fall fashion

The single best thing about living in the Midwest is just around the corner - fall! The crisp air, beautiful leaves and football (finally!) are just a few reasons to love the too-short season.

Fall fashion is a whole separate topic. As is Halloween. First thing's first: fashion.

I picked up the September issue of Lucky and they have a few great (and some forgettable) fashion tips to consider. A-line jackets, circle skirts and opaque tights are a few of my early favorites.

I started to shop for a few key pieces this weekend by checking out what's available within 50 miles of Bloomington-Normal, which, *sigh*, isn't much. Thank goodness for Target, where I checked out the new line from Isaac Mizrahi, and I also made my first visit to Steve & Barry's to see the Bitten line from Sarah Jessica Parker.

Both lines contain some great pieces, but a few stand-out due to their flawless design and "of the moment" cache.

Top finds:

• An adorable dress from Isaac in a light eggplant color. Includes pockets (LOVE that) and hidden shoulder snaps to hide bra straps (it's the little things like this that make the dress a quick and easy can't-miss look). The belt felt a little too matchy-matchy for me so I wore a brown suede/gold buckle belt instead. This dress will wear well into November with a blouse underneath and tights.
  
• A chunky but not bulky a-line sweater from Bitten in dark gray. This is the piece I will wear over and over again.
• A great brown suede bag from Bitten that I didn't need but couldn't pass up at $15

I'm still looking for cute flats that aren't $400 (ideas?) and, of course, I am continuing on the endless search for the perfect pants.

Trends I won't be wearing this fall: high-waist pants and animal prints
Trend I'm still not sure about: ankle boots

Let me know about your fashion finds and what you will/won't be wearing this fall!