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I love when stylists talk about your "fall wardrobe," blithely assuming both that fall will begin promptly on the Tuesday after Labor Day and that you have a COMPLETELY SEPARATE set of clothes for the period in between the last day of summer and the first day of winter. So what's a girl to do if the weather stays warm until Thanksgiving and she has only the clothes in her closet to get her through all FOUR seasons?
Simple: mix and match and layer, layer, layer.
Let's start with summer pieces you can NOT wear into fall: all things linen must be stored away after Labor Day, as must anything seersucker. That's it! Everything else in your closet is fair game. Which does NOT mean that you can actually WEAR all of your summer staples once the weather turns cool; it just means that you are not required to have a separate wardrobe for each season.
How do you know if a piece -- a skirt, say -- can transition from summer to fall? Think about how the piece is made: cold weather clothes tend to be more structured. In some cases, this structure is a function of fabric (corduroy, for example, is NOT a flowy fabric) but in other cases, it is a function of cut and style. A cotton voile skirt in a very structured A line or pleated cut can be worn past the last day of summer because the light weight of the skirt will be balanced by the cut of the garment.
Pair your structured summer pieces with lighter weight winter wear -- a thinner sweater, say, with the cotton voile skirt. The pieces need to balance each other; your light cotton skirt will be overwhelmed by a chunky fisherman sweater, but it can easily hold it's own with a cashmere cardigan or tee.
Lands' End cashmere tee, available in 18 colors, in regular, petite, and plus sizes XS - XL, for $89.50
Think also about how you can layer your summer wear, either under or over more weather-appropriate pieces. Pair a colorful silk or cotton tank with a corduroy or tweed jacket; wear a flowy peasant blouse over a long-sleeved tee. Wear your slim silk skirt with tights and boots, or your favorite sun dress with a merino wool cardigan.
Layering extends the life of your summer clothes, but it also gives you options, particularly in climates where the days start and end cold but warm up in the middle. Layers are also a way to dress up the most casual outfit -- jeans and a tee take on a whole new life when you add a blazer and some great shoes.
Finally, don't forget to change your bag: for fall, think about a bag in a richer color or heavier fabric. But don't default to black; how about a great jewel tone tote? Or a tweed? Or suede! Again, this simple change will dress up even the most utilitarian outfit.
Fall is on everyone's mind these days:
Smart Mama reminds us to organize the closet for fall.
Runway Daily makes my week by recommending flat boots for fall.
And Headmistress, Zookeeper reminds us that our fall wardrobes could look like this.
Susan Wagner writes about fashion at Friday Style and The Working Closet, and about everything else at Friday Playdate. She is hoping that the unseasonably nice weather will hold out for just one more week, until her sons' soccer season is over. Please.
