7 Fall Essentials Under $30

New season, new stuff. Problem is, most of us mere mortals don't have enough money to splurge on new clothes and accessories every season. Here, I've compiled 10 great fall essentials that can last you through the season and then some. For $30 and under, you'll get quality and a great price for it.  

1) Leather Leggings

Mimi Chica Faux Leather Leggings, $28, nordstrom.com

Leather is a wardrobe staple, but not all of us can afford to shell out a couple hundred bucks for the real thing! That's why I love BP, Nordstrom's junior section. Not only are their clothes always cute, the majority of them are under $30. As for the more expensive pieces-- they usually drop to a reasonable price when they go on sale. 
These leggings are awesome because they're affordable, trendy, and super versatile. Wear them with a long sweater or a tee and an oversized chambray button down. If you're not that into the legging look, get a faux leather skirt, dress, or jacket instead. The possibilities are endless!

2) Denim/Chambray Shirt

Rubbish Chambray Boyfriend Shirt, $24.90 (on sale), nordstrom.com

Speaking of chambray, another wardrobe staple, BP also has that! I remember when it first got popular last year; I couldn't find one that wasn't $50! Eventually, I settled for an H&M style, but I find this shirt to be much cuter. 
Before we talk about chambray, let's quickly go over the difference between it and its close cousin denim. Denim is a heavier material with a wider range of washes; dark blue and black chambray isn't as popular. Chambray's texture and weight is closer to that of muslin and linen. It's most commonly dyed in light to medium washes, as you can see in the picture above. However, certain places, like Madewell, offer a huge range of options.
Chambray clothes are great for dressing casually and toning down semi-dressy pieces. Shirts seem to be the most common chambray items, but you can also find chambray skirts, dresses, rompers, and even lightweight parkas, among many others. I'd wear this shirt with a lace dress and rugged ankle boots for a girly but tough look.

3) Natural Jewelry

BP. Stone Statement Necklace, $22, nordstrom.com

When it comes to natural jewelry, the best pieces use natural stones like turquoise, jade, or even geode. They're better for investments, though, because they can be pretty expensive. Of course, you can always buy fakes, which can look almost the same, depending on where you buy. I chose not to feature natural stone jewelry here because the smooth texture of this necklace can be easier to style with a wider variety of clothes. I also liked this piece because of the colors. (Sorry about the bad quality of the picture, I can't figure out why it came out that way. The original picture, which you can find by following the link, is much better.) The muted colors are very pretty and keep the potentially cheap-looking plastic material from becoming the focus.

4) Wear-everywhere Sweatshirt

Heathered Zip Front Sweatshirt, $19.80, forever21.com

This essential is a new trend this season. I've seen so many street-style looks that pair a sweatshirt with dressier pieces like leather skirts and clean-front shorts. The general theme I've been seeing is dressing the sweatshirt up just a little. It looks a little off, but the exact balance between casual and dressy gives it a super trendy feel. To pull this off, choose a sweatshirt that's cute, casual and well-fitting with something on there to keep it from getting boring. On the style I featured here, there are zip details. For a really versatile sweatshirt, get one that hits at the hip and has v-shaped stitching detail at the neck. This style by Aerie has the fit and weight I just described, while this one by Gap has the v-shaped stitch. 
Of course, you can also wear sweatshirts where they're supposed to be worn-- at night, on the plane, and with sweatpants. But that's not fashionable, now is it? 

5) Thick-knit Cardigan

Forever 21 'Forever Cool' Colorblocked Cardigan, $24.80, forever21.com

Here's another pick from Forever 21. They're crazy about knitwear! I love chunky cardigans because there's something about thinner cardigans I just don't like. I think it's easier to layer thick knits because they don't make me look bulky. In addition to that, they're warm and stylish. For a versatile knit you can wear with anything, pick a style with a fit similar to the one above and in a color, preferably solid, that goes with the majority of your closet. Black isn't always the answer; for example, if you wear a lot of brights, white will work better because it's also bright. 

6) Sweater

Nasty Gal 'Spell It Out' Knit, $27.20, nastygal.com

You definitely need several of these for a stable fall wardrobe! However, have at least one go-to sweater that you really love. It doesn't have to go with everything unless you want it to. Instead, make everything go with it. Wear it whenever and with whatever you want to. I chose this Nasty Gal sweater for the random letters. They make it it unique but simple. My favorite sweater is an oversized Aztec print knit from BP. I wear it almost every week! 

7) Scarf

'Easy-glowing' Afternoon Circle Scarf, $29.99, modcloth.com

This scarf caught my eye because it's thick knit and cozy for the coming cool weather but also stylish because of the mixed mustard and cream yarn, which keeps it from looking grandma-y. Also, mustard is a great fall color. I'd say this scarf would go best with natural colors. A possible ensemble could be an off-white linen shift, tights, and deep green heels.

So, those were just seven of the many fall essentials on my list! What about you? Let me know in the comments below or in an email to leatherandrouge@gmail.com.