You may have heard that red is a hot color this season, and I am personally loving it! To give you some ideas for how to play with red this season, I’m sharing nine outfit ideas for how to wear red this fall!
I’ve always found red to be a bit challenging for myself, but when I got my colors done by Color Guru earlier this year, it clarified which shades of red work best for me, and now it’s so easy to find a red I feel great in! I can just focus on the shades that work for me and ignore everything else! (Read more about my experience with Color Guru HERE. Or click here for all their packages and use code PMTCOLOR to get 10% off.)
First, if you’re looking for red items, I’ll share a roundup of fun red finds at the bottom of this post that I recently shared to my PMT Email list. If you’re not subscribed to PMT Emails, you can sign up here. On Fridays I email extra sales and finds to our subscribers!
Now, how to wear red this fall! There are truly infinite ways to wear red, from big to small, and I’ll just share a few today to give you ideas. Then, you can go play with the color and see what you come up with!
SIZING: I’m 5’6” and usually S/M or 6 in clothes and 8.5 to 9 in shoes.
1. Print Top w/ Red + Jeans + Red Accents
One of my favorite recommendations for how to wear red this fall is to utilize color pulling! Color pulling is when you wear a printed item, pull out a color from the print, and incorporate that color elsewhere in your outfit. In this case, I have a tee with red flowers, so I pulled out the red and echoed it in my earrings and shoes. This “color pulling” strategy makes it super easy to create cohesive outfits. The print ties everything together for you!
This tee is a great piece that makes incorporating red into your outfits a piece of cake. And it’s only $11.99, HERE! I sized up to M for a more relaxed fit, but a PMT Style Club member said she stuck with her normal size for a closer fit.
I paired the tee with these straight leg jeans, which I reviewed recently from J.Crew Factory (HERE). They are sturdy, providing a clean, tailored look, but they are really stretchy! I’m happy to report that while they do stretch out a tad at the knees throughout the day, it’s not nearly as bad as many other stretchy pairs of straight leg jeans I’ve tried. What you see here is after a full day of wearing them. Find them HERE. I sized down to 27 and am wearing the colorway Evening Indigo Wash. Heads up? I’m not sure how the other colorways feel as they look slightly different with a raw hem! I can only speak for this colorway.
Shop the Outfit:
Top: Kohl’s (exact—wearing size M)
Jeans: J.Crew Factory (exact—wearing size 27)
Shoes: Target (exact—wearing size 9)
Earrings: Nickel & Suede (exact—use code PUTTINGMETOGETHER5)
2. Brown Sweater + Ecru Trousers + Red Bookends
Another great way to add red is to use “bookending,” where you echo the same color somewhere on the top half as you do on the bottom half. My favorite way to do this is with earrings and shoes, like I’m doing here! (And you’ll see a LOT of this throughout the post!)
Unlike the previous outfit, there’s no other red in my outfit. But bookending helps your eye create a full circle from top to bottom, closing the loop and pulling it together.
These wide leg trousers are a great, affordable option from Old Navy. They’re comfortable with a little piece of elastic in the back, and they come in straight, petite, plus, and tall sizes, HERE! I’m wearing size S.
Shop the Outfit:
Sweater: Kohl’s (exact—wearing size M)
Pants: Old Navy (exact—wearing size S)
Shoes: Target (exact—wearing size 9)
Earrings: Nickel & Suede (exact—use code PUTTINGMETOGETHER5)
3. Brown Sweater + Jeans + Red Bookends
Here’s the same principle applied to a different outfit. I just swapped the ecru trousers for the straight leg medium wash jeans!
This sweater is lightweight and great for early fall and warmer temps, and it’s super affordable. Most importantly, it’s one of the 40+ tops you don’t have to tuck, making it fuss-free to wear!
Shop the Outfit:
Sweater: Kohl’s (exact—wearing size M)
Jeans: J.Crew Factory (exact—wearing size 27)
Shoes: Target (exact—wearing size 9)
Earrings: Nickel & Suede (exact—use code PUTTINGMETOGETHER5)
4. Tee + Red Blazer + Jeans + White Sneakers
One of the most fun outfit ideas for how to wear red this fall is to make a statement with a red blazer! This blazer has the longer, modern cut. It’s really lightweight, and I love its slightly relaxed cut. This comes in TONS of colors, HERE! I’m wearing size S.
This tee is a fun find that works perfectly with red! Catch it HERE. I’m wearing size S. You could also wear this red blazer with a plain white tee instead!
Finish off this outft with flats, or wear it as a fun snappy casual outfit with lifestyle sneakers.
Shop the Outfit:
Blazer: Amazon (exact—wearing size S)
Tee: J.Crew Factory (exact—wearing size S)
Jeans: J.Crew Factory (exact—wearing size 27)
Shoes: Nordstrom Rack (exact—wearing size 8.5)
5. Print Top w/ Red + Olive Pants + Red Accents
Have you paired red with olive? It’s a fun combo! This is the same top as outfit #1, but I swapped the jeans for olive chinos instead.
These olive chinos are an Old Navy favorite — affordable and surprisingly comfortable. Available in straight, petite, plus, and tall HERE. I’m wearing size 4.
BTW these earrings are from Nickel & Suede, my favorite place for statement earrings! Their earrings are made of leather, are soooo lightweight and comfortable to wear, and are fantastic quality. I’ve been wearing Nickel & Suede earrings since 2013, and they’ve truly changed my life! You can find the pair I’m wearing HERE. You can shop all of Nickel & Suede’s many styles HERE and use code PUTTINGMETOGETHER5 to get $5 off your order.
These shoes are a fun $30 find, and for that price they’re pretty comfortable! They allow you to play with a super popular trend in a low-risk and affordable way! Find them HERE. Wearing size 9.
Shop the Outfit:
Top: Kohl’s (exact—wearing size M)
Pants: Old Navy (exact—wearing size 4)
Shoes: Target (exact—wearing size 9)
Earrings: Nickel & Suede (exact—use code PUTTINGMETOGETHER5)
6. Red Sweater + Jeans
You can also simply wear a red sweater! Mine is old and no longer available, but I’ll share more in the widget at the bottom of this post.
The girlfriend jeans in the first picture are great! They are sturdy but have some stretch, and most importantly, they are especially good if you have curvy hips and thighs and a narrower waist (pear and hourglass shapes). I love them and so do plenty of other PMTers! If you’re in the market for good girlfriend jeans, give them a try HERE. I prefer to size down to 4 in them as these do stretch out a BIT throughout the day, and I also prefer my girlfriend jeans to look a bit more fitted.
The flare jeans jeans in the second picture are a PMT favorite from last year. They’re available again, but in different colorways, including a darker wash that I’ve shown recently on the blog HERE. These jeans are soft, comfortable, and really affordable. You can often find them under $32, and for that price, they’re a STEAL! Find them HERE. I wear size 6.
Shop the Outfit:
Sweater: (similar)
Girlfriend Jeans: Nordstrom: (exact—wearing size 4)
Flare Jeans: Kohl’s (exact—wearing size 6)
Boots #1: Nordstrom (exact, but available in other colors)
Boots #2: Nordstrom (similar)
Earrings: Amazon (exact—wearing 30mm)
Necklace: Nordstrom (exact; nearly identical—but way more affordable!)
7. Red-Based Print Top + Jeans
If all-red is too much for you, you can break it up by wearing a red-based top with a print, like the one I’m wearing here! This top is silky and flowy and comes in TONS of colors, HERE. I wear this in size S.
This pair of wide leg jeans is an affordable option that’s worth checking out if you need some jeans! They come in several washes and in straight, petite, plus, and tall sizing! They’re really lightweight and pretty soft. Find them HERE. I’m wearing size 6.
Also, these boots are my go-to pair for dressier outfits. They have a really tall heel, so I don’t wear them for everyday. But what I LOVE about them is how rich the cognac color is, how the square toe dresses up and polishes off outfits without being super pointy or overly dressy, and how they have a TALL and NARROW shaft, so they fit really well under the slimmest straight leg pants — including ankle length — and all other styles of jeans! You can wear them with just about any pair of jeans and work pants. So, so versatile! Find them HERE. I wear size 9.
Shop the Outfit:
Top: Amazon (exact—wearing size S)
Jeans: Old Navy (exact—wearing size 6)
Boots: Amazon (exact—wearing size 9)
8. Print Top w/ Red + Black Pants + Red Accents
I love this outfit! I’m again utilizing color pulling and bookending together. (I told you you’d be seeing the red earrings + red shoes combo a ton!) This is seriously one of the easiest outfit ideas for how to wear red this fall, and it looks so stylish.
These black wide leg ponte pants are SOOOO COMFORTABLE! Soooo STRETCHY and soft! They’re thick, so they look polished, but they’re extremely comfortable. Find them HERE. I’m wearing size 6.
I topped it off with a denim jacket! This one is very sturdy but stretchy and comfortable to wear. And it’s affordable for how good it feels! Check it out HERE. I wear size S.
Shop the Outfit:
Top: (similar)
Pants: Kohl’s (exact—wearing size 6)
Jacket: Kohl’s (exact—wearing size S)
Shoes: Target (exact—wearing size 9)
Earrings: Nickel & Suede (exact—use code PUTTINGMETOGETHER5)
9. Printed Skirt + Sweater + Boots
Anyone remember this skirt? It was a PMT favorite a couple of years ago and is still available! It’s super lightweight and silky smooth, and it has a fully elastic waistband. Comes in lots of colorways and is only $39.99, HERE! I sized up to M. Even though it has a fully elastic waistband, size S felt snug. One note is that it shrinks in the wash, but it can be expanded back out by a steamer (as is possible with most garments).
For a fall look I “color pulled” the white from the skirt’s print and added a cream sweater. Then, I went with lighter tan boots.
Midi skirts are a bit tough for me to wear with boots, but wearing heeled, pointed toe boots helps lengthen the leg line.
Both my sweater and boots are old and no longer available, but you can find similar ones in the links below.
Shop the Outfit:
Sweater: (similar)
Skirt: Amazon (exact—wearing size M)
Boots: (similar)
Earrings: Amazon (exact—wearing 30mm)
Necklace: Nordstrom (exact; nearly identical—but way more affordable!)
Again, there are a million ways you can wear red, whether it’s in small doses or big splashes. I hope this gives you some ideas for how you can play with the color in a way that’s right for you. Have fun!
Shop Red Items for Fall:
Fall Wardrobe & Outfit Guide
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