2011 Fall Fashion Trends

I live through each season just waiting for fall to come back around. I feel like the fashion possibilities are endless. You can create so many outfits with layering! My idea of a perfect fall day is strolling along the city in comfortable boots, a cozy sweater, and a pumpkin spiced latte in my hands. For me, it just doesn't get much better than that. :)

Here is my list of my favorite fall trends for this year. Some of these are timeless and classic, so you may just be able to shop your existing closet and find pieces that fit a certain trend. If you want to stay on trend and don't care if it's a classic item or not, shop cheap! Then, you won't kick yourself later for having a coat that looks like it has sprouted hair (à la Lady Gaga) that you paid mega bucks for.

1. Polka dots. Any color combination is fine, but the black and white combo will always be the most revered.
2. Bold stripes. Factor in body shape. Wider stripes are fine on those who have smaller upper torsos, as the stripes visually widen the area. If you're curvy or have a bigger upper torso, you want to go with thinner stripes and preferably have the stripes be a darker color. Like the big stripes widen, the thin stripes will visually slim you down.
3. Lace. I love lace! Be it on your purse, shoes, top, dress...it just makes everything beautiful. It's especially lovely as a white dress and paired over black tights.
4. Red. This is looking to be the power color of this fall. I've seen red pants pop up everywhere, but you can incorporate the color any way you want.
5. Tartan/Plaid. Plaid is so fantastic, especially for casual weekends. My favorite is to wear a long plaid button-down over skinny jeans with a motorcycle jacket and boots. It's an easy way to get the "edgy chic" look.
6. Florals. Yes, florals in fall. They are generally considered a warm weather trend, but they can be taken into fall. I think the key thing to look for are warm florals. The orange dress above is a nice warm shade that's perfect!
7. Bold jackets. Possibly one of my favorite trends ever! I love playful jackets. For an affordable selection, try Old Navy. I know I continuously speak of my love affair for that store, but they do jackets right. They are wonderful quality and come in so many styles and colors.
8. Snake prints. Snake rings, bracelets, clutches, shoes...It's all about making a huge statement with your accessories. It's popping up in clothes too, but I feel that trend is universally hard to pull off.

What trend are you looking forward to? There are other trends happening that I didn't mention (as this is my own personal list of favorites), so did I miss one of your favorites? Leave them in the comments!