You are making progress in the process of planning and building your fall wardrobe! So far you have: cleaned out your closet, written down everything you have by category, determined what you need in layer one of your fall wardrobe, made a shopping list and started browsing around to find the items on your list. (Haven’t started yet? No problem, you can begin reading here!)

Now we are going to take a look at layer two! This layer builds on the first, expanding on classic garments and moving into classic shoes and accessories. This layer is another foundational one, full of steadfast pieces that will last for years!

Layer Two: Classic Shoes & Accessories

• Shoes and accessories in classic shapes and neutral colors, made of high-quality materials that can last in your wardrobe for years.
• Shoe categories: sneakers, boots, heels, flats
• Accessories categories: bags, belts, hats, scarfs, jewelry, hair accessories
• Neutral Colors: white, cream, beige, tan, brown, navy, black, gray

Cognac Tote Bag | White Sneakers | Gold Hoop Earrings | Cognac Belt | Black Belt (old from TopShop – similar) | Tan Fedora | Necklace | Baseball Cap | Woven Mules (size up 1/2 size) | Black Boots (old from Matisse – similar) | Mary Jane Shoes (sold in whole sizes only so I sized down 1/2 size) | Bracelet | Tan Crossbody Bag

See something you like? You can shop it and support my blog at the same time by purchasing through the affiliate links in this post.

How to Decide What & How Much You Need in Layer Two:

The same strategies apply here that I outlined in my last post.

Always consider your lifestyle and style preferences. What do you have to wear for work? How do you spend your free time? What are your favorite items that you wear over and over and love?

Versatility, versatility, versatility. You want everything in this category to be something that you can wear with a good variety of things in your wardrobe.

Color Variety. Having a range of neutral colors in this category, both warm tones (tan, cream, beige) and cool tones (white, gray, black) gives you the ability to create more variety in your outfits.

Outfit Research. Check Pinterest, Instagram and magazines to find and save style inspiration, and to find exact styles you might want to purchase.

Where I Shop For Classic Shoes & Accessories:

When it comes to buying classic shoes and accessories for this layer, my favorite places to shop are:

NISOLO. This is my favorite brand for classic, leather shoes. The company is based here in Nashville and they offer ethically made, fairly priced, intentionally designed shoes and accessories (i.e. bags, belts, jewelry). I love their mission and their products! Their products are what layer two is all about. I would describe their esthetic as classic meets modern.

Standout favorites: all the shoes

ABLE. This is another brand that is local to Nashville. Their mission is to create transformative opportunities for women by “investing in, training, and educating women so they can earn a living wage, break the cycle of poverty, and thrive.” They started with scarves and have grown into a lifestyle brand offering leather bags, clothes, shoes and jewelry.

Standout favorites: bags, wallets, and jewelry

MADEWELL. I mentioned in my last post that this is one of my favorite stores and that I feel that they excel in both quality and style in every single category that they offer. This is the only brand that I own at least one thing in every category within this layer.

Standout favorites: hats, jewelry, shoes, belts

SMALL SHOPS. Sheena Marshall Jewelry, Natalie Borton, GigiPip

Layer Two Shoes & Accessories in Outfits:

Hat | Jacket (this year’s version) | Tank (old from Target) | Jeans (I sized down one size)

Shirt (old from Old Navy) | Bracelet | Bag | Jeans

Necklace | Belt | Jeans | Earrings | Tank (old from Target) | Sweater Blazer (I sized down one size)

Now that you have solidified your plan for your classic garments (layer one) as well as your classic shoes and accessories (layer two), you can move on to planning your third layer in this buildable fall wardrobe strategy— statement garments! In the next post I will go over what kind of items are in layer three, examples of things I have in this layer, where I shop for things in this layer, and outfit ideas using layer three items!

***This post was originally published on August 22, 2020 and was updated on September 7, 2021.***