Fall Wardrobe Essentials You Need for 2024

August 21, 2024

1. Cardigan

A quintessential fall layering piece is a cardigan. You can wear a cardigan as a top or layer it over a bodysuit. There are two beautiful versatile cardigans that I would suggest for you to look into if you want to pick up a luxe cardigan at a great price. This chic Abercrombie & Fitch cardigan has a bit more structure to it in a neutral palette. Another cardigan favorite is this white knit cardigan from Walmart for under $30 that reminds me of J.Crew.

2. Ballet Flats

With shoe trends for this fall season, ballet flats and Mary Janes are going to be a hot commodity. Find yourself a neutral ballet flat (like these from Walmart) for both the office and days when you don’t feel like wearing boots. Neutral ballet flats also make an appearance in my fall capsule wardrobe post as seen here.

During the Nordstrom sale this past July, I took note on the popularity of ballet flats, Mary Janes, and round-toed flats as a fall essential item for 2024. You don’t need to spend $100 on ballet flats as places like Target and Amazon will provide you with affordable options.

3. Pull-On Pants

Fall bottoms are typically jeans, trousers, skirts, and leggings. There’s something to say about finding a pair of pants that have a pull-on style that makes getting ready much easier. If you are a teacher, work in an office setting, or just need a nice elevated pair of pants, then you may want to check out the new pull-on pants at Target. Find a neutral pair of pull-on straight-leg pants that can be dressed up or down. I styled these inexpensive oatmeal tapered pants from Target for an office look.

4. Shoulder Bag

How chic does this chocolate brown woven shoulder bag look for fall? When choosing fall accessories, you may want to add in a trending color. For example, I ended up choosing a chocolate brown shoulder bag to add to my fall wardrobe because the color is trending for this fall season. The woven style to this Target shoulder bag also looks similar to a designer one.

More Fall Wardrobe Essentials

5. Printed Dress

For special events this fall season it’s important to have a printed dress in your wardrobe. Walmart has some outstanding dress options for fall weddings, vacations, and other dressy events. The dress I have on in the outfit below is a Walmart new arrival. I’m styling it casually with riding boots, but you can also add a pair of dressy heels to wear it out to a fall wedding.

6. Tall Boots

Switching up your shoes for fall usually includes bringing in boots of all styles. A good pair of tall boots can dress up any simple dress or mini skirt outfit. Tall boots, such as these chic riding boots, are another fall essential to have on hand.

7. Sweater Dress

Another dress for transitioning from summer into fall is a sweater dress. Here I have a nice neutral ribbed knit sweater dress that I am styling with the tall riding boots that I mentioned earlier. To give my waist some definition I also added a designer-inspired brown belt.

8. Cropped Jacket

It’s finally time to pull out our favorite outerwear items. Check the back of your closet to see if you already own a chic cropped jacket. In case you need to find a really great cropped jacket, let me point you to this Free Assembly one from Walmart. Cropped jackets are perfect for wearing over simple white bodysuits or long sleeve t-shirts. Complete the fall look with dark wash wide-leg jeans.

9. Basic Bodysuit

A non-negotiable layering piece for my own fall wardrobe is a bodysuit. I have a few different neutral bodysuits that I swap between depending on the rest of my outfit’s color palette. For example, I paired an Amazon bodysuit with this Target cheetah printed maxi skirt to match it perfectly. Amazon bodysuits from the brand Avidlove are comparable to SKIMS for a fraction of the price if you need to order a few to prepare for this fall.

10. Denim Jeans

Straight-leg denim jeans are still very much in style which is why I am including them in this fall essentials post. I recently found an amazing pair of medium wash straight-leg denim jeans at Target. Some of my go-to places for affordable and quality jeans are also Walmart and Old Navy.