5 Work Outfit Ideas for Easing Into Fall

I know many of us are bummed to let go of summer, but are looking forward to easing back into cozy sweaters and fall layers! I wanted to share a few work outfit ideas for this transitional period as the weather is just starting to cool down. I kept an overall lighter color scheme in these looks but pulled in fall elements like earth tones, knits, suede and tweed for aded texture. For more workwear inspo, check out these posts!

• Feb: 5 business casual outfits. Each of these will work for Fall!
• April: 5 work outfits with flat shoes. Also fall-friendly.
• May: 3 closet staples styled for work vs. casual
• May: 5 business casual outfits using wardrobe basics

1. Sweater Dress + pop of Fall color

A sweater dress is the easiest “one and done” piece to throw on for fall office wear, and you can swap in knee-high boots or tights with ankle booties as the weather cools. With rib knit skirts and dresses like this, I’ve been sizing up to XSP for a less snug fit across the lower belly area. The fabric on this one is very soft and smooth against the skin, and the sleeves have a chic dolman shape.

2. Neutral Wide Leg Trousers + Draped Front Blouse

This time of year I love incorporating deeper hues like olive, rust, and burgundy which still pair well with my usual neutrals. I don’t normally wear this blouse tucked in, since it has a smocked waist that’s easy to style untucked over jeans and pants and is a nice shorter length for petites. The material is a lightweight, draping fabric and the shoulders have a slightly structured shape to give it a little edge. The overall torso is petite-friendly but the sleeves are a little long on me.

As mentioned in my review, FYI these trousers run very long for Short sizing with a 30″ inseam, and I’ll be shortening them with some hemming tape. For trousers in a similar wider leg cut that are about 2 inches shorter, check these out (28″ Short inseam). If you don’t like to wear heels, you can easily swap in ankle pants (my personal favorites are these J.Crew pants with a tailored slim fit, or the lighter weight ankle pants below in outfit #3).

3. Duster Cardigan + Tapered Ankle Pants

4. Crewneck Sweater + Printed Midi Skirt

5. High waist Trousers + Cropped Jacket

Love the flattering effect of a cropped length jacket paired with high rise bottoms. This jacket in petite sizing actually has a truly shrunken & cropped fit even on my 5 foot tall frame. Similar to the other Express trousers above, I’ll be shortening the 30″ inseam on these with some hem tape so they can be worn with lower shoes as well.