual sweatshirt made of jersey knit, or with a wool sweater. You could do it with a shawl, even a little silk scarf or a wool scarf. It’s a good way to add warmth and versatility to your outfit while allowing the button down to remain the main thing that people are seeing.

Without the sweater on top, this would be a fairly basic outfit, but with the sweater it looks very inventive.

25. Sweater Jacket, Dark Tee, and Ecru Denim

This is a great fitting ecru denim that does not feel summery in the slightest. With the dark aspects on top, gray and blue is a great color combination. Blue and brown, especially a navy, go well together. I like the matching shoes and belt.

It all looks very intentional, and the aspect of the outfit that’s leading, more striking and dramatic, is the light denim. Light denim usually adds a little bit of boldness to an outfit, especially when paired with darker elements.

26. Barn Jacket, Striped Tee, and Cuffed Jeans

Here again we have the lace-up utility boots, hitting just below the jeans, which are cuffed above. It’s important to have that cuff to bring our silhouette where we want it.

The barn jacket is a great, long-lasting, timeless staple to have in a closet. It’s paired here with a striped tee. You can add this over many different fall outfits and it will make sense, because of how inherently shoulder-season the barn jacket is.

27. Sweater Polo, Wide-Leg Trousers, and Sneakers

A pair of wide leg trousers like these in any color will find themselves used in any wardrobe repertoire. Here it’s paired with a burgundy sweater polo, which reads professional because of the collar but also a little bit laid back with the unbuttoned buttons and the three-quarter opening.

The white sneaker could be changed for a loafer or a boot, but the sneaker here makes the outfit look a little bit more active. A great daytime look that could transition easily into an evening look.

Pieces That Pull These Looks Together

The pieces that repeat across these outfits.

• PRETTYGARDEN Open Front Oversized Cardigan. The throw-over layer for the weeks when the mornings are cold and the afternoons are not.
• Amazon Essentials Low Heel Ankle Boots. A low block heel you can walk in all day, with a side zip.
• Mulberry Silk Square Scarf. Tie it at the neck, on a bag strap, or in your hair.