Fall is one of my favourite seasons for many reasons. I won’t bore you with all of them because we’d be here all day, but between sweater weather, falling leaves, and pumpkin spiced lattes, is all the shopping that comes with the crisp, turning weather. While I always have wardrobe essentials hanging in my closet, I’m always on the hunt for new pieces that can help revamp and spice up my fall wardrobe. That’s why when I was challenged to update my fall wardrobe for $250 at Square One, I was super excited to get started.
Located in Mississauga, Square One isn’t the same mall that folks may recall from days past. Square One is Ontario’s largest shopping centre as its 2.2 million square feet. The mall is known as a tourist destination and it’s even open on statutory holidays. In addition to having a fabulous assortment of stores for the whole family, Square One recently opened its Food District that houses a variety of popular restaurants and even hosts cooking classes.
When I set out to complete this fall wardrobe shopping challenge at Square One, I wasn’t quite sure where to start. Should I hit my tried and true mall faves like Zara and H&M, or do I experiment and check out stores that I didn’t shop as often? With the huge store selection that Square One has, I decided to give the more lesser-loved (to me) stores a go.
The first store I popped into was Ann Taylor and if you’re thinking that it’s just a store for those who work in an office, then think again. While Ann Taylor does have a brilliant selection of workplace staples, what you need to know is that’s not where its offerings stop. The store also houses beautiful sweaters, shoes, jewellery, luxe coats, dresses, and more. The first thing I noticed upon walking into the store was a cheetah-print cardigan on one of the mannequins.
After feeling how cozy and soft the fabric was, I knew I had to have it. Not only would this cardi be great over a turtleneck for those super cold winter days, but on more mild days it would look fab over a simple tee. This was definitely the item I was most excited to add into my fall wardrobe.
The sweater was originally priced at $192, I scored it on sale for just $97.
The next store I decided to peruse was Aritzia. Even though I don’t shop at Aritzia as often as I used to, it’s a store that I’ll always pop into. While I didn’t find any clothes here, I did find a fabulous wide brim wool hat that I absolutely fell hard for. I wouldn’t necessarily call myself a hat person, but I do have a straw hat that I love to wear in the summer, and I’ve always wanted a great fall hat. In my crazy new hat excitement, I forgot to catch a pic of the hat in-store but I wore it (and my new Ann Taylor cardigan) to a media event the next day and got lots of compliments!
The hat retailed for $48.
Next on my list was a pair of jeans and after trying on denim in a few stores to no avail, I decided to head into one of my mall staple stores, Zara, to see if there was anything for me. I tried on a few pairs of different styles, and one that really worked well for me was the retailer’s Mom Jean cut. In addition to the high waist, a straight cut is most flattering on me, and I love that the jeans weren’t too long on my petite frame. Best of all, these jeans were just $45.
It wasn’t just a pair of jeans that I copped at Zara. I also managed to find a beautiful black bucket bag, too. One thing you should know about me, if it’s not obvious already, is that I always gravitate toward black clothes and accessories. I’m not saying that I only wear all black, but I really have to make a conscious effort to wear a pop of colour. Going with this pattern, my go colour for accessories is black and that’s why I opted for this chic purse instead of a bright red one that I saw in-store as well.
If you can believe it, this super expensive looking bag costs only $45!
One thing about Square One that you need to know is that there’s a huge Simons store. The only other Simons location in Ontario is in Ottawa, so if you’re not down for a road trip, this is the mall to come to.
Last on my fall shopping list was those trendy pearl barrettes that I’ve seen all over Instagram lately. Knowing that Simons houses a vast selection of trend forward items from designer apparel and handbags, to dresses and fabulous jackets, I knew that it would have exactly what I was on the hunt for. And I was right.
I found these super cute barrettes and they retailed for just $15.
In addition having a really strong store selection, Square One is a very beautiful mall to stroll around. In case you were keeping up with my total, I came in right at my budget which was $250, which for me is a very successful experience shopping for my fall wardrobe.
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