1. Riding Boots.
Mother. Fucking. Riding. Boots.
I don’t know if you can have a fetish for clothes, but if you can, I am rifling regularly through YouPorn looking for clips of a pair of well-worn brown riding boots with skinny jeans neatly tucked into them. They are just truly the perfect shoe, so easy to dress up or down, so easy to meld into nearly any outfit, of almost any color scheme. If you don’t have a good pair of brown riding boots (one of the few items you should absolutely invest in in terms of quality), you might as well just quit your whole life, as you have already decided to have a lackluster autumn.
2. A cable-knit sweater.
I know that, on many of us, a chunky cable-knit sweater can have a tendency to make us look like a particularly lumpy russet potato. But when you find that perfect crew-neck beauty that hits the perfect balance between casual, elegant, and well-fitting, you will want to live in it for the rest of your natural-born life.
3. Skinny jeans.
If you don’t have that pair of skinny jeans — the dark ones with the sober-yet-chic medium wash, as seen here — what the hell are you going to crisply tuck into your boots? Your hopes and dreams??? I think not. Your boots (and your chunky sweaters) call for that quintessential pair of skinny jeans. Don’t let your legs go uncovered, for they deserve every bit of your denimy love.
4. An infinity scarf.
I know, right off the bat, that this one is going to be controversial. Not everyone likes leopard, but I maintain that a little splash of leopard print here or there is one of the best ways to spice up an otherwise-neutral fall outfit. But even if you would rather leave this pattern at the door, you can’t deny that an infinity scarf is an autumn girl’s best friend. It’s just so easy to put on, so puffy, so comfortable. It’s like a lion’s mane of fluffy fall chic, and everyone needs one (especially given how cheap they are — that one is only 14 bucks!).
5. The perfect messy bun.
As soon as any of you find the technique to master the perfect messy bun — the one that looks at once completely unfussy and perfectly elegant — please let me know, so that I can make you sing into a shell and steal your powers forever. Because that shit simply escapes my grasp.
6. A leaf necklace.
What says? “I fully welcome this season, someone please hand me a latté that is liberally sprinkled with cinnamon” quite like the gold leaf necklace? The answer to that question is nothing.
7. A denim jacket.
Once you achieve that perfect denim jacket swag, perfectly faded (maybe even slightly frayed), malleable enough to cuff easily, and so well-fitting that it slips perfectly over any top without making you look like a strangely angular kidney bean, your whole fall can just be put on cruise control. Layered over a classic cardigan, it gives that perfect level of “Yeah, I just woke up looking up this perfect, what of it?” that nearly nothing else can achieve.
8. A little sweater dress.
No, your eyes do not deceive you, that is indeed a CARDIGAN DRESS. Yes, I know, it is too perfect to look at. Don’t stare too long, unless you can look through one of those pinholes cut in a cardboard box. Let’s hold hands, we’ll all get through this together. Breathe.
9. The perfect leather jacket.
It is my theory that many a girl has died on the seemingly-lifelong quest for the perfect brown leather jacket that does not cost a squillion dollars. Here’s to the fallen.
10. A white button-down shirt.
If you’re not layering your outfits with the perfect white button-down, you’re layering it with failure.
11. Something plaid.
I apologize for the fact that this skirt is ricockulously expensive, but just let it be your inspiration, as it is so beautiful. If you don’t integrate at least one plaid thing — even a hairband, if need be — into your fall wardrobe, you have missed the opportunity for the greatest seasonal pattern of all time. We all deserve that.
12. Knit socks.
Ignoring American Apparel’s insanely sexual sample photos, because lol, can we talk about how adorable thigh-high knit socks are? They are just so incredibly cute and pretty and sexy at the same time, PLUS they keep your leggies warm in their flawless cuteness. How could you not want at least three pairs? Come on.
13. A brown leather bag.
And what is any season if you don’t have the perfect bag to tote around all of your useless shit in with style? I need my tissues, my makeup bag, my notebook, my phone, my wallet, my keys, the random assortment of gum and hard candies, my umbrella, my receipts that I somehow haven’t thrown away yet, my lady accoutrements, and all of that other crucial nonsense at all times. And I know you do, too. So it’s essential to top it all off with the perfect brown leather bag that is big enough to hold your whole life. 
