what to wear: fall transitions

It feels like only yesterday we were packing away our tights and closed-toe black booties in preparation for summer. Before we know it, fall shipments are arriving, people are getting ready to go back to school, and the days get shorter. We go through this weird transition period that can sometimes leave us confused about how to incorporate summer and fall styles into our end of summer/early fall wardrobe. It’s helpful to remember that mixing and matching is always a great idea to not only make an outfit fresh, but to extend the life of pieces you already own.

Mixing and matching seasons is one way of achieving transitional looks. For example, pairing a fall top with white jeans instantly makes the outfit fit for summer, while pairing a summer top with dark denim or a dark bottom gives it an Autumn feel. Here, Liza paired the same Jakett vest in different colors with paige skinny jeans, one white and one denim. She kept the same Joie sandals, a great transition piece.

For this next look, we paired Liza’s Milly top first with white shorts and wedges, a breezy summertime look, while pairing with dark denim next with the same top and shoes, a look totally appropriate for both fall and summer. By keeping the materials light in feel, it made each look a great option for either season, the temperature being the deciding factor.

Some pieces of clothing, due to color or material can appear at first to be strictly one-season. Again, with the right finish, an outfit can transform that one piece entirely. For example, a tan, suede with fringe immediately says “fall” to me, but by pairing with a simple white tank and nude sandals can read summer or fall. We achieved the same results with a neon and navy Milly sweater that would appear to be too warm for summer, by putting with the same white tank top and white jeans.