Mary Gaffney

Fashion Columnist

Spooky time has come and gone. Now our tiny town of Natchitoches focuses on that fat man with gifts, but I like to stay in the fall mood. I keep chugging along with the fall vibes and good times.

For me, Christmas begins once Thanksgiving is over and I’m stuffed with mac and cheese and turkey. I take a long, and I mean LONG, look into my closet to find those fall closet needs.

Turtlenecks. I need turtlenecks. I live by the laws of turtlenecks. Since turtlenecks can be worn in any fashion, those laws are limitless

My favorite look is a turtleneck tucked into mom jeans and a nice blazer over it while tying the whole outfit together with either boots or sneakers. Turtlenecks also can be shimmied under a dress to add more layers to keep you warm during the strange five minutes of Louisiana cold weather.

Walmart actually has some really nice turtlenecks, so much that I only buy their turtlenecks. This isn’t sponsored by Wal-Mart. I just love turtlenecks.

Maybe the time will come where I find the perfect turtleneck, possibly a bodysuit. With tighter turtlenecks, it is easier to layer jackets or other sweaters on top of it.

A cropped crew-neck sweater also can look really snazzy over a turtleneck. Try matching one color from the sweater to the turtleneck and then add a jacket to match.

Turtleneck sweater dresses can be so chic when paired with tights and boots for the days that it’s not too cold. I love dressing in all black and adding different textures to make different dimensions without making the different shades of black look too off-putting.

If you’re not down for wearing all black now that it’s turkey time, burnt oranges and browns are a staple. Brown turtlenecks paired with a white or cream sweater or scarf makes anyone look like a fall god or goddess.

Personally, turtlenecks are my favorite fall essential. No matter what you wear, they bring that nice little class to an outfit and can make any day a great day.

Now go out and buy yourself 10 turtlenecks!