Fall Style According to Shopping Expert Sara Walker

Rip & Tan: How does your work influence your style?

Sara Walker: This is a great question. Essentially my style is my work. I have always had a love for fashion. My past work experiences in styling, buying, and merchandising have helped shape my style. I have been able to build a career and brand from my personal style.

For my current work as a content creator, stylist, and fashion consultant, I collaborate with various brands across all categories and I gather inspiration from all the brands and people I work with. My style has evolved over the years in various stages of my life and different jobs. I feel very lucky to have built my current entrepreneurial role from my style!

Rip & Tan: What’s your approach to putting together a new outfit? 

Sara Walker: I try to keep my outfits classic and add one piece that makes the outfit unique. For example, I love jeans and a white t-shirt base, but I will add a fun vintage jacket or an animal print bag to make it more interesting. I think a great outfit starts with a simple base. Sometimes I will base my outfits around a statement pair of shoes or bag but most of the time I start with a simple base and go from there. My absolute go-to outfit is a Canadian tuxedo—it never fails!

Rip & Tan: What fall fashion trends are you loving right now?

Sara Walker: I love the suede trend. Suede is a trend every fall, and for good reason! It goes with everything and adds such a rich texture to any outfit. I love suede in shades of chocolate brown, chestnut, and grey. I also love burgundy for fall. It is so good for sweaters, shoes, bags, jackets…practically everything! Lastly, I love monochromatic looks. I adore a head-to-toe look in the same color palette. For example, I wore a full cream and white outfit for this shoot. Effortless and chic.

Rip & Tan: Do you have any style predictions for 2025? 

Sara Walker: For 2025, I think yellow is here to stay. I love yellow so I am excited to see it trend into 2025—in both butter yellow and more vibrant shades. I also have been seeing designers play with more textures, and I think fringe and beading details will be a big trend for 2025. 

Rip & Tan: What are some questions to ask yourself when you’re shopping?

Sara Walker: When I go shopping, I usually have an idea of what I am looking for or what I need in my closet. If I find something I was not expecting, I will ask myself to imagine three very different ways I would wear it. If I can imagine the piece of clothing styled three different ways, I can justify it—because if I can think of three outfits on the spot, I know I will be able to style it even more ways once it’s in my closet. 

Rip & Tan: What makes a worthwhile investment piece? 

Sara Walker: I love making investments on timeless pieces like a classic bag, blazer, or great pair of jeans. I also think about investing in high-quality sweaters (like Jenni Kayne!) that will stand the test of time. I love a cozy sweater that goes with everything and I can wear every season. These all make worthwhile investment pieces because they are high-quality and classic. A classic piece will never go out of style—and can be worn multiple times, multiple ways, over many years.

Rip & Tan: What’s inspiring you right now?

Sara Walker: I have rediscovered my love for Pinterest—I love scrolling through my curated page for inspiration. I am also working on building out my Substack. I have been looking to Substack for inspiration and I love reading about fashion trends and shopping guides. I also follow a ’90s JCrew account on Instagram that posts vintage images from JCrew magazines in the ’90s, and I find major inspiration on there.