WEEKEND STYLE GUIDE // TRANSITIONING TO FALL

As soon as Labor Day was over, pumpkin spiced lattes appeared in the local coffee shop, seasonal beers went from summer citrus to autumnal spice, and boots were walking down Carson Street - the transition into fall had began.

Up until this week, I wasn’t ready to believe that summer was on its way out and I'd been refusing to think about my winter wardrobe until the temperatures truly started to drop – I’m not the kind of person who says goodbye to summer lightly!

But yes, OK, the leaves are starting to turn and fall, the hydrangeas outside our apartment are becoming frailer each day, temperatures are no longer floating above 80, and the weather blows hot and cold on a daily basis.

I give in, autumn is on its way.

 

This time of year the weather can’t decide whether to be warm and summery or cool and autumnal, and this makes getting dressed in the morning a little tricky. It's no longer warm enough to wear half the contents in your summer wardrobe anymore, but it’s not cold enough to warrant digging out your winter sweaters. Straight away your closet is halved and it can feel pretty limiting!

But it doesn’t have to be that way. You just need to be a little creative with your options and stop seeing pieces as season specific, for example: a light weight summer dress is fall appropriate when it’s worn with a pair of tights, boots, and a leather jacket.

I wrote this post last year about wearing summer dresses in the winter and wanted to do something similar again this year, especially now that I'm slowly making the transition into fall, myself.  So here are a couple of examples of how I'm making my summer wardrobe work for me now.

This maxi skirt was one of my go to pieces all summer. It's so comfortable to wear and the higher waist allows me to can embrace the shorter tops I love so much, without feeling too self-conscious (or feeling a little like mutton dressed as lamb which is never a good look!).  For summer it's easy. I just throw it on with a top and sandals and I'm good to go.

Top - Zara / Skirt - Whistles / Sandals - India / Bag - Thailand / Ring - Vintage, from India

Now that the temperature has started to drop, I've been wearing the skirt with a sweater and pair of boots.   I tend to keep a couple of lightweight sweaters in my closet year round as I can get cold pretty easily, and they come in handy in-between seasons. It's a little longer than I'd like with this skirt, so I just tuck it in.

Sweater - Mango / Skirt - Whistles / Boots - KG / Hat - Urban Outfitters

I featured this denim dress in one of my three ways to wear a couple of months back, it's another piece that I found myself reaching for again and again throughout the summer months.

Dress- Whistles / Shoes - Russel and Bromley / Bag - L.A.M.B /  Bangles - India / Necklace - India

My favorite (and the easiest) way to take this dress into fall is to throw a cape over it and wear it with a pair of tights and ankle boots - simple.

Dress - Whistles / Cape - Warehouse / Boots - Steve Madden

Last year the weather took me by surprise, it went from hot to very cold in a matter of weeks and I missed the small window of opportunity to play around with light layers before the temperatures plummeted.  This year I'm prepared and am going to make the most of being able to wear tights and ankle boots before it's too cold and I'm forced to swap them for more practical snow-appropriate footwear and coats.

What are your tips for surviving the transition from summer to autumn?