If I’m not careful, my fall wardrobe becomes too dark in a hurry. I like black. I look good in black. Black goes with almost everything. So I need to make effort to work in other, lighter and bright colors. And this outfit is a great way to capture color in pre-fall.
The dark burgundy pants and coordinating shoe ground the outfit firmly in a fall or pre-fall color palette, while the magenta brightens and adds flare. Add in a red handbag for an extra pop, and you have a stunning outfit for work.
The Sweater. Short sleeve sweaters are difficult to find in a winter weight. This magenta sweater from Boden comes in a linen-blend knit. This weight is good for pre-fall, but for cooler weather, you’ll likely need a cashmere sweater or other blend (also in petite). Plus-size? QVC has a hot pink top that runs up to 3X.
Like the look, but want something more subtle? A pale blush pink sweater would also be lovely with burgundy pants. This one from Quince is a good pick. J.Crew’s rollneck sweater also comes in pale lilac that would be lovely as well.
The Pants. Dark berry or burgundy pants are a great option for fall. They pair beautifully with any fall neutral and with most colors. These H&M pants are a pleated, wide leg cut that also come with a suit jacket. Ann Taylor also has a dark plum suit that is perfect for fall. Prefer a skirt? Ann Taylor has a fantastic one in stock. Plus-size? Talbots has a great ponte suit running up to size 24.
The Shoes. Burgundy pants look best with burgundy shoes. You can wear nude, grey, or animal skin shoes (leopard, snakeskin, etc.), but burgundy is best. You probably can’t match the shades exactly but it’s important to match the undertone — some burgundy has a blue undertone, other pieces will have red. If you can match the undertone, any shade disparities will be less noticeable.
This pair from Boss has a classic pump look. If you prefer a flat, Quince has you covered. I also like the look of these Sam Edelman block heels. Wide feet? Try these ones from Naturalizer, which also run from 5-11.
The Accessories. The inspo photo has a collar necklace, but that is just not for me. It feels a little try hard. But those simple bangle bracelets are on point. This smooth demi fine bracelet and cable demi fine bracelet are well-priced at Nordstrom Rack. I also added these flat studs from Monica Vinader with just a hint of diamond sparkle.
As for the bag, any number of neutral bags would have been fine here, but something about that cherry red just gives the look more oomph. I chose this simple east-west bag from DKNY, very well priced from The Rack. I also like the shape of this JW Pei bag in a similar red.
As for styling, I chose this semi-sheer nail color with mauve undertone to add a bit of color without creating more contrast within the look. I would keep the rest of the makeup fairly neutral, and I would wear hair down in a loose style or pin it up at the nape of the neck in a loose bun.
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