I know jeans can be a fraught fashion topic in some circles today. To skinny jean or not to skinny jean? I am not going to tell you what your answer ought to be. They aren’t trendy (and haven’t been for years) but that only means something if trends are something you choose to care about. I do and I don’t – I’ve talked about this before. I like to know what’s out there so I can better decide what I can use to create the aesthetic I am pursuing. But I’m not adopting the trend unless it works for me, for that purpose.

As it happens, I’ve mostly moved away from skinny jeans in recent years. This past summer, loose-fit boyfriend style jeans were my usual go-to:

With the occasional assist from this barrel-shape/80s mom jean-adjacent pair:

These styles worked better for my summer aesthetic than skinny jeans. I still have a couple of pairs of skinny jeans, and wear them occasionally, but usually for very casual errands (like taking the kids to the park) where aesthetic doesn’t come into play.

Looking at my fall inspo boards, I realized that I needed to consider some other jean styles. Because my fall aesthetic is heavily influenced by the 90s and Ralph Lauren “prep”, I settled on two related styles:

One. The bootcut flare – think Carolyn Bessette Kennedy:

Two. The trouser/palazzo jean:

Initially, I thought I would only need the first kind (in a dark wash, natch). After some further deliberation, I decided that I really wanted to give the palazzo-style jeans a try too, and likely in a lighter wash for diversity.

Some additional considerations:

• Bootcut flares of the OG variety (late 90s through late 00s) are relatively easy to source in thrift stores. I’ve found a Banana Republic pair that I am currently taking through its paces and deciding whether the fit is precisely what I want. I may end up trying to find something with a slightly more pronounced flare, but we’ll see.

• Palazzo jeans are not very easy to find at the thrifts, as they were not a super popular/trendy style within the past 10 years. So I am leaning towards possibly sourcing a pair on Poshmark or even retail. Buying a new style online can be tricky though, not only because you need to ensure the proper size fit, but also to gauge whether the style meets one’s exactly requirements (usually from a bunch of stock photos). Wide leg jeans have been popular for a while, but the style I am after is a more specific sub-category of that.

• Both of these styles need to be full-length, i.e. not cropped, to achieve the desired aesthetic. In particular, because I want to have that elongating effect (and have a short inseam), this means having to consider heel height. In the summer, I tend to wear flats which would pose a problem in this scenario. But for fall, I do have shoes with more of a heel – like my new platform sole loafers, for example, and some of my favourite ankle boots as well.

• Full length jeans can pose a hazard during wet conditions so I know that these jeans will have a limited time window; I don’t expect that I will be wearing them outdoors come November. This is something to consider when deciding how much money I want to spend on them (answer: not a lot!).

I’m writing all this out because I think it’s helpful when making decisions about adding new pieces to one’s wardrobe to think through stuff like this. Hopefully, it’s helpful to some of you as well; not as a “what you need to buy” post, but as an example of process. I have been trying to be more intentional about what and how I add to my closet, and I’m probably not the only one. Share your tips — and thoughts on jeans! — in the comments.  

Details: Pilcro tank top, handmade cardigan, Sundress Co. skirt, BR belt, Fluevog shoes (all secondhand)

Thoughts: One of the last of the summer-ish outfits. I’m going to have to think of ways to wear this skirt in the fall/winter too because I love it too much to put it aside till next year. It seemed only natural, though, to pair it with this patchwork cardigan. So much happy colour!

Details: Vince top, Bebe skirt, Napoleoni shoes, Rafael Alfandary necklace (all secondhand)

Thoughts: Another end-of-summer outfit. I think this skirt has a future in my fall wardrobe as well, because of the dark floral pattern. It tickled my fancy to pair this striped top with it; not only do the colours work well, but the pattern matched the visual stripes created by the ruffled tiers. Just a fun little detail.

Details: J. Crew sweatshirt (retail), Braemer skirt (thrifted), J. Crew shoes (thrifted), BR necklace (belonged to my mom)

Thoughts: Nearly a decade later, I still love this old J. Crew sweatshirt. This outfit is a bit of a throwback in more ways than one; the skirt is longer than what I used to wear circa 2015, but this outfit formula is otherwise very similar to my old aesthetic. I’m not sure it’s 2022 Adina, but wearing it felt like a nice nostalgic nod to the era.

Details: Uniqlo top, Le Chateau vest, Frank & Oak pants, Gap blazer (all secondhand), Mia shoes (retail)

Thoughts: The beginning of fall can be tricky here; mornings are crisp, afternoons are often surprisingly warm. Layering is, of course, the answer. (When is it not?) Vest are especially handy, but I feel like I am constantly saying that. Are you sick of it yet? Hopefully not, because there will be a LOT of vests in my future. I just have a feeling. Anyway, I chose my colour palette here based on the vest pattern, and I am very pleased with how it looked. Royal purple is a tricky colour for me, but I love its other varieties – mauve, plum, lavender, and so on. I still haven’t figured out my seasonal colours, but I like to think these purples suit me. I won’t listen if you tell me otherwise 😉

Details: Pilcro sweater, Kenzo x H&M skirt, Escada blazer, Manolo Blahnik shoes, Rafael Alfandary necklace (all secondhand)

Thoughts: Speaking of purple – another winner! I picked up this lavender sweater on a whim this past summer, but I have a feeling it’s going to be doing a lot of heavy lifting in my fall wardrobe. It looks great with the navy, dark blues and purples in this outfit, and I think it’s going to pair equally well with other colours in my wardrobe. As I mentioned before, I am giving mini skirts a bit of a trial run again. I don’t like how they look on me with bare legs, but I think I could get into this look. I just need to find a few more pairs of opaque tights in fun colours.

Details: Zara top, Esprit belt, Mexx skirt, Chelsea Crew shoes (all secondhand)

Thoughts: Blue and brown, forever an underrated combination.

I am still making my way through a stash of vintage fashion magazines, and continuing to draw a surprising amount of inspiration from them. Most of them are from the 80s, and it’s now my fervent hope to find a similar trove of 90s issues because I feel like that decade in particular would offer a lot of interesting reference points for the aesthetic I’m pursuing this fall — witchy academia with a touch of baroque.

Here are a few of the images that have been inspiring me lately:

The layering here is fantastic. I like the monotonality, the use of textures to create visual interest.

Super into brown and black combos for fall, and I like how they are used here. The mix of leather and velvet. Brown tights!!

Okay, this is definitely not my everyday aesthetic but wowza — what a gorgeous dress! It’s Gianfranco Ferre, and you bet I’m looking for something similar now because a LBD like this would be *chef’s kiss* in any wardrobe.

I am obsessed with silver cuffs and this is a simply fabulous example of what a powerful accessory they can be. It’s a darker (more autumnal?) take on my summer romantic/bohemian aesthetic and it’s giving me ideas for transitioning some summer pieces.

A stunning silhouette and the accessories are killer.

This colour palette is to die for. This is also very in line with my fall aesthetic. Collared shirt, vest, trousers, and a fabulous coat/blazer/jacket.

This image has single-handedly inspired me to look into adding some baroque twists to my outfits. I love the richness of textures here. I may have to re-watch Dangerous Liaisons for some more inspo.