autumn incoming

Illustration by the lovely Claire Whitmore

Yesterday I wore a dress with tights and today I wore a sweater. It can mean only one thing:  autumn is coming! As much as I love the lazy days of summer...well, let's be real, they aren't that lazy when you're a grown-up and I'm more than ready for the heat to break and a cool breeze to blow in from the north! I'm ready for changing leaves, pumpkins (but not pumpkin-flavored stuff, yuck), Halloween, chilly nights spent curled under a blanket, cups of hot cocoa, and, of course, fierce fall fashion! Even though I'm not in school anymore, fall still feels like a fresh start.

Source: Uploaded by user via Jennifer on Pinterest

I've always loved crisp autumn weather. Outerwear is one of my truest loves, and fall (in Wisconsin, at least!) lets you play with coats, hats, scarves, and all sorts of outer accessories without being too worried that you might freeze to death (thanks, winter). I'm still hoping to find that perfect trench, but for now I have a lovely teal trench-style coat that my mom picked up for me to protect me from the wind, rain, and mid-level chill of the fall.






I am ridiculously in love with this look. The coat is beyond gorgeous (great color, great texture, those CUFFS), but the scarf is a perfect capper. Something as simple as tying a loose scarf into a bow really can make an outfit into something special. I believe this is at the end of a fur collar, but it could be done with any scarf you already own, provided that it's long enough to tie and still have enough length for a bit of drama. Obviously her hands are in her pockets, but I would imagine topping this look off with a pair of sleek leather gloves. I've always wanted leather gloves, but it really doesn't make sense - most of the time, even though I have gloves, I just shove my hands in my pockets anyway. Last year, I got a pair of those fabulous hybrids sometimes known as "glittens," which are a little silly/cutesy, but I can wear them while I drive, so haters to the left. (Besides, I'm a little silly/cutesy, so it works out.)

Source: chiestore.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Shoes! And tights, hurrah! I love charcoal tights in the autumn - they're tremendously versatile - and pairing them with a bright pair of shoes is such a lovely idea. Jewel tones are definitely the name of the game when the weather gets cold; keep your style warm all through the season with vibrant, saturated colors. As I'm sure you all know, your shoes are definitely a place for a little bit of extra fun in the wardrobe. Obviously you can't show up at the office in 5" lucite heels, but I've noticed plenty of fresh and funky shoes on otherwise conservatively dressed ladies - rock on, ladies! I actually just bought new shoes (nothing bright, unfortunately, but my wardrobe was actually lacking in cute neutral flats - who could have guessed?) and I'm excited to keep playing with footwear this fall.

That's what's got me shivering with anticipation and reaching past the sundresses in my closet for some long sweaters! Other things that I'm interested in this fall: colored trousers, socks over tights, bright lipstick on grey days. What are you looking forward to? Fashionwise or otherwise! Even if you're one of those foolish people with poorly functioning tastebuds clamoring for the return of Pumpkin Spice at Starbucks...I love you anyway.

avenging fashion

Like the rest of the free world, I went to go see The Avengers earlier this summer. I loved it (of course, Joss Whedon and superheroes? What's not to like?) and as I do, I was inspired to make some outfits. "This will be great!" I said to myself, "A very timely post!" Except then I sat on the outfits...and sat...and then it felt too late but, hey, that's okay! Comic-Con was coming up! Once again, it would be a timely and appropriate post!

...yeah, that worked out well. But now The Avengers is coming out on DVD and also, who cares about timely when it comes to superhero-inspired fashion? Superhero-inspired fashion is ALWAYS appropriate. This is the motto that I live by. (You can see my past pop culture fashion posts right here! DC heroes (and a villain), Buffy Summers and Hogwarts houses.)

captain america by ficklekitsch featuring mary jane pumps

The lady who draws sartorial inspiration from Captain America is one classy broad. I tried to incorporate vintage flair into this look, with a pretty and structured coat and some pearl earrings, along with America-colored sweetness. There are stripes and a very sensible bag, and of course I couldn't resist the compass necklace (a bit of an extra nod to Captain America).

iron man by ficklekitsch featuring skinny jeans

Tony Stark is Iron Man, so I tried to work a little bit of both into this look. Obviously, the red and gold are Iron Man colors, but I think that the effortlessly cool rocker flair is a look that Tony would emulate. An easy tank top (for when you need to get at your personal ARC reactor ASAP), hot skinny jeans, boots, super cool aviators and some rockin' metal accessories. Boots are obviously both functional and stylish, and the bag is, again, a cool satchel ready to be filled with all the necessaries for being a superhero, genius inventor, or mogul.

the incredible hulk by ficklekitsch featuring a short sleeve dress

Last but not least, the Hulk! This one is also a bit of a balancing act between the Big Green Guy and Bruce Banner. Green and purple made their way in for obvious reasons, but I also tried to include touches of Bruce, both in the floaty easy style of the dress, the pretty yet practical sandals, and got a little bit cheeky with the glasses necklace. I love having some fun with accessories - you can have a lot of freedom there if you play your cards right (I actually have an upcoming post on that very topic! Stay tuned!). Plus, a backpack, most sensible of all, to keep your things safe while you travel the world and tool around on an old motorcycle.

These are the three I designed so far; if you'd be interested in seeing outfits for Thor, Black Widow, Hawkeye, or even Loki (my personal favorite, even if he's not actually an Avenger and is "evil" or something), let me know! The pop culture inspired outfits are a ton of fun to make, any suggestions are welcome.