Fall staples + how to get hats to stay on your head

I sometimes hear pairing brown with black (also navy with black) as a “don’t” and can’t imagine why! I think the two work together harmoniously, which inspired this outfit comprised of four of my favorite neutrals.

This outfit prompted me to also share a little tip I’ve been using to keep hats secure on your head! After having one too many gusts of wind leave me chasing after a hat, I came up with these super easy hairpin loops made of thin elastic. Simple sew two (one near each ear) pieces of elastic by hand into the interior of a hat band, and use them as loops to secure bobby pins to. If needs be, seal the cut edges of the elastic with clear nail polish to prevent fraying. I am slowly in the process of adding these to all my hats, especially the lightweight ones from summer!

Black skinny jeans are high up on my fall/winter staples list, as they’re so flattering especially with booties. This J.Brand pair is an old favorite of mine…. It’s a high-waisted style that fully covers my lower belly, which some may be averse to but in my older age I love how it holds everything in and flattens that area. The material of these in “vanity” is a substantial-weight denim (please note that I’ve found materials to be quite varied based on the color code, even within the same style from the same brand). Color is a regular black, not as jet black as these photos depict.