Here’s the truth: I love, love, love that all-suede-everything is in this fall. Suede shoes? I have five pairs. Suede culottes? Yep, I’m super down. A suede dress — that was a no-brainer. And the hunt for the right one was as easy as stumbling into Urban Outfitters and picking up *this* beauty: a fawn-colored, faux-suede shift dress with sexy side cutouts. It was trendy (hello, Mod!) but toned-down enough (my first thought was “my little black crop top would look really good underneath”). And, most importantly, easy feeling — not stiff and sticky like a genuine suede piece. Sold.
When I wore it to work the next day, I was overwhelmed with compliments (I think mostly people noticed I wasn’t wearing all black), but I was always told “that’s something you could pull off.” Truth be told, I don’t particularly like that train of thought. To me, anyone can put their own personal spin on a trend if they approach it with an open mind, especially when, this time, the garment in question is the piece every fashion girl has on her fall style wish lists. So, to prove that anyone can get in on fall’s biggest trend, I asked five women at Brit + Co to style the faux-suede dress like they owned it. Read their stories and see the pics for inspo below.
Sarah Vogt, Commerce Marketing Associate
Before: What Were Your First Impressions?
“I was excited for the opportunity to bring my style to a piece. It’s definitely a dress I’d pick up and wear — It wasn’t too short, but it still had the openings on the side that made it feel sexy and feminine. Plus, I love high collars.”
“My first thought when thinking about styling the dress was the color — I actually don’t wear a lot of brown. Mostly because I never have the right shoes to go along with it. But then I thought (even though I know some feel it’s a little taboo) that I like the idea of brown and black together, and knew right then that I could pull that off. So, after work, I went into my closet and grabbed a few items — textured tights, black booties, a bralette, a long gold necklace and my signature scarf. You can usually find me wearing a scarf (#cozygirlforlife).”
After: How Did You Feel When You Finally Wore the Dress?
“I felt great! I loved that it was still conservative but also had the edginess with the open sides. It also felt a little mod/retro, which I’m definitely a fan of and was the reason why I decided to wear a high ponytail. Suede can be hard sometimes, but I’m definitely open to wearing suede (I have suede booties!) this fall and IRL. Especially if it’s the right piece and you feel good in it. Which is really what fashion all about, right?”
Misty Spinney, Beauty Editor
Before: What Were Your First Impressions?
“I first saw Kate wearing this dress one day in the office and said to her ‘Holy CRAP! That dress is awesome, you should totally do a how-to-style-this-dress post.’ When she took it to the next level and asked us to style it ourselves, I was stoked! I felt like I was getting to borrow the dress and rock it even if it was just for a few photos. My mind immediately came up with all sorts of ways to style this outfit, but I ended up keeping it in alignment with my personal fashion roots — comfortable, playful and unexpected.”
After: How Did You Feel When You Finally Wore the Dress?
“When I put everything together, I was going for a boho-goddess vibe (because who doesn’t want to feel like that?!). I was happy with everything I had on and how it came together.”
Krystle Cho, Designer
Before: What Were Your First Impressions?
“When I saw the dress, I was like, brown and mod are not a part of my personal style, but I was up for the fun challenge — I love getting creative with styles I don’t typically wear. I would not wear this dress un-styled; it would make me just blend into the background. So, I started flipping through my closet app, Looks, on my phone immediately to see what cute colors, shapes and patterns I had to work with brown. I definitely needed contrast! So I picked a white crop top with a black peter pan color to wear underneath, then added super long ombre tassel earrings to add in movement and fun! The final touch was my maroon wide-brim hat that worked perfectly with the color palette.”
After: How Did You Feel When You Finally Wore the Dress?
“I felt really hip and didn’t think that was possible in a simple suede dress. I love the side cutouts and thought the white top really showed that off. I love a style that calls attention without being overtly sexy. In my head, I felt like I could walk into work in this outfit and turn a head, maybe two ;)”
Rosee Canfield, Junior Designer
Before: What Were Your First Impressions?
“I felt really excited when I was first asked to wear and style this dress… but felt like I was in for a little challenge. It definitely fits easily into my personal style, but I don’t think it would be something that I would see and think to layer with. I first saw the dress on Kate, and I legitimately stopped her and was like ‘Whoa!’ I liked how simple the silhouette of the dress was but how it had other elements that made it unique: the suede material, the high neck and the cut-outs on the side. I really love pieces that can be a bit more daring without being over the top — keyholes, cutouts and low backs are always preferred rather than anything short or super low-cut.”
“When I first began to brainstorm ways to style the dress, I knew that I wanted to layer something with it to try out something ‘work appropriate’ and suited for fall in San Francisco. I wanted to make sure the cutouts were still seen, so I wanted to try laying something under it, rather than on top. To keep true to my own personal style, which ranges from what I would call understated boho to girlish tomboy, I either wanted something with a billowy sleeve or a collar peeking out of the top. I bought a couple tops to try with it and it was a bit of a process! A few of my tops actually ended up making it look like A Very Brady Outfit or something one of the Scooby Doo gang would wear. It still felt like ‘me’ but I wasn’t sure if it would look like I was dressing up for one of our Halloween photo shoots.”
After: How Did You Feel When You Finally Wore the Dress?
“I finally decided on a mostly orange paisley printed blouse from Forever 21 — something I have had since high school! I love the slightly bubbled sleeves and thought the color palette paired really well with the suede. I added a pair of leather Mary Jane sandals (my go-to shoe, the most comfortable!) and a Goorin Brothers felt hat. Once my outfit was put together, I felt great! I was definitely a little skeptical at first and wasn’t sure if it was coming across like I was reaching too much for a flowerchild vibe, but I really liked the things I was wearing, and at the end of the day, Kate reassured me that that is all that matters! Final thoughts: I am made for suede. I love the texture and how much it stands out. I will definitely be looking to incorporate some suede into my wardrobe this fall. Who knows, I may even try to get my hands on this same dress?!”
Cecelia Cox, Head of Marketing
Before: What Were Your First Impressions?
“When Kate asked me to wear this suede dress I thought, me? Rock suede?! She gave me tons of style ideas, but I just couldn’t decide. Finally she just said some version of “you do you, Cecelia,” and it clicked. My style is simple, so my interpretation will be simple — not tons of layers or jewelry — just simple. That’s where I landed. I grabbed my favorite cuff and my I-can-wear-these-all-day heels, and voilà.”
“On top of that, I really wanted something I could wear at work or at night. So often I leave the house at 8am for work and don’t get home until after 10pm — I need an outfit that transitions from work to cocktails. Just throw a jacket over this look and you can pull it off at the office. Take it off and you’re ready for dinner out. That’s what I aimed for.”
After: How Did You Feel When You Finally Wore the Dress?
“At first I felt a little self conscious wearing the dress. The cutouts are a little edgy for me, but I got used to it :) Plus I absolutely love how comfortable this dress is. It’s so easy to wear and, for me, comfort is confidence. I’m totally sold on suede. I might even snag a suede dress for myself as long as it meets that comfortable criteria.”
What’s your take on the suede trend for fall? Tell us how you’re planning to wear it in the comments below.
