What defines a smart shopping investment? Did you wear it more than a few times? Is it a classic piece you can wear for years to come? Will it transfer to the next season? In the past I’ve made some smart shopping investments and I’ve made some poor shopping investments. Below are seven smart fall investments I made last year and seven items I think your closet needs this year. And my prediction, I think each one will carry over to fall 2016 too! So invest now before you have regret not buying it.

The Cuyana Cape

The Cuyana Cape comes in three colors: camel, grey, and black. I bought the grey last year and practically wore it out. I styled it with track pants for a long distance flight, I styled it with a dress in Charleston, I wore it for Christmas. It didn’t matter where I was, I wore this cape. The ways to style it are endless and I am excited to show you all the ways in an upcoming post. For this fall I hope to invest in the black and the camel as I wore the grey so many times last year it only makes sense.

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Over-The-Knee Boots

If there is one thing I remember last year it was how hard I searched for the perfect over-the-knee boot. I even bought these Rachel Zoe’s Nevena boots for far more than I should have spent. And would you believe it, they were too big but I wanted them so badly I wore them anyways (they are currently being sold on my Poshmark). All I wanted was a sleek, suede, pointed-toe boot. So when I came across these Missguided they were almost too good to be true. While the other boots I had found were in the $1K range and these being $80 I couldn’t not try them. When they arrived they were absolutely perfect. Every time I wore them someone asked who made them. They looked far more like a $1K pair than the $80 I had spent. I prayed they would come in black too and when they came out earlier this year I snagged them right away. Now I can’t wait to wear these all fall/winter and into next year too!

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White Coat (or this option)

There are three colors you can always count will be in style: black, blue, and white. White is timeless, chic, and elegant. It is one of my favorite colors to wear year round. It is such a statement to wear white from head-to-toe in the cooler months which is why I recommend always having a white coat on hand. I really like this one and this one for their lightweight and airy feel.

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Ankle Booties

A good ankle bootie never goes out of style so I think every closet should have one. I loved the cutout of this Zara pair but I also found a few below that will be the perfect closet staple.

options // this pair, this pair, this pair, this pair, and this pair.

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Floppy Hat

A floppy hat is so important for a closet. If you think you can’t pull off a hat, try it anyways! They really take any outfit to the next level.

options // this hat (under $30), this hat, this hat, and this hat!

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Grey Coat

Grey is this years black. If you notice the trends you will notice grey is everywhere. And it isn’t going anywhere soon. Invest in a great grey coat and you can wear it with any outfit. That is right, you can wear it with blues, whites, blacks, red’s, and even grey’s!

options //  wearing, robe coat, designer option, high street

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Black Duster

You have been seeing duster coats all over the Internet and in stores. But what is a duster? It is a woman’s loose, lightweight, full-length coat without buttons. I absolutely adore this type of jacket. It is so effortlessly cool. I wear mine non-stop in the cooler months. Throw it on with jeans and sneakers or paired over a dress and heels it is extremely versatile and always chic!