I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This “get the look” Sears shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias (#cbias) and their client.

Cool mornings have arrived in Chattanooga! It actually makes for a confusing time of year in terms of wardrobe, because there will often be a 30-40 degree shift in temperatures from the time I take my 4-year-old to preschool in the morning to the time when my husband gets home from work for the day.

But even if I can only sport my fall fashion pieces for a few hours each morning, I’ll take it! I recently brought down all of my long-sleeve clothes from the attic and assessed what I needed to purchase to bring my look up to date.

Trendy Jackets Change Your Look

I think one of the smartest places to get maximum bang for your buck with your fall/winter wardrobe is with your jackets and coats. Buying a trendy coat can help you look very current without having to commit to a wardrobe overhaul. And right now, Sears has some jackets that are right on trend with a price tag that is very doable! I spent some time checking out 2013 fashion trends to see how I could get my look updated.

Brass and Leather

I decided to step outside of my comfort zone this year and try out a look that is a bit more edgy. I have noticed that brass detailing is in, and so is leather. I don’t usually wear either, but I discovered a cute jacket that incorporated both looks!

This is the Triple Star Coachman Jacket, currently on sale for $56.99. It actually doesn’t have any leather on it at all, but from a distance, one would think that it did.

Why This Look Works for Me

This is a really nice jacket for anyone who wants to show off (or even create) an hourglass shape. The zipper is curvy, and jacket has a fit and flare look about it, which is actually quite a feminine touch on an otherwise “harder” look. And this is precisely why I feel comfortable pulling off this very trendy look. I’m actually getting to do it on my terms, thanks to this jacket! Fit and flare is one of my very favorite styles, and I just love that I found it on this jacket!

I also appreciate attention to detail, and I was drawn to the detailed hardware on this piece. Pardon the pun, but I thought gave the jacket a polished look!

How to Style a Biker-Chic Jacket

When I went shopping at Sears, I wanted to find a few other fun and trendy pieces that I could pair with what I am calling my “biker-chic” jacket. And I went for two trends that I never would have thought I could pull off: leather pants and printed pants.

But come and see….everything turned out great!

For the leather pants, just remember that you don’t have to go all the way with this trend. I thought these pants with a faux leather stripe down the side gave enough of a nod to leather without making me uncomfortable. And in fact, they were VERY comfortable. And the stripe is figure-flattering, in my opinion. The price was also fantastic: $22.79! And they come in petite, so I don’t have to get them altered. I felt like a chic New Yorker in my black-on-black outfit. I pulled off two new-to-me trends in one outfit, and I still felt like myself in it. Very nice!

Houndstooth Pants

Ok, so houndstooth is really big right now, and so are printed pants. So I decided to roll the dice and go for some houndstooth printed pants. I would have totally yelled at myself for making this purchase even a year ago. I’m petite, yet not exactly tiny, so how in the world could I pull off a print like this on my bottom half???

I thought the jacket I purchased would be a fun pairing with them. Since the jacket covers up quite a bit of me, pairing it with my houndstooth pants is a great way to ease into wearing a pattern like this. I love how they are just peeking out, giving others a glimpse at my trendy look.

But I actually loved the look enough to feel very comfortable taking off my jacket. I paired the pants with a black turtleneck (same one as the leather stripe pants, actually) and I added a long strand of pearls. Houndstooth is such a preppy fabric, that it only seemed right to do so! 🙂

#ThisisStyle: Get the Look

If you are looking for a few new pieces to update your wardrobe this season Sears has a whole section of their website called searsStyle, that is devoted to the latest trends. They even have a “chic on a shoestring” section, which I adore. They are really committed to helping us get the look for less! I also really recommend following @searsStyle on Instagram for the very latest pics showing what is happening at Sears!

One of my other favorite sources of inspiration is this Pinterest board, which includes styled looks from Sears put together by real women, just like you and me! I have gotten some really good ideas from these ladies! Definitely peruse it and see what you can find there.

 Shop Your Way

And please don’t forget about the Shop Your Way rewards program. I know many of you are already members, but if you aren’t yet, it is totally free to sign up and the rewards are sweet! For example, when I was shopping online earlier this week, upon logging in to my SYW rewards account, I was immediately credited with $7 to use in the store. Just because! Why yes, I will take that $7…thank you! I also earned points when I made my purchase, and those points will give me credit toward future purchases. Basically, Shop Your Way is the gift that keeps on giving!

I’d love to hear which of the 2013 fashion trends you are going to try out this fall! What did you think of the looks I put together?