Golden Delicious

Welcome to the first day of fall! It's that time of year when we predictably see an onslaught of grey, black and navy clothing options. When you're a pale redhead, grey and black pretty much only look good on you in the dark. So imagine my delight when I noticed this year that, if you look very closely, there is actually some color out there!

   

 

 

Jenni Kayne (#1 and 3) and J.Crew (#2,4,5) images via Style.com

 

It seems that more than ever before we have a wide range of warm toned fall colors at our disposable. Burnt orange, tangerine, warm blush, antique rose and burgundy are just a few of the gorgeous fall tones designers gravitated toward for Fall 2014. The overall effect is one of optimism and happiness rather than the seriousness and somberness brought with typical black and grey. Ground your warm autumnal hues with olive green and camel to keep your look more modern and less crazy cat lady. For that very reason, I highly recommend NOT mixing patterns in these color families or you can quickly venture into "Revenge of the Nerds" status. Here are a few of my most coveted finds below...

Wednesday's Look For Less: D'Orsay Flat

This time last year, these little D'Orsay darlings were my shoe crush. I was loving all things Jenni Kayne and her flats were no exception. But I could never justify opening my wallet for them, not with so many other items on Spring 2012's wish list. And so the season passed me by...

I'm not the only one who has a hankering for a daytime D'Orsay. Starlets 'round the world have been spotted in Ms. Kayne's creations and I might have even seen a certain Hollywood someone rocking these in person...though I'll never tell who. ;) 

via FabSugar

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via FabSugar

But now you don't have to be an A-list actor to afford this look. The design has trickled down and these little flats are accessible to us normal folk. Hallelujah! 

Jenni Kayne Flat/ Steve Madden Flat

Are you a D'Orsay flat fan? The great thing about Jenni Kayne's designs is that she offers such a wide variety of colors and materials. Hopefully we'll see more colors and textures emerge on the lower end soon. Until then, a black flat is always classic...

Cool, Clean Collections: Jenni Kayne

Shot of designer Jenni Kayne and her son from her website.

On a Monday morning, like today, when I want to think as little as possible about what to put on and how it all looks together, I'd be a much happier girl with a little Jenni Kayne in my life. Since she debuted her own line in 2003 (by the way, she was only 19!), Kayne has consistently made modern yet classic sportswear for the American woman. She tends to rely on a directive color palette and impeccable tailoring, making her pieces easy to mix and match within her own collection as well as with clothes you might already have in your wardrobe. The overall look is California cool- effortless yet desirable. Perhaps that why stars like Kristen Bell, Rachel Bilson and Sophia Bush are such huge fans.

While Kayne's overall aesthetic may be quite simple, she keeps the looks interesting by introducing varying textures, sometimes as unexpected as a faux fur tee! Check out the pieces from her Fall, Resort and Spring collections.

Fall 2010

Fall 2010 (LOVE the fur collar!)

Fall 2010 (my personal favorite- leather anorak paired with a silk skirt)

Resort 2011

Resort 2011

Resort 2011

Spring 2011

Spring 2011

Spring 2011

How refreshing Kayne's looks appear in this era of oversized. For petite girls like me, Kayne's designs are a breath of fresh air. I also love how you could really wear almost any of these outfits at any time of the year. There I go again with my love for year-round dressing!

So if you're looking for something cool, classic and casual, seek out Jenni Kayne immediately!