Guest Curator: Erica Hanks's Favorite Picks for Fall 2016

From leather to layers, fall fashion inspires us to welcome the arrival of autumn with open closets. With so many chic new options to choose from at our favorite shops, we asked Charlotte-based stylist Erica Hanks to help keep us focused by sharing her top picks for the season. Here are her recommendations, along with our suggestions for where to find the looks locally throughout the TSG network:

  1. Pearls. This Southern staple is reworked this season in jewelry, bags, shoes, and clothing. I love how the Chloé earrings featured above give a modern makeover to tradition. Get the look with these estate goldfill and pearl drop earrings available from Croghan’s Jewel Box in Charleston, South Carolina.
  2. Florals. For a romantic touch, mix a little florals in with your fall leather. The printed washed-silk maxi by Equipment is perfect for pulling off the contrast. Get the look with an Etro floral print midi dress available from Marissa Collections in Naples, Florida.
  3. Fur. Any color and way to wear it goes this autumn. While it won’t get cold enough for a fur coat in the South until winter, we can totally embrace the touch-of-fur-draped-over-one-shoulder look with Brock Collection’s fox fur scarf as a modern way to wear the trend. Get the look with this Two Penny Blue ‘Gigi’ fur stole available from Patricia Finds in Pinehurst, North Carolina.
  4. Velvet. This is one of my favorite trends this season! What is usually reserved for evening is now apropos for day. The trick is to wear velvet in small doses and to mix it with your casual wear, whether it be a blazer, handbag, or shoe like the Saint Laurent sandals shown above. Get the look with this pair of Rupert Sanderson pointed toe pumps available from Capitol in Charlotte, North Carolina.
  5. Mini bags. Small bags that are light and minimal are perfect for the woman on the go. Chloé’s mini leather shoulder bag in mustard is a perfect example—plus a top fall color this year—that you can wear through summer as well. Get the look with this Chloé handbag available from Vermillion in Raleigh, North Carolina.
  6.  Military-Style Jackets. Mix this masculine aesthetic embodied in  the Philosophy Di Lorenzo Serafini jacket shown above with feminine pieces like dresses and skirts to balance out the look, or go edgy and style it with leather or denim. Get the look with an Admiral Overcoat by Tibi available from Hampden Clothing in Charleston, South Carolina.
  7. Neckwear. Chokers, skinny scarves (a la Givenchy’s printed silk version above), and basically anything that will add a little bohemian rocker to your basic look can be a perfect finishing touch. Get the look with a Sabina Savage botanical scarf available from Scarpa in Charlottesville, Virginia.
  8. Metallics. Instead of a neutral, add interest in a metallic shoe—like the Laurence Dacade ankle boot featured above—bag, or coat. Get the look with Anine Bing boot available from Clover in New Orleans, Louisiana.

ERICA HANKS is a wardrobe stylist whose work extends beyond her group of professionals, athletes, and well-known men and women across the country to commercial and editorial wardrobe styling for corporate companies, national campaigns, catalogs, TV segments and magazines. Her personal clients have been featured in national and international media outlets such as The Huffington Post, Vogue TV, Marie Claire, and the UK’s Daily Mail. Erica lives in Charlotte, NC, with her husband and children.

Photo of Erica Hanks by Angela Cox.

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