Runway to Reality

With our Fall investment bag wish list all set, we're zeroing in on the season's other big accessory trends — starting with jewelry (and how to get it for less). First up is Fall's hard-to-ignore natural world trend. We saw a bevy of gorgeous baubles that seemed to draw inspiration from Mother Nature, and each had its own exquisite touch. Whether it was Chanel's rough-cut mineral bangles, Gucci's flirty butterfly chokers, or Giambattista Valli's over-the-top gold leaf necklace, designers were undoubtedly inspired by the great outdoors. Flora and fauna themes crept into necklaces and rings, and insects also played a big part in the trend, with Oscar de la Renta and Prabal Gurung incorporating buggy bits into their collections. We've rounded up 23 of the prettiest pieces for Fall that are giving Mother Nature a run for her money — but all happen to clock in at under 50 bucks. Click through below to shop them now.

Source: Gucci

From left to right: Lela Rose, Suno, Proenza Schouler, and Jen Kao

It's time to put a wrap on the standard skirt fare, literally. Sure, it was all about the retro ladylike full-skirted silhouette this Summer, but come cooler temps, we're taking definitive cues from the Fall 2012 runways. From structural samurai-inspired cuts at Proenza Schouler to a cocoon-like high-low wrap by Lela Rose, and a playful polka-dotted rendition courtesy of Suno, the voluminous skirt trend is taking a backseat to Autumn's formfitting shape. Need more proof of its dominance? We're pretty sure these designers wholeheartedly agree with us. We love the modern feel of this updated skirt — the curtained effect allows for more movement — and hey, a little more leg baring — and its wrapped detailing injects another dimension of texture and interest to your finished look. As far as putting the wrap skirt to the styling test, there's nothing cooler than a chunky knit sweater and ankle boots to complete your ensemble. To get a leg up on Fall's wrap skirt now, just shop our editors' budget-friendly picks below.

Spring 2012's runways definitely had the Midas touch — designers like Marchesa, Etro, and Roberto Cavalli showed sexy, feminine metallic pieces in their collections, done in a mix of romantic and edgy silhouettes. This season, designers' gilded gold pieces brought to mind art deco-chic and '20s nostalgia — a far cry from the shimmery Halston gowns of the disco era, and Madonna's metallic lingerie in the '90s. As far as pairing goes, we love how gold and white look together: it makes for a fresh, crisp, nearly nautical look that takes less panache to pull off than you would think. You can pop a white blazer over a gold dress (as seen at Roberto Cavalli) or just pair a glitzy gold tank with white shorts. Etro also showed how well gold can complement pastels by displaying retro shift dresses in shades of lavender and mint, and a gold and black color pairing is practically a no-brainer for a night out. If you're ready to get into the gold rush, we've rounded up some of our favorite metallic gold picks for the season ahead, all under $200 — just click through the widget below to shop them all now.

You're probably acutely aware by now that cutouts are currently huge for the season — we spotted the look on the Spring 2012 runways at Rodarte, Christopher Kane, and Prabal Gurung to name a few, and stars like Lea Michele, Nikki Reed, and Miranda Kerr have all taken the trend from the runway to the red carpet — but you don't have to be a superstar to show a little skin. Luckily, there are a multitude of silhouettes that allow you to show off the parts of your body that you're most proud of (while still hiding the ones that you're not that hot on). If you want to try the look but are worried about showing too much flesh, just opt for a cutout-shoulder blouse or dress for a more subtle take on the trend. Inspired? Just click through the widget below to shop our favorite, budget-friendly iterations in the widget below.

Fit and flare dresses are making a huge comeback — we spotted the '50s-chic silhouette on the runways at Lela Rose, Carven, Donna Karan, and more, and are looking forward to adding the look to our wardrobe rotation next season. That said, it's super easy to achieve the buxom, Mad Men-esque look with one of these frocks — not only do they make you look incredibly feminine and ladylike, but they can create bodacious curves (and enhance the ones you already have). It's the perfect sweet-meets-sexy statement piece, and one that can be yours for well under $150. Click the items in the widget below to shop our editors' picks now, and let us know how you plan to wear this trend for Spring.

Pleats may come in a range of styles — box, accordion, and knife pleats are just a few — but no matter what size or shape you opt for, it's a remarkably stylish look for Spring. We saw pretty pleated skirts on the runways at Prada, Jil Sander, and more, proving just how easy it is to look pulled-together and feminine — with little effort required. Just throw on one of these floaty pieces with a simple tee or blouse, then add a chic topper like a knit cardigan or blazer (we especially love the look with a leather jacket to edge up an evening ensemble). When it comes to shoes, pleated skirts look just as great with pointy-toe heels as they do with a pair of round-toe flats; you can also throw a pair of lace-up brogues into the mix for a boy-meets-girl, totally on-trend daytime outfit. Click through the widget below to shop our picks, all under $100.