October is historically my busiest month during the fall season for shopping with clients. This past month was no exception. I was in the stores a lot, running around, loading up dressing rooms and helping clients get their wardrobes set for the season. I am really excited to share some of the client purchases from this past month. This isn’t all of them. Some pieces have sold out or are sadly not available online. But I still have plenty to show you that I am certain you will get excited about.
Client Purchases in October
Pants
Let’s start with pants, every woman’s least favorite item to try on and buy. I had a lot of success with quite a few styles. Considering the bodies of my clients vary, it was quite a miracle.
Pant style 1 above has been so insanely successful with so many clients. It’s an oxford stretch trouser from Theory that comes in a deep green and a lighter navy. Given the success of the fit of these pants, I have been frustrated that they have been so difficult to find online. Perhaps you will have more success in the stores, but I found the green pair on Theory’s website.
Style number 2 is the same pant in two colors. They are a faux suede pair of leggings from Karen Kane that come in eggplant and a tan shade. One of my clients put them on this past weekend and couldn’t stop touching herself….in a PG way, LOL. They’re so soft and comfortable. This is the second fall season that my clients have fallen in love with these pants.
Style number 3 is from Nic and Zoe. One of my clients scooped up all the colors these pants came in. Take note, these pants are in a nylon, rayon, lycra blend, so they have a bit of sheen. With a size zipper and a contour waistband, they really fit well.
Style number 4 is a cropped gray pair from Vince. One of my clients purchased these. The funny story about these pants is that they were purchased by a very petite client of mine who can wear them as full length pants and not cropped. However, as ankle pants they are great too. Like the Nic and Zoe, these pants have nylon in them which gives the fabric more of a technical finish.
Style number 5 is a pair of jeans from Lafayette 148 that are perfect for a business casual workplace or dress down Friday. They’re also perfect for nice weekend plans. The fit is great.
Style number 6 is also from Lafayette 148. This is the only full length wide leg pair of pants in the group. It’s not a silhouette for everyone. My client who bought these loves the Katharine Hepburn look and these pants were perfect. However, with pleats and a wider leg opening, these are pants that can be tricky to style. You will definitely want to tuck in your shirts and the jackets and cardigans you choose need a lot of shape.
Style number 7 is a wide leg cropped style from J. Crew. They are totally adorable and look cute with flats and booties.
Style number 8 is a burgundy pair from Theory that has been hit or miss. On some clients the style has been amazing and others is has been a disaster. I find that those who tend to gain in the middle look better in these pants than those who carry their weight in the thighs. You can add this jacket to these pants to make it a suit, but not one client purchased it.
Style number 9 is a side zip pant from Lafayette 148 that fits really well. When it comes to pants, it’s all about finding your fit and I have one particular client who can put just about any pair of Lafayette 148 pants on and look good. This is why so many pairs are showing up on this list. This client has a curvier shape on the bottom, she is around a size 10 and in her 50’s.
Tops and Blouses
Moving on to tops and blouses, I am starting with a shirt I was so happy to see return, the wrap shirt from Lafayette 148. Back when my business was still in its infancy, a client of mine purchased this shirt and I loved it then. Then it went away for years. Making its return, three or four clients bought it. What makes it so wonderful is the side zip and ruching that gives it perfect shape, eliminates gaping and hides tummy rolls. The neckline frames the face beautifully and it can be worn tucked or untucked. It’s not cheap, but if you have the budget I highly recommend it.
Shirt number 2 is from Vince and one client bought it. It’s really specific and not for everyone. The back fastens at the neck and has a big slit. Yet, despite this, it’s not overly exposed and a small tank can easily be worn underneath. My client who bought it definitely has modern style and prefers sleek lines.
Top number 3 from Lafayette 148 is shown in double because it is reversible. The colors together are unexpected but simply stunning at the same time. You get a two-for-one tank that is in a silky charmeuse fabric.
Top number 4 is another Lafayette top in the same color and fabric as the tank. It was purchased from a client who plans on wearing it for dressy casual weekend plans. Paired with jeans or black pants this top can go to dinner or parties.
Top number 5 from Nic and Zoe was bought by a client who is having surgery in December. She is a professional woman who will spend several weeks recovering while going to work. Her request was for super soft tops that she can wear to the office. This top is in a knit and can be worn untucked with a pair of ankle pants.
Blouse number 6 is from Vince. Last month a few clients bought this style in ivory and this month one client purchased it in the soft brown shade. If you know Vince, you know their tops tend to be more relaxed. This top is drapey and I’d definitely suggest sizing down.
Style number 7 is from NYDJ. Rarely do I pull tops from them, but this one was perfect for my client who was looking for tops without a lot of structure post surgery. The color in person is much richer and there is a back pleating detail that is really pretty.
Lastly, style number 8. It’s the T Tahari Edie top that everyone keeps buying. I had to show it again because I have yet to meet a client who doesn’t look good in it. My clients purchased the navy and gray colors.
Knits and sweaters
No surprise, everyone wanted sweaters, even my client who works for the government and lives in a sweltering hot Muslim country in Asia. Her reason for needing clothes with sleeves was for different reasons than most (she needs modest clothing), but the need was still there.
Starting with this first style from Lord & Taylor’s private label line, this tunic style has been popular for clients looking for styles they can wear with leggings and skinny pants. It has just enough detail to stand on its own while still being basic.
Style number 2 has been popular for the same reason. It’s easy to wear and in a super soft cashmere that feels warm and cozy for the winter.
Style number 3 is a camel Lauren Ralph Lauren cashmere sweater that one client bought. It’s shorter and is perfect for work with a pair of tailored pants. It will also look great with a pencil skirt while being a great basic with jeans on the weekend.
Next, style number 4, a perfect, easy cashmere cardigan from Lord & Taylor’s private label line. What is perfect about it is it’s easy and comfortable while not lacking any structure and making it perfect for work. It’s a really elegant color.
Sweater number 5 from Lauren Ralph Lauren was loved by two clients who picked it up. It sits wide on the shoulders and has this relaxed feel that can go from work to weekend with ease.
Styles 6 and 7 is a tank and cardigan set from Nic and Zoe that everyone loves. This cobalt shade was the most popular and bought by several clients in October. It comes in several excellent shades. The amazing thing about the cardigan is it can be worn open, tied closed in the front and also has small buttons so the sweater can be closed to look like a wrap sweater with a tank underneath it. The tank on its own is also an excellent, beefy jersey knit that can be worn underneath other pieces or alone on hot days.
Sweaters 8, 9, 10 and 11 I am grouping together because they are all from Lord & Taylor’s merino collection. If you are looking for some classic merino knits for the season you MUST check out these styles. The merino yarn comes from Biella Italy, one of the finest places on earth where fabrics are made, the fit of all these sweaters is fantastic and the prices are unbelievable. I own these merino knits and just about every client has bought at least one of these styles. The value of these sweaters is fantastic.
Dresses
Dresses continue to be popular, but with cold weather on the horizon their popularity drops off a bit. However, there were still a few great styles that clients purchased.
The first is this outstanding purple sheath from Lauren Ralph Lauren. A few clients bought it. The fabric is in a beefy and structured jersey knit, the color is stunning and the fit is pretty universally flattering. The only drawback is you might need a hem, but that is minor. If you are looking for a basic, stand out dress, this is it. It also comes in petite.
Next, this navy dress from Lafayette 148 that one of my clients bought. This was a specific request that came from one of my clients, a basic navy sheath with sleeves. To find this was quite fortuitous. Finding a dress with sleeves so often seems like trying to find a needle in a haystack.
Dress number 3 is a printed knit dress from Nic and Zoe. It’s an easy wear style that does come with a matching knit duster, but together it just looked frumpy. Instead, my client plans on just putting a black cardigan or blazer over it.
Dress number 4, also from Nic and Zoe is the same fabric as the blouse number 5 above. The fabric is on the thinner side but the ruching over the tummy is very flattering. While I would normally reserve a style like this for summer shopping, my client who bought it lives in hot weather all year long. This is a fantastic style to consider if you live somewhere the weather stays warm. This style is available in both petite and missy.
Lastly, this little black dress from T Tahari. Rare is it that a client needs something this simple, but my clients’ basics do eventually wear out and this one is so basic and straightforward that it was perfect.
Blazers
Moving on to blazers, there were a few styles that were pretty universally loved.
The first style from Calvin Klein is really affordable and a lovely navy blazer that my very petite client bought for the purple Lauren Ralph Lauren dress. Thankfully it also comes in missy sizes because it is a shorter shaped blazer that I know a lot of women are looking for.
The soft blue Lauren Ralph Lauren blazer was purchased by a few clients who were looking for a winter weight jacket. It is in a heavier flannel fabric but maintains a beautiful, classic shape. My clients plan on wearing it with navy, black, gray and jeans.
Next, this wool flannel blazer from Elie Tahari that is a really perfect separate blazer. It’s heavier than the Calvin Klein and looks less like it is part of a suit. However, with a pair of tailored pants, over a dress or with a skirt it is perfect for work too.
This last jacket from Max Mara Studio was impossible to find online. I finally tracked it down on the Max Mara website. I was determine to find it because it was the central piece of on of my client’s purchases. It definitely has more shape than the photo is indicating and is full of so many versatile colors, including grey, cognac, brown, tan, and more. It’s hardly cheap but it’s a great piece.
Skirts weren’t hugely popular this past month. These two styles were the most popular. The first, a basic navy pencil from Lafayette 148 and the BOSS Hugo Boss a-line skirt in these rich autumnal shades.
Shoes
I am really bummed that quite a few of the shoes styles purchased by my clients were hard to find online. However, this post is already lengthy enough, so it’s probably for the best.
Style number one from MICHAEL Michael Kors is this bright orangey-red shade that my client fell head over heels for the second she saw them. I think she wore them to work this week with her navy Lafayette 148 pencil skirt and camel merino Lord & Taylor v-neck.
Style number 2 is a classic boot style from Aquatalia. Now, before you click the link, these boots are not cheap. However, they are waterproof, insulated, made of the best quality, comfortable and will last a lifetime. This the first year I have seen them offered in so many colors. The taupe brown shade is amazing, the navy is stunning and the burgundy is to die for. Of course, you can always choose the black.
Style number 3 was a bit of surprise, but as soon as my one client put them on she loved them. Needing flatter shoes, these oxfords had a feminine touch to them.
Style number 4 is Sam Edelman’s classic Penny boots. I have owned them for several years. They are so comfortable and I often recommend them to clients who have a need for a style like this, particularly when they have large calves like I do. These boots are super roomy.
Style number 5 was a choice by a client of mine who looks particularly good in primary colors and brights. Her wardrobe is typically on the colorless side, making the pop of these shoes from Via Spiga exciting.
Style number 6 is a really comfortable pair of booties from Me Too that I own in their nutmeg shade and other client purchased in burgundy. They’re easy slip on and Me Too is known for their comfort.
This last pair of shoes is a pair of burgundy flats from Marc Fisher. It’s a style that has been pretty universally loved by many. Generally speaking, Marc Fisher makes lovely shoe, although sometimes a bit kooky, and they fit really well. This style is probably one of his more classic.
Jewelry
The sad thing about all the jewelry pieces that my clients purchased is that most of them can’t be purchased online or are sold out. I’m left with only a few. But as I come to the end of this very long post, you’re probably happy to be almost through it. Plus, these are some pretty basic styles that will be useful for most.
First this 19″ strand necklace from Gorjana. One client bought silver and the other gold. Often, my clients just want something simple to fill in their neckline, particularly if they are wearing statement earrings. This style is interesting and basic at the same time.
Next, these Agate earrings. One of my clients bought them and loves them. She loved them so much that even after a shipping error made by Anthropologie, she bought them again. They’re one of those styles that add something to an outfit without going overboard. They’re lovely.
These hoops from Kate Spade are perfect for those times you don’t want to add any intricate jewelry to an outfit but want to look finished. The small rhinestones add a little something special. I have noticed lately that jewelry has been getting more understated lately. These earrings are perfect for this.
Lastly, this station necklace from Anthropologie. It’s the perfect grab and go necklace for those days you just need a quick finish.
There were several purchases made this month that were also purchased in September. To avoid repetition and length, I didn’t include them. So be sure to check out client purchases from September to see what has continued to be popular this month as well.
I hope you enjoyed this recap of client purchases and it will give you some direction when doing a little shopping for yourself.