5 style tips to get more wear out of your summer clothes when the temperatures drops
Do you want to know how to continue to wear summer clothes in the fall/autumn? After all, the temperature doesn’t change that rapidly, and quite often we have beautiful, warm, sunny days well into September. It would be a shame not to be able to take advantage of the remaining sunny, warm weather. Rather than be keen to rush into autumn/fall wear you may want to hold on to summer as long as you possible can. Here’s how to do it.
Despite the way that the world has changed, and our lives have changed, this year, many of us have had beautiful days and are reluctant to say good bye to the light days and the easy way we wear clothes in the warmer months. There are ways to continue wearing your summer clothes and we have put together 5 style tips to get more wear out of your favourite summer clothes. Take the tips that are most relevant to you and which you are more motivated to act on, and take action. You will feel more organised by being proactive in this regard.
There is nothing worse than being in an all-black ensemble on a warm September day, so get organised now and have some great early fall/autumn outfits to wear, incorporating your favourite summer clothes.
Some clothes are finished now (unless you are jetting off for a foreign holiday) so they can be put away. So, before we start, a couple of reminders to:
- Put away “high summer season” items – bikini, kaftan etc
- Put away any shoes that you won’t wear – see below for summer shoes to keep out for the time being
5 style tips to get more wear out of your summer faves when the temperature drops:
For work the summer pieces you can keep out are:
-
- black linen shift dress
- dark beige/biscuit dress or skirt suit
- some sandals especially anything in biscuit/beige/pale brown. A chunky sandal with a wedge or platform heel is perfect. If you don’t have suitable sandals to keep wearing then lightweight court shoes, or even better, slingback shoes would be great. Wear them with nude tights, not black or even go with bare legs if ok to do so at work (or you’re working from home).
- Avoid long and too drapey items. A shorter jacket is better than a long one. A knee length skirt is better than a long, gathered floaty skirt.
- Early fall/autumn is a time to wear simple clothes that show off how healthy you are. Whether you have been at home in the garden, or had a holiday in your own country, or even travelled abroad, at this time of year we look our most ‘outdoor healthy’. It doesn’t last long so maximise it now. Keep your skin in good condition, lots of moisturiser and focus on health and wear simple silhouettes.
Black linen shift dress
Any dress in a light fabric, preferably one that fits to the knee and is either sleeveless or short sleeved is perfect to continue wearing for another month or so.
That black silk dress (pictured above) from the Working Frocks collection is perfect for this time of year.
dark beige/biscuit dress or skirt suit
Items in your wardrobe that are in a neutral colour such as beige, caramel, biscuit, are prime candidates for transitional season wear. They can be paired with black, white and many other colours. They look amazing and not out of place. I (Sarah) have a beige pair of trousers that continue to get a lot of wear long after the white trousers have been put away for the season. I am also wearing the gold silk dress from this year’s collection and it continues to look completely appropriate. See below for image.
Chunky sandals in beige/biscuit/light brown
You can easily keep wearing summery sandals into the cooler months. Chunky sandals or elegant slingbacks in neutral colours will look great with bare legs or with nude tights. See below for two of my wardrobe favourites: chunky See by Chloe and elegant vintage Russell & Bromley slingbacks.
Simple clothes and simple silhouettes
The time has probably gone for long, floating meadow dresses. Although you could make a great outfit with a floaty dress, boots, tights and cardigan, that would look very cool and bohemian. For work, however, you are best to keep to simple silhouettes and avoid the long and drapey look. I am still wearing a blue and white dogtooth dress and probably can still do so for another couple of weeks. Because it’s blue it won’t look as appropriate as if it were in a neutral colour or black or red. Blue is such a summery colour. But the style is still looking good in the workplace and it feels great to be wearing it in this weather. See below for the image.
Keep colours light
Finally, when the weather is warm and there is a beautiful, glowing, yellow sunlight keep the colours you wear light – neutral colours with a colour accent eg beige trousers, white tee, pale blue cashmere jumper (there is a Working Frocks Styling Tip on this, it was written for summer but you can adapt it for early autumn, it is the Colour Palette tip). If you’re wearing black trousers, wear them with a white top and a strong colour cardigan or jumper, for example shocking pink or a strong amber colour.
Finally, finally I would love to invite you onto “Rock your wardrobe and look a million dollars”. It is our latest wardrobe styling course and we are really excited about it. It combines both the practical approach of how to organise your wardrobe alongside the equally practical but emotional approach of your relationship with your clothes. The emotional aspect of your relationship with your clothes is what is at the heart of your wardrobe and it is only by sorting out what is in your mind that you can finally have that wardrobe that you always dreamt of having but might have given up on it ever being yours.
I have created 3 videos about the course here and I’d love for you to take a sneaky peak at what the course could offer you.
You will find all the details here: Rock your wardrobe and look a million dollars.
If you are interested in the emotional aspect of your wardrobe and would like to read a little more about it before watching the videos then take a look at these blog posts:
Why what you wear is all in your mind
Why there are more emotions in your wardrobe than clothes
Have a great day!
Sarah