Fall Aboard

Our new season wishlists. (They're long.)

Oct 06, 2023

Welcome to This Is Cute. We’re Jenna, Jayna, and Verena. We text all day about cute stuff so you don’t have to. If you’re interested in seeing the previous and equally unhinged editions, they’re here.

If there’s one thing the three of us can agree about it’s FALL. Coats, sweaters, wool pants, beanies that are the right amount of tall… we over-index on all of it. Today, we are sharing our most-wanted (and in many cases, already purchased) fall favorites.

JM’s list:

Uqnatu Melton Wool Sailor Pants

Ahoy! Uqnatu pants, J.Crew Men’s sweater, Grenson shoes (sold out but found some on Ebay!)

Okay, as usual, this list is going to be a mix of things I want and things I wanted and then bought, irresponsibly (but joyfully!). First on the list: these pants! Like Carmy from The Bear (lol), I deeply love a cropped wool pant. And though I’ve not yet designed my own fantasy pair, these come pretty close. The brand is Uqnatu and they were new to me when I came across a small selection of their pants at a weird store in my neighborhood. They were out of my size so I emailed the brand and the founder responded (yay, Laura!) and was the BEST and sent me a pair. They’re the perfect shade of navy and a really gorgeous substantial melton wool and they have a button fly and feel extremely vintage but are not. I don’t need more wool pants EVER but she makes the same style in different fabrics so I feel like this is an important brand to have on my radar and now maybe yours, too!

Suzie Kondi Didion Dress

SSRI Girl Winter, let’s gooooo. Suzie Kondi dress, Birkenstock sandals, v. old Madewell socks (similar style here), also old Acne beanie (similar style here)

I saw this Suzie Kondi dress on IG I think and, in my head, was like “do not buy do not buy DO NOT” because I feel like I always love this long slightly clingy dress silhouette and then never feel good or like myself in it. But it’s just sooooo good. Look at her! In that khaki color with the little socks and the little Birks?? It’s the Didion, for god’s sake!! So I ordered it and was prepared to be disappointed, but CUTES, I was NOT disappointed. It’s just the right amount of clingy for me and feels cozy and chic and I am going to try to recreate the exact look and swan around Fort Greene with a beanie on. DidiON, if you know what I mean. (Do you? I honestly don’t.)

Blackstock & Weber Ellis Penny Loafers

Okay, so I don’t have these Blackstock & Weber loafers yet but they have been ordered. I am very late to loafers in general and also late to this extremely cool brand that I recently discovered in a 4AM shopscroll, which is like a doomscroll but so much more expensive. Jenna is extremely good at loafers. When I started at Lucky, one of the first things I became creepily obsessed with was her effortlessly cool footwear. She wore Adidas slides! TO THE OFFICE! WITH A BLAZER AND JEANS! Ugh, back then I could never.

This isn’t the outfit but LOOK AT THIS PERFECT ANGEL.

Anyway, I’ve had limited success with loafers, usually because I get hung up on the sole, which never feels right to me. A regular sole is too smoooooothtunes and then a lug sole just feels like I’m trying too hard or something? I know no one actually cares about my lug soles, but, oh well, I have a complicated brain. Enter these loafs, which feature crepe soles! What a revelation! Like a loaf and a Wallabee had the sweetest little bb. I also love the color, which feels like it will work with more or less my entire wardrobe. Maybe even the Didion dress!

Comme des Garçons Kyoto Eau de Toilette

Despite not being a huuuge beauty person (though I am a secret small beauty person), I am a massive fragrance person. I actually DID design my own perfume once. (I wanted it to smell like the underside of the dock at my summer camp—unfortunately for all of you, there’s only one bottle in existence.) I’m also a massive incense person and so the CDG Incense Series is almost too wonderful for my pointy pointy nose to bear. Each scent is meant to evoke a different place of worship, and as someone who basically agreed to go to church as a kid just because I could dress “fancy” and it smelled good, this feels like my kind of religion. I already own Avignon, which reminds me of every single cathedral I went to during art history class in Italy—smoky, woody, spicy and also kinda… moldy? But in the best, best possible way. Now I want to try Kyoto, which is described as “a spiritual journey to the serene temples of the city known as Heart of Japan.” It’s got cedar and vetiver and cypress and is also apparently “a meditative scent.” Doesn’t that sound so lovely??

Madewell Men’s Houndstooth Topcoat

I was sweating so much in this picture so either thats a very warm coat or I had a hot flash. Great news either way! Madewell Men’s coat, Howlin sweater (similar style here), vintage Levis, Hereu mules here and here.

I’m extremely on record about loving a good Etsy vintage search. So satisfying! Often so affordable! So I was planning on cuddling up in bed some Sunday morning and staying there until I found the perfect oversized houndstooth coat for winter. I just love a slouchy sloucher, and houndstooth is always good because it’s not boring black or gray (sorry, black and gray fans!) but it’s also not too much color, so you can wear a good one for years and always feel at least somewhat on trend. But then I was meandering around the Madewell Men’s site recently and found this absolute beauty! She’s long, she’s slouchy, she’s Fair Trade Certified! I’m very excited to layer underneath it and add a big fat scarf and call it a day.

VvP’s List:

Camel Pants Of Some Variety From TWP Clothing

“They’re so different.” From left: Styles Pant in Two-Tone Corduroy, Drew Pant in Wool Cashmere Flannel, Didi Pants in Camel Corduroy, Varick Pant in Stretch Velvet.

In preparation for this newsletter, I diligently saved a bunch of links of things I wanted to buy. So when it came time to write (we had assigned ourselves 4-6 picks each), I was feeling soooooo proud of myself and like I had everything ready to go. And then I looked at my links and realized that it was just … pants. Five pairs of pants, more than half of them by the same brand, and also all in camel. So, here we are: camel pants. Apparently I want some! First up are these mid rise, super wide leg, fine wale corduroy trousers by TWP Clothing, a brand I’d never heard of before my sister texted “new line alert! ✨” and a link. I am also very interested in these two-tone camel cords, as well as this pair of wool cashmere flannel ones, and these stretch velvet (vevlet!!) straight legs.

Boxer Pants

These remind me of wearing PJ pants to class in college but waaaaayyyyyy chicer. Commi Si La Boxer Alta in Spritz Stripe on the left, and Donni Pop Pant on the right.

More pants, lol. These ones maybe aren’t the most practical for a New York winter, but I would argue that they’re absolutely perfect for New York fall (or for people who live in more temperate climates and/or people who want to pat themselves on the back come next spring and summer.) Anyway: boxer pants! I can’t remember where I first saw them, probably someone else’s substack or IG, and probably someone who lives in LA, but now I’m seeing them everywhere and I’m jealous. (Update, while editing this, I saw Laurel in a pair, so probably it was her! Hi Laurel!) I don’t even really care that they might be *too* everywhere. They look so cute and so comfy and extremely cool with a chic crewneck or oversized cashmere turtle and great sneaks. I’m trying to decide between this red and pink pair (how FUN) from Comme Si or Donni’s Pop Pants. Both are great.

Howlin’ Lost In Space Corduroy Jacket

I scream, you scream, we all … howlin for this jacket? There’s a reason Jayna and Jenna write the puns for this newsletter.

On a separate text thread that a friend (and reader) took it upon herself to name “TIC HOTLINE 🆘” (sorry, Jenna, we need to add you to it!!!!), Jayna sent through some coat recs for said friend’s boyfriend’s upcoming birthday. Amongst them was a corduroy (yes, more corduroy) coat from Howlin’ in the most perfect burnt sienna color that I now cannot stop thinking about.

Violette Fr’s Yeux Paint in Dieu Bleu

I love this color so much I want to eat it.

I tend to forget about colored makeup in the summer, aside from red lipstick, which is extra fun on the beach. But fall is the time for brown clothes and bright blue eyeliner, namely Violette Fr’s brand spanking new Yeux Paint in Dieu Bleu, the most matte, saturated Yves Klein-y blue I’ve ever seen. Fun fact: I had best artist ever William Scott glam me up for my birthday back in May and sent them all these inspo pics of Ziggy Stardust-inspired Yves Klein-blue eye makeup (including a shot of Violette herself).

Texts with William and/or Exhibit A in I was probably a unicorn in a past life.

We tried to make it work but the blues we tried were all powders which kept falling, so we ended up pivoting to a super metallic version (which was absolutely perfect and made me so, so happy.) But Violette’s is a LIQUID which means no falling and, like all her shades, super pigmented and, like, almost lemony bright. (I know it’s blue and not yellow but I just know you get it.) Anyway, all of this is to say that my love of this shadow color runs deep and I cannot wait to wear big thick swipes of it while dressed like a Big Walnut (see below; just like Jenna, and definitely Jayna) in my camel pants and Howlin coat and giant beanie. Can’t you see it??

JG’s List

J.Crew Denim Mini Skirt

The skirt-centric outfit… J.Crew Skirt, Ficus Folium sweater (sold out, but similar oxblood crewneck here), Everlane Turtleneck, Falke Socks, Weejuns.

…and the fixins. Bradley’s very old Luciano Barbera jacket that I have adopted (similar men’s mac here), Herbs for Relaxation Hat, LL Bean Tote.

I had it in my head that I wanted a crisp dark-wash denim mini skirt when I stumbled across this lil cutie from J.Crew. It has a 2-D, paperdoll-esque shape which makes it feel like something my mom would’ve dressed me in in the late ‘80s, but the vibe is also kind of Love Story-collegiate. (The GOAT of fall style inspo, as we know—can you believe we made it this far without mentioning Ali MacGraw, aren’t you proud of us?!?!?). Let me tell you, it’s been a real style unlocker. I simply swap it in any time my impulse is to wear jeans and, like magic, my outfit feels so much more… outfit-y! I’ve been especially loving wearing it with boyish pieces—big sweaters (more on this below), boxy tees, socks and loafs, and ball caps.

Giant Turtleneck Sweaters

Look at this absolutely delicious looking walnut.

The fact is, when the weather drops even the slightest, a giant cozy coze is the first thing I turn to. Last year, I LIVED in my Cos cashmere turtleneck sweater from Sept through April. (Here is this season’s version. It’s pricey, I know, but it’s the softest softest. I’ve worn mine, truly, a bil tril.) This year, I’m getting ahead of it and adding a couple new turtles into the rotation. I love this delicious looking sloucher from Alex Mill in walnut (actually, I think my fall aesthetic is simply that: dressing like a big Walnut). Less nutty is this one from the Clare Waight Keller Uniqlo collection, which I think has worked its way into every Brooklyn woman’s wardrobe based on the number of times I’ve seen this skirt sashaying down Fulton Street. The sweater has a seriously supersized fit and substantial weight, which I was pleased to discover after I braved the brand’s jam-packed Soho location to feel it out for myself. I decided to go with the periwinkle colorway, which—you can’t realllly tell from the product shot—is actually very speckled!

Cordera … everything?

Did I tell you or did I tell you?! Cutest Cordera looks, starting on the left: Cashmere and Cotton Sweater, Red Long-Sleeve Shirt, Relaxed Pants; On the Right: Cotton Corduroy Blazer, Blue Crewneck, Cotton Corduroy Trousers.

I’m so, so, so into Spanish brand Cordera, which Jayna and Verena know all too well because I text them screenshots of the brand’s fall lookbook with regularity. The label is sustainable and sister-founded and sitting pretty at the tippy top of my wishlist. They make the kind of relaxed-luxe, begging-to-be-layered pieces you spend weeks thinking about because even though they’re perfect, they are expensive. And as The Enforcer, it’s my duty to carefully weigh every big-ticket purchase. Currently on the scales: the brand’s knit turtleneck tees and sweaters, and especially their incredible cords. There’s some sisterhood of the traveling pants shit going on there because they are one-size fits all, but for some reason that makes me even MORE curious to try them? Even Queen of Cords VVP approves!

Sea Finja Combo Top

A true fall trompe l’oeil! Billowy blouse sleeves meet a fair isle-printed knit bodice to create a singular sweater vest-blouse hybrid. It’s weird! But it works! And while I do wish each ‘piece’ could be worn on its own (ugh, the hunt for the perfect standalone sweater vest continues—lol, that’s a bat signal for Jayna to get on eBay), I really appreciate how the pre-styled effect completely takes the guesswork out of having a good outfit day. And, it’s surprisingly very repeatable. Let me show you: