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Apart from plummeting temperatures, fall brings with it a hard-to-shake urge to shop. Maybe it’s because the weather’s cooler and suddenly all your activities require a few new cute outfits, but refreshing our autumn closet is a task we’re probably not alone in anticipating. However, we also have to deal with all the warm-weather stuff that’s front and center in our closets right now. In the interest of moving that arduous process along, we rounded up 5 tips to seamlessly transition your wardrobe from summer to fall.
1. Don’t store every ‘summer’ piece.
Now’s the time to start hauling away your summer stuff and making room for fall clothes. In terms of what to store: Pack away anything that screams “summer” such as linen shorts, cotton dresses, strapless printed maxi dresses, white pants in seasonal materials, and flat thong-like sandals. Keep out anything made with silk (blouses, dresses, blazers), or heavier cotton (T-shirts, long-sleeve shirts, sweatshirts), which can be worn all year around. Same goes for denim cutoffs, which can work with opaque black tights. As for shoes, feel free to keep your casual heeled sandals out—they look super-cute with tights and socks in the fall.
2. Clean everything before storing.
If you’re storing clothes in a storage unit, basement, or attic it’s imperative to get the garments dry cleaned first, as moths are attracted to everyday scents like perfume, food, deodorant, and smoke. Same goes for bags: Empty the contents before storing, as crumbs can attract bugs, pens can leak, and lipsticks can melt.
3. Reinvent your clothes before you buy new.
We’re huge proponents of utilizing the many tailors your city or town surely has, especially if you’re on the fence about whether to get rid of certain items, or buy new ones. A tailor can cheaply transform garments, making them look totally different for fall.
A few examples: A summery chiffon maxi skirt or dress can be made into a cute mini to wear with opaque tights, an oversize sweater, and ankle boots, while a pair of wide-leg pants you bought last winter that don’t feel so modern anymore can be turned into chic wide-leg shorts to wear with tights. Same goes for things like longline blazers (turn ’em into cute cropped jackets to wear with high-waist jeans or trousers.)
4. Choose your splurges wisely
During the summer, it’s all about your entire outfit, since every item is visible. For fall and winter, though, it’s really all about the coat. Not only do you wear a coat every single day (the same can’t be said for most items you own), but a well fitting, stylish coat can carry an entire outfit. You can wear your PJs underneath and still look pulled together.
That said, it’s worth splurging on a new coat if you know you’ll be wearing it for seasons to come. If you’ve got a highly disposable income, than by all means by that super-trned pale-pink designer winter coat, but if your on a budget, make it something classic like a black wool overcoat that’ll never go out of style.
5. Buy new shoes that fit
Investing in a new pair of shoes? It’s key to be mindful of what you’ll be wearing them with. For example, if you’re buying a pair of sleek leather or suede pumps to wear barefoot or with thin tights, they should fit true to size (or even half a size smaller) since leather stretches and your feet won’t swell in chilly weather. If it’s boots you’re buying, odds are you’ll be wearing them daily with thick socks, so be sure to bring a pair to the store, since you may have to size up.