Animal Prints: Fashion's Best Bet For Fall

For many of us fashionistas, Fall is a favorite time of year. Sometime in August I finally give myself permission to dream of skull emblazoned cashmere sweaters, moto jackets, vamp nails and my personal pattern obsession; animal print.

Irregardless of the season, when it comes to pattern, nothing holds a candle to animal prints especially leopard spots. Repeat after me...

They are timeless.

They never go out of style.

Animals prints always look great!

Put an asterisk next to the last note because animal prints, while they work with just about everything, must be chosen judiciously. How many times have we seen someone dressed head to toe in either skin-tight leopard or sloppy zebra, cow-hide and spots all mixed together?

The goal is to look sophisticated and chic, not cheap.

One piece; a chubby faux-fur or great hair-on-hide bag reinforces quality over quantity.

As far as color, classic camel and black camouflage is always appropriate and if you want to change things up occasionally, get adventurous with an unexpected hue. Patten evolution doesn't have to stop there though and if you are like me, you are always looking for ways to reinvent the wheel.

And who better to take on the task than Animalier master, Tom Ford...

Tom recently recreated animal prints in a right-now way that has us again falling head over for the pattern viewed through a neon lens, crystal-embellishment and lusty, irreverent color palettes.

Snakes have also slithered their way back into our closets too thanks in part to Alessandro Michele (brilliantly hired by Tom Ford back in 2002) who uses them in a literal and embossed sense at Gucci. Shown below is actually a men's scarf but throw this on with a sequin pencil skirt or skinny black jeans for instant feminine glam.

Let us not forget finishing touches like footwear especially sneakers that continue to dominate the spotlight, reinforcing luxe atheleisure.

Designer kicks are everywhere lately but a lesser known name, Golden Goose (who has actually been around for nearly 20 years) has emerged as the unpolished favorite and they are available in animal prints!

Another GG detail I adore even more is the distressed, destroyed look.

Most of can't justify $400+ for a pair of intentionally scuffed shoes, however.

I am linking How to Dupe Golden Goose here...

Ending on a practical note, if you can only justify one animal accessory this season, make it a pair of leopard print heels or booties. They will serve as a wardrobe workhorse this year and beyond.

Choose a 'hair-on-hide' style. It looks and feels more expensive.

Also, opt for an average sized heel and strap to keep the proportions from looking trendy.

These smart, sassy block-heeled sandals from Steve Madden are a no-brainer.