Well another summer has come to an end and soon we’ll be enjoying the crisp, cooler weather. I know a lot of women who begin the seasonal transition with their wardrobe, packing away the shorts and tanks, while pulling out the sweaters and boots, right about now. But before you stow away your summer whites, favorite tanks, and sleeveless dresses, consider alternative ways you can wear those warm weather items into fall, doubling your wardrobe options.
A few super easy ways to transition your summer items into fall…
Switch from flimsy cardigans to heavier, tailored blazers. Throw one over your favorite lacy tank.
Maximize your maxi dresses by pairing with a leather or denim jacket. If the maxi is a loose, flowy style, wear a more structured jacket so you don’t end up looking more frumpy than fab. And if the dress is more fitted, a looser style jacket looks great.
Pair whites with autumn colors like khaki or burgundy. Textured fabrics work great with whites too, making the whites more fall “appropriate.”
This white J.Crew tunic ($3.99 Discover Goodwill) is a classic summer look, especially when paired with some cute sandals and a straw hat. With the addition of a perfect pair of black velvet pants though, it instantly takes you into cooler weather and the scarf adds a pop of color and some warmth, and ties the entire look together. (Pants “Worn” brand $26.95 & scarf $5.00 Ashley’s Attic.)
Extend The Life of Your Summer Clothes…Easy Ways to Transition Into Fall – 719woman.com
Another example of carrying summery whites into the fall months. Topping these Cabi pants ($18.95 Ashley’s Attic) with this rich velvet looking Derek Heart top ($6.99 Discover Goodwill) is such an easy look to put together. Velvet has been featured in a lot of the fashion magazines for fall/winter but it can be expensive and tricky to clean. This top, which is made of polyester and spandex has the look but is much more affordable and you can toss this in the washer/dryer. Add a purse with warm colors and texture and you are picture perfect for a causal day enjoying the cooler temps.
Extend The Life of Your Summer Clothes…Easy Ways to Transition Into Fall – 719woman.com
I wore this dress a lot during the summer because it is so versatile and comfortable and I just love the bright color. With its heavier but still lightweight material, this transitions easily into fall with a simple blazer, jacket or sweater. I found this V.A.S. Clothing Co. jacket at Discover Goodwill for only $5.99. And it will go great with jeans and skirts too, especially with a pair of tights and cute booties.
Extend The Life of Your Summer Clothes…Easy Ways to Transition Into Fall – 719woman.com
Leather is always in style and always expensive, unless you find a really great sale. Leather can also be costly to dry clean. Purchasing something made of pleather will give you a similar look for a fraction of the cost.
I found this gorgeous jacket at Discover Goodwill for $6.99, which has the look of a soft leather but isn’t. This is actually made of 57% PU (material made with a split leather backing covered with a layer of polyurethane that is applied to the surface and then embossed) and 43% vicose, which is a soft and lightweight fabric manufactured from a plant-based material called cellulose….just FYI. It’s easier to keep clean and is a comfortable, breathable piece that you can wear indoors without overheating, yet give you the warmth you need outdoors.
Love how the jacket heats up this basic JCrew summer skirt (Ashley’s Attic $16.95) and geometric Worthington top ($12.95 Ashley’s Attic.)
Extend The Life of Your Summer Clothes…Easy Ways to Transition Into Fall – 719woman.com
A sleeveless Chelsea & Violet dress (Discover Goodwill $6.99) is another example of how you could use the jacket and extend the life of this dress for the rest of the year. I wore this jacket as I was taking a few pictures just to test the weight and it is so comfortable it feels more like an added layer rather than a heavy outerwear coat.
Extend The Life of Your Summer Clothes…Easy Ways to Transition Into Fall – 719woman.com
A pretty peachy pink Lauren Conrad tiered tank is very summery looking but look how great it looks with heavier materials. I found this Nic + Zoe jacket at Goodwill for $5.99 which works great with the tank and pulls the entire outfit together, along with the Ann Taylor pants. (Ann Taylor pants $14.95 and Lauren Conrad tank $10.95 Ashley’s Attic.)
Extend The Life of Your Summer Clothes…Easy Ways to Transition Into Fall – 719woman.com
Love the contrast between the different textures of the tank and jacket.
Extend The Life of Your Summer Clothes…Easy Ways to Transition Into Fall – 719woman.com
This dress is a personal favorite of mine that I bought at Discover Goodwill for $4.99 (it was half off) last year. I just wore it with this cute and very summery looking ruffled Gap tank ($2.99 also from Discover Goodwill.) It makes the dress look totally different and I got a ton of compliments on it.
Extend The Life of Your Summer Clothes…Easy Ways to Transition Into Fall – 719woman.com
This ensemble looks like it was just meant to be! A sleeveless gray Cynthia Rowley sheath dress ($31.95 Ashley’s Attic) goes perfect with the cut and colors of the “beppa” blazer I found at Discover Goodwill for only $4.19 (30% off that day.) Ashley added the necklace ($20 Ashley’s Attic) which totally completed this look.
Extend The Life of Your Summer Clothes…Easy Ways to Transition Into Fall – 719woman.com
This crochet Dulcie cream top (Discover Goodwill $4.99) was one of my favorite “finds” this summer and I love it so much, I will continue wearing it into the colder temperatures, just with a few more layers. During the summer it looked cute with a tank under it and it also looks great with a turtleneck under it. I wore this the other night when the temps dropped.
Extend The Life of Your Summer Clothes…Easy Ways to Transition Into Fall – 719woman.com
Ashley pulled this look together and I love it! Found the Old Navy khaki green dress (always a great fall color) at Discover Goodwill for $3.00 and the pearls ($18) and scarf ($6) are from Ashley’s Attic. This entire look came to a grand total of $32…not bad at all!
Extend The Life of Your Summer Clothes…Easy Ways to Transition Into Fall – 719woman.com
Extend The Life of Your Summer Clothes…Easy Ways to Transition Into Fall – 719woman.com
Another look Ashley pulled together using my $4.99 Discover Goodwill crochet top. Love how the cuffs and dress are different prints but look great together and again, the layers. Dress $21.95, Stetson khaki green jacket $18.95, and scarf $5.00 from Ashley’s Attic.
Extend The Life of Your Summer Clothes…Easy Ways to Transition Into Fall – 719woman.com
Extend The Life of Your Summer Clothes…Easy Ways to Transition Into Fall – 719woman.com
As you can see with these examples, you can so easily wear your favorite summer items into fall. Have fun with your wardrobe, experiment a bit, and you’ll probably discover some looks you didn’t even realize you had hanging in your closet.
A few other ways you can transition your look into fall are…
Switch from pastel lip and nail colors to more deep, creamy colors.
Replace your sandals with closed-toe shoes and boots.
Tone down brights a bit with darker shade additions.
Add scarves, tights, and layers.
Tight on a budget like a lot of us are? Everything pictured above either came from Discover Goodwill or Ashley’s Attic and everything was gently used. Love looking fabulous for less, no matter the season!
(Thanks to everyone at the Discover Goodwill Circle location for helping me out and to Ashley, my shopping and fashion buddy.)
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http://www.discovermygoodwill.org/