Becca Murray is ready for fall in a stylish, layered ensemble

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It’s officially that time of year when, over the course of a single day, I cycle between using my space heater and blasting the air conditioner. In the past week alone, I’ve worn everything from breezy shorts to fleece-lined pants, linen shirts to my coziest hoodie. Finding smart, lightweight layers are key to nailing a versatile fall fashion ensemble that is covered enough for the chill while still being easy to shed on warmer days. Personally, my fall go-to is a chore coat, and you’d be hard-pressed to find one better than the ones offered at Alex Mill. They’re beautifully made, age gracefully, and go with just about anything else in your wardrobe (especially in the classic and timeless French Navy colorway).

This week’s Fit Check is none other than Becca Murray. You may have seen Becca on Instagram and TikTok, where she shares important takes on everything from style, to body image, to mental health. So long as we’re talking about picture-perfect transitional outfits for fall, Becca has got the styling down to a science. I think you’ll enjoy her look and her meaningful words about personal style.

Fit Check with Becca Murray

Becca Murray (she/her) is a photographer and content creator based in LA. She offers refreshingly relatable perspectives on body image and personal style, and has been affectionately dubbed the “cool aunt dad” by her community. Becca recently dropped Baacal x Becca, a sustainable luxury clothing collaboration that is available in women’s sizes 10-28.

Becca, tell me all about this fab fall fit!

👚 - ​​The black crop top is actually a bra from Free Label, a sustainable, size-inclusive Canadian brand. I wear their bras as a top just about every single day.

👔 - The button-up shirt was a recent thrift find—and 100% silk! Don’t sleep on the men’s section.

🧥 - The trench and trousers are from my recent collab with Baacal, a sustainable mid/plus size brand based in Los Angeles. We worked together to design the perfect version of some pieces I’d been hunting down for years, but have proven tough to find in extended sizes. I’m beyond thrilled with how they turned out!

👟- The sneakers are platform Chucks, combining two great loves of my life—platforms and Converse All Stars. They are my forever shoe.

👜 - The tote is from Art For Change in collaboration with Michelle Obama’s nonprofit When We All Vote. The bag features a print of Marcus Brutus’ The Uhmericans, and I’ve adorned it with a scarf I picked up in Siena, Italy, as well as a bag charm I made at a Don’t Let Disco bead bar earlier this year.

📿 - Layering is an essential part of my personal style, so jewelry really brings it home. From top to bottom, my neck stack contains: a vintage 9k rolo chain from The Piece London, a vintage 18k ram charm (Aries baby!) from The Gem Hunter on Etsy, an amethyst necklace thrifted at The Huntington Collection in Pasadena, a 14k fancy chain from Didi Rose Jewelry, an amber heart charm from my mom’s jewelry box, a 14k adjustable chain from Costco, and a thrifted pendant, once again, from The Huntington Collection. I love that the majority of my collection is secondhand.

💍 - On the ring front, I’m wearing the following: a rose gold fill siren ring from Foamy Wader purchased at Ugly Baby, a vintage 14k jade ring purchased from estate jewelry seller Todd & Company, an opal ring that was my mom’s “going steady” present from my dad when they were 16 years old, and my grandmother’s giant alexandrite ring on my opposite hand. [The ring] stirred up a lot of buzz on the internet earlier this year when I lost it in an Uber and it turned up months later in a purse I’d torn apart the night it went missing. A portal? A gift from my grandmother on the other side? A stress-induced oversight? I guess we’ll never know.

💅 - Not technically part of the outfit, but my nails are Thornberry from Bio Sculpture Gel. Bio Gel is the only polish brand I’ve ever found that sticks to and lasts on my nails, and I’ve got a standing appointment with Susi’s Nail Boutique in Highland Park. I love supporting small businesses, especially local women-owned businesses, and putting my money back into the L.A. that’s been my home for 20 years.

How did you discover and develop your personal style?

The short answer: I describe my style as “octogenarian art teacher.” I strive for the give-no-f**ks attitude of an 85-year-old woman—someone who has decentered the male gaze, lived a creatively inspired life, traveled the world, and built a wardrobe that reflects every piece of her journey.

The longer answer: I have a long history of body image issues, eating disorders, you name it. In 2017, I did a very strict diet in preparation for my first trip to Italy, where I hoped to engage in a bit of food tourism. While I was abroad, eating pasta and gelato and drinking wine every day, I felt better than I had in years. First I questioned how that was possible despite the carbs, and then I realized it was because of the carbs. I haven’t dieted since. I also used to blow out or flat iron my hair every single day, and my flat iron broke on the first day of that trip. I was forced to embrace my curls in the July humidity, fell in love with them over those two weeks, and never looked back.

I became enamored with the idea of “Italy Becca” — the version of me who seemed more at home in her body, better able to listen to her own desires and embrace herself exactly the way she was. My wardrobe began to shift. I picked up a pair of wide-leg linen pants with an elastic waistband. I found myself wearing boxy linen tops and thinking about the longevity, flexibility, and sustainability of my clothing purchases. I was sitting in therapy one afternoon and my therapist asked how I’d felt in my body that day. I thought about it for a moment before answering that I hadn’t thought about my body that day. This was a huge breakthrough for me at the time. We talked through what contributed to my being able to move through the world without focusing on my body, and realized that it was my clothing. Wearing clothes that allowed me to move freely without adjusting them, didn’t cinch my waist or force me to sit or stand a certain way, changed my relationship with my body. I dove headfirst into this realization, developing the personal style that is such an integral part of my life and identity today. (See: the short answer.)

What’s next on your to-buy list?

I’m in my jewelry era. I honestly feel like, especially since the launch of the Baacal x Becca collab, my closet is very well stacked. I am working on slowly and mindfully upgrading my jewelry collection from gold plated and gold fill to solid gold, and I’ve got my eye on a couple of pieces. Per usual, I prefer supporting independent, women-owned brands, and I think the Ball Chain from Blanks or the Plateau Ring from Talāyee are next on the list.

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