Fall is my favorite season to get dressed for, but it can also be the point when my closet starts feeling strangely complicated. There are suddenly so many more options. You have jeans, sweaters, jackets, boots, and maybe a few new pieces you were excited to buy. Yet somehow, you’re still standing there wondering what actually goes together.
That’s why I like outfit formulas. They take some of the guesswork out of getting dressed without making everything feel repetitive. You don't have to wear the same outfit over and over. You’re just starting with a combination you already know works and changing the pieces around it. These are the ones I’d keep in rotation all fall.
There’s a reason this combination comes back every fall. It’s simple, comfortable, and just polished enough. The jeans are what make the loafers work. A straight-leg or slim-straight cut is the easiest option because it gives the shoe some room to show. I especially like a hem that hits around the ankle or just below it. If the denim is too long or too wide, it can start to swallow the loafer and make the whole outfit feel heavier.
A chunkier loafer can handle a little more volume in the jean, while a slimmer loafer usually looks best with a cleaner, narrower leg.
From there, the sweater can be almost anything: a classic crewneck, a cardigan over a white tee, or something with a little texture. Add a belt or structured bag if the outfit needs one more finishing touch.
This is one of my favorite formulas when jeans start feeling a little repetitive.
A midi skirt already gives the outfit some movement, so I like to keep the top fairly simple. A lightweight knit works especially well because it balances the skirt without adding a lot of bulk. The Quince Mongolian Cashmere Crewneck Sweater is a good example of the kind of piece I mean. It’s simple enough to tuck or slightly blouse at the waist, and it’s the sort of sweater you can wear again with jeans or trousers later in the week.
This works with a pleated skirt, satin skirt, or a simple A-line shape. In early fall, I’d wear it with ballet flats or loafers. Once it gets colder, swap in boots. If the skirt is fuller, a neater tuck usually helps. If it’s straighter, you have a little more room to play with an oversized knit.
Trousers are one of those pieces that sound straightforward until you actually try to buy a pair. Suddenly you’re comparing rise, pleats, inseam, leg width, and whether something looks polished or just looks like work pants. For this outfit, I’d look for a higher-rise trouser with a relaxed straight or wide leg. The Abercrombie Sloane Tailored Wide Leg Pant is a good example. It has enough structure to make a simple top look more intentional, but it's still easy to wear with sneakers.
Then keep the rest uncomplicated. A tee or tank, a cardigan or lightweight jacket, and a clean sneaker are enough. The biggest thing to watch is the hem. With sneakers, I like trousers to skim the top of the shoe rather than bunch heavily around it. It’s a small detail, but it makes a big difference.
This is the outfit for days when you want to look pulled together without really building an outfit at all. Start with a midi dress. Add a jacket. Finish with boots. A denim jacket keeps things casual, while suede, a cropped trench, or a simple blazer can make the same dress feel a little more polished.
It’s also an easy way to stretch some of your warmer-weather dresses further into the season. A floral midi dress doesn’t suddenly stop working because summer is over. Add a jacket and boots, and it feels completely different. Ankle boots are the easiest choice here, but knee-high boots can make the outfit feel especially good once the weather cools down.
I like this formula because it has a little preppy structure without feeling too precious.
Start with a button-down and jeans, then add a sweater. You can wear it over the shirt, drape it over your shoulders, or just keep it with you as an extra layer. A slightly oversized button-down helps keep the whole thing relaxed. Roll the sleeves, leave the collar a little undone, and pair it with straight-leg denim. For shoes, loafers, ballet flats, or Mary Janes all work.
This is also an easy place to play with color. A white shirt and navy sweater feels classic. A striped shirt with burgundy feels more interesting. A blue oxford with cream denim is a nice option when you want fall without going straight to brown and black.
This one is less of a formula and more of a trick I come back to when an outfit feels like it’s missing something. Keep the base of the outfit in the same general color family, then add one layer in a rich fall texture or shade. Think cream with camel. Black with chocolate brown. Navy with dark denim and burgundy shoes.
It makes simple pieces feel more intentional without requiring a statement item, and it’s especially useful if most of your wardrobe is made up of basics. Sometimes the easiest way to make an outfit look better is not to add more. It’s just to make the pieces feel like they belong together.
None of these combinations need to be followed exactly. If you don’t wear loafers, use ballet flats or boots. If straight-leg jeans aren’t your thing, switch to a wider leg. If a blazer feels too formal, use a cardigan or denim jacket. The point is just to have a few combinations in your back pocket that make getting dressed easier. Once you know which formulas work for you, the same clothes start feeling more useful, and getting dressed in the morning gets a lot less complicated.