shoes for now, and for later

As Christen indicated last week, it’s that time of year again: transition.

At this point in the summer, you have likely purchased most–if not all–of the warm-weather clothing you intend this season. Still, due to the heat and humidity, you shudder at the thought of a wool sweater or tall black boots. And yet there remains the looming thought that fall is just around the corner and you find mostly wool sweaters and tall black boots in shop windows.

Instead of fretting about this, you can ease the pressure by incorporating some of your new fall purchases into your summer wardrobe. Buy now, wear now. Of course, not everything you buy for fall is appropriate in mid-July, but I assure you that some things are. Shoes, for instance.

Mixing and matching are key in times of sartorial transition. Wearing a fall shoe with a summer outfit (or a summer shoe with a fall outfit, for that matter) can be chic and innovative…but it can also backfire. To avoid this, keep the colors neutral–which is really the solution to any clothing or accessories dilemma.

Shoes that have mastered the art of transition include: sandals, booties, wedges and nude pumps. These chameleons are a great place to start when it comes to mixing and matching summer with fall. We put together a “Fall Look” and a “Summer Look” for each type of shoe, as examples of how to wear them now and later.

Let’s keep our favorite shoes out of storage longer!

Sandals.