Best Knit Sweaters

Best Knit Sweaters + Fall in Hudson River Valley

One of the best things about Fall is pulling out those warm, chunky, like-a-bear sweaters!  The air is getting crisper, and bundling up on cozy sweaters in the closet is the best way to go from fall to winter.  I’ve got a stack of the best knit sweaters, but adding a few to the rotation just keeps the season’s assortment chic.

To fully enjoy the fall season and wear my best knit sweaters, we have been spending the in the Hudson River Valley , which is right outside Manhattan to the north and east of Connecticut.  We love it because it runs right along the Hudson River, dotted with old quaint, charming towns, historical landmarks and beautiful foliage.  The towns come a live during the season.  Tourists are attracted to the area because it is the home of Sleepy Hollow and many Rockefeller and Carnegie mansions.  When we visit for the area, we usually go for a hike then head to an attraction spot.  I usually pack a different pair of shoes and of course one of my best knit sweaters.  Here are a few other sweaters I’m obsessed with:

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How to Wear Leopard Print

How to Wear Leopard Print this Fall Season || Darling Darleen

How to Wear Leopard Print

Leopard Print is now considered a fall neutral, when it is done right!  So how do you wear leopard print?  Keeping the frisky print classy is the key and also wearing it with other neutrals like white or black.  The bold animal print is the perfect pattern-mixer, but still keep it simple by not going head to toe in leopard print.  The easiest way to feel feminine in leopard print is by wearing it in simple form like a button-up cardigan, pencil skirt, or booties.  Pair it with denim or a chambray button-up shirt or a black sweater. You can start simple by adding it in your accessories like with a simple fold-over clutch or mules.  It will add a pop to your outfit!  Or go bold and rock a faux fur Leopard print coat and let the animal print take centerstage.

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How to Wear Leopard Print this Fall Season || Darling Darleen How to Wear Leopard Print this Fall Season || Darling Darleen

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Blazers for Fall

Blazers for Fall and How to Style || Darling Darleen #blazers #menswearblazers #darlingdarleen Blazers for Fall and How to Style || Darling Darleen #blazers #menswearblazers #darlingdarleen

Blazers for Fall and How to Style || Darling Darleen #blazers #menswearblazers #darlingdarleen

Blazers for Fall

The blazer is back.  Yesssss!  Blazers for Fall season this year are huge, and they come in just about every style–corduroy, velvet, oversized, wool, menswear.  A variety of colors for those styles are big in blazers for fall.  I am excited because I love blazers and I have a collection of favorites that I’ve held onto.  They will be making their appearance this fall and winter season.  The blazer is the item to finish off an outfit that says fall-is-finally here.  If you don’t have a blazer, they are truly a classic fall item, but just happens to be going strong this season.  So you really can’t go wrong with snagging a blazer this fall season.  I’d say pick up a corduroy and a tweed if you have to narrow the styles.  Blazers are the perfect layering item for fall.

I picked up this blazer while playing tourist in New York City this past weekend.  It was the perfect fall day, which began a little chilly then warmed up in the middle of the day and then toward the end of the day there was a breeze.  This fitted blazer was easy to take off, carry then put back on for a classic tailored, put-together look.  So add a little preppy perfection that is easy to throw on with jeans and a t-shirt.  I wore this blazer with my favorite long dog tag necklace from my shop and these Quay sunglasses.  I also wore these slipper flats that I’ve had for a long time and now the slipper style has come back!  Here is a similar item.

Here are a few of my favorite Blazers for Fall:

You can see more of how I styled these blazers:

New England Fall Activities

New England Fall Activities plus favorite leopard print Styles || Darling Darleen #darlingdarleen #leopardprint #falloutfit New England Fall Activities plus favorite leopard print Styles || Darling Darleen #darlingdarleen #leopardprint #falloutfit New England Fall Activities plus favorite leopard print Styles || Darling Darleen #darlingdarleen #leopardprint #falloutfit New England Fall Activities plus favorite leopard print Styles || Darling Darleen #darlingdarleen #leopardprint #falloutfit New England Fall Activities plus favorite leopard print Styles || Darling Darleen #darlingdarleen #leopardprint #falloutfit New England Fall Activities plus favorite leopard print Styles || Darling Darleen #darlingdarleen #leopardprint #falloutfit

New England Fall Activities 

Well we have kissed our long summer days behind.  It’s been a good one, and we will miss it dearly except for the moving part .  Fall is right here, except for the random 80 degree weather we’ve been having.  I am holding on to those warm days but Fall is the Northeast is one of my favorite seasons.  Since we’ve moved back up we have been talking about all of our old favorite fall activities that we had enjoyed during the time we lived up here before.  The color of the leaves look like a painting.  The smell in the air is truly that yummy cinnamon smell.  It’s so festive and beautiful!  I am excited to share these Fall moments with my children.  So, I had to put together a New England Fall Activities list to get them excited, and to help ease the pain of this move.  Yes, they are still adjusting and missing their life in the South.  They don’t remember life before Georgia, even though they were all born in Connecticut!

One of the patterns I love to wear in the fall is leopard!  Leopard is surprising easy to pair with color and denim.  And it a great way to bring fall into your daily outfit.  Leopard print is still a strong pattern for fall, so if you don’t have any leopard introduce it into your wardrobe with accessories like shoes or hand bag or pants.  I like to wear a little bit of leopard paired with something else.  Don’t do a leopard over kill!  Wear one leopard print then pair it with a solid.

I may be wearing my leopard when I hit up our New England Fall Activities List.  I am excited to make new memories with them and remind them of all the activities they used to enjoy.

New England Fall Activities List

  • Apple picking up at Lyman Orchard Farm
  • Make homemade applesauce and apple pies with our picked apples
  • Visit the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery (so much history in one spot and the cemetery is beautiful to explore in the fall)
  • Go see the Great Jack o’ Lantern Blaze
  • Learn to make apple cider doughnuts (or pick them up at the local farmer!)
  • Harvest pumpkins at Jones Family Farm (they are still on the vine and in the field)
  • Head to Vermont to see Fall Foliage and pick up fresh maple syrup from the maple tree farms
  • Go whale watching in Cape Cod–October is the best time to see the humpback whales
  • Go hiking in Mount Washington and take the Cog Railway down the mountain
  • Get lost in a corn maze
  • Take a class at Stone Barns Center

Here is our list of Fall Activities that we did last year.  It was so much fun!  I’m pretty sure we did most of the activities but not all.  I always set the bar high but never quite am able to complete it all.  What are some of your favorite fall activities?

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DMJ earrings
 

 

Ruffle Sleeves

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Ruffle Sleeves

Give me all the ruffle sleeves this season!  I am obsessed. Pair it with jeans or a pencil skirt.

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Here are a few of my favorites.  And many of the ruffle sleeve tops are under $50! Ruffle Sleeves

Fall Favorite Trends

Fall Favorite Trends

I think this was the first weekend that I have worn anything Fall-ish.  The temperature has been in the high 80s, but this weekend it finally dropped to the 60s this weekend, and I was excited to pull out boots and a jacket.  We spent part of the weekend at Serenbe, which is located just outside Atlanta.  I love when we get any chance to spend time in Serenbe.  It’s such a charming urban living community, and the perfect place to snap pictures!  We took the kids to see Serene Playhouse’s “The Sleepy Hollow Experience”, and it was a huge success.  The kids loved it and weren’t
“too” scared.  Prior to the play we explored the stable and walking trails and ate at one of Serenbe’s farm-to-table restaurants.  Exploring the neighborhoods was so much fun.  Many of the homes had all their Halloween decorations up, and the smell of Fall was definitely in the air.  With Autumn finally here, I love to see that many of Fall favorite trends are similar to ones from last year and are on repeat.  Here are a few of my Fall favorite trends that you will see in style this season.

Love these sunglasses that are a designer dupe from the ones below!

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Fall Favorite Trends:

  1. Mixing of patterns and textures–make sure you don’t look like you mixed in the dark.  Here are some general rules though–Keep the patterns in the same color family, mix prints in similar family, where neutral colors to make it an easy transition.
  2. Wear buffalo plaid or plaid check–thought to originally be an outdoorsy pattern, plaid is becoming an effortless classic style that is more polished and sophisticated.  I love mixing a plaid with a good stripe.  Or plaid with leopard.
  3. Leopard pattern– another great pattern, the leopard print is found this season in not only skirts and cardigan, but now loafers, heels, mules and even sneakers.
  4. Denim–Not only found in jeans, but denim is taking center stage in jumpsuits and jackets.  You can even find it with purses.
  5. Silver Streak–more over gold, silver is here!  I love that metallic is still strong but this season silver will have it debut!
  6. Jewel tones— jewel tones return with plums, sapphire, yellows.  If you mix two jewel tone colors, remember to stick with one main color and then add a secondary color in the shoes, jacket or purse.  I’m happy to see jewel tones make a comeback this season.

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Mixing Patterns and Textures

 

Wear Buffalo Plaid or Plaid check

 

Leopard Pattern

 

Denim

 

Silver Streak

 

Jewel Tones

 

 

 

 

 

 

Embroidered Dress

embroidered dress, fall dress, black dress, date night outfit, ruffle sleeves, cecelia New York

Embroidered Dress

Last weekend’s date night outfit was a black embroidered dress.  I fancied up for the night because it was my birthday weekend and my husband took me out to a fancy seafood restaurant.  Yummy food and good conversations makes for a great evening.  There was nothing too exciting this year, just grateful for a loving family and friends.  My kids all made me the sweetest birthday cards.  Those are the little things that I love and hold dear to my heart.

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Earrings: Tassel  Necklace: Dog Tag Bag:

 

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Stripes in Fall

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Stripes in Fall

If you are going to make me start wearing Fall clothes, it might as well have stripes in it.  Yeah, I not quite over the summer season.  It went way too fast, and I’m hold on to the last of the last.  So, I say stripes in fall is right up my alley.  Mixing it with another pattern is so OKAY in my book.  Try floral, leopard or another geometric pattern to make it a fun mix, but I say do keep it minimal so it’s not too over the top.  This fun moto cropped striped jacket has zipped cuff and polyester so it’s got a kind of denim feel to it.  I paired it with the leopard fold over purse that you can find in my shop (I also linked another version below).

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Friday Fashion Fall Finds

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Friday Fashion Fall Finds

Are you thinking about the biggest sale day of the entire year??  What’s on your shopping list?  Friday fashion fall finds is the perfect post to get your list started if you haven’t already!  I always try and get as much Christmas shopping done on Black Friday but then a few things for me always find their way into my cart.  I like to try and take advantage of discounts on larger items like boots, handbags and jackets.  There are so many great sales, so definitely don’t pass it up.

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This navy blue shift dress is so comfortable and easy to throw on booties and a leather jacket.  It’s only $36!  It’s a little short for my liking, so I put on a little black slip skirt under it for longer coverage.  The leather jacket is from last year, but I found a similar leather jacket for only $60!  The booties are my new favorite and fun to wear with jeans or a shift dress.  There is variety colors of the same Jeffrey Campbell bootie version if you are looking for a different color.  These have been my daily booties.  I also have my eye on these Jeffrey Campbell booties for next week’s sale.  Oh and a little birdie told me that my shop will be participating in Black Friday, so you can pick up a choker, long tassel necklace or laser cut earrings like the ones I’m wearing in this post.

Here are some other Friday Fashion Fall Finds: 

Fall To Do List

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Fall To Do List

This season’s schedule has probably been the most crazy with our children’s sports, dance and musical activities. Looking at our calendar, you would think we’d never have time to do anything fun! A Fall To Do list is a must. I know. I know. I’m one of those mom’s that over schedules my kids, but it keeps them out of trouble and off the devices! Anyway, I’d say we’ve been pretty good about taking any open timeframe and making the most of what we’ve got and fully enjoy the Fall season. With this change over to a new season and it’s usually a short season, a Fall To Do List is a definite must have! For me, the best way to do this is through the use of Post-It Notes. Once I’ve completed a task, I can just cross it off or remove it from the board completely. There’s so much for me to do this month and I don’t think I would be able to get through it all without writing a list.

Finally down here in the South, the leaves are changing colors and there is that crisp breeze against the warm sun. Just cool enough for jackets and boots, but still warm to spend the entire day outside enjoying the beauty of all the Fall colors. One of the first Fall activities we did on our Fall To Do List was go apple picking. When we lived in Connecticut, we started the apple picking tradition when our babies we so little. The apples are so yummy up in the northeast, and you can even get fresh maple syrup. Luckily, we have found a few apple orchards in North Georgia that have a few different varieties of apple trees. Not the same as Connecticut picking, but good enough to make a fresh homemade apple pie.

Of course, a trip to the pumpkin patch is a must on our Fall To Do List. When the Fall season arrives, I always get a little nostalgic for our time living in Connecticut. New England just simply has the best Fall days. Which bring be back to the pumpkin patch. We have been searching for a true pumpkin patch down here in the South where you can go and pick your own pumpkin off the vine…in a field. From what I hear it’s just too warm to grow good quality of pumpkins. So, instead we just head to the “pumpkin patch” to buy an overpriced pumpkin. The kids still love it. The plus side is we’ve come across some pretty good corn mazes.

So here our Fall To Do List that we have done or still planning to do before this season quickly moves on to winter! What are some of your favorite things on your Fall To Do List?

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