Many of you who watch the What to Wear Wednesday posts have mentioned that it’s hard to figure out what to wear during this transitional time between summer and fall.  Some of you live in cooler climates so your transition from season-to-season happens quickly.  But many of you reading this post live in warm climates, like I do, and in the south we find ourselves with warmer temperatures throughout October.  So today, I’m going to help you transition your wardrobe from summer into fall. This starts with one main rule…I call it the 60/40 Transition Rule.  Combine 60% of the current season’s clothing with 40% of the last season to complete an outfit.

What does this mean?  You want to dominate your look with colors of the existing season.  It’s autumn so look for colors like oranges, reds, jewel tones, grays, blacks and browns.  Then add splashes of colors or styles consistent with last season.  Many fabrics can be crossed over from season to season.  However, there are several which cannot.  Fabrics such as linens and light-weight cottons like poplin and seersucker should be left in your summer wardrobe and not used as transition pieces.  Shoes such as flip-flops and sandals in bright colors should also be left in your summer wardrobe.

Some example ideas of transitional outfits:

1.  Shorts can transition with a sleeveless top and a long cardigan or duster.  The cardigan can be a light-weight knit  for the really warm days and get heavier as the temperature cools.  Finish the look with a slip-on sneaker such as the one pictured.

1. A knit midi-skirt could be paired with a tank top or t-shirt and topped with a denim jacket.  Not in the mood for a jacket, skip the tank and jacket and pair the skirt with a chambray button-down.  Finish this look with a sock bootie.

So, don’t be afraid to keep several summer items in your fall wardrobe but don’t let those items dominate your look.  If you have any questions about the 60/40 Transition Rule or about transitioning your wardrobe from summer into fall, please leave a comment below or reach out to me directly at [email protected].  And, for the complete video, click on this link: Alexandra Styles. See you next Wednesday!

xo,

Alexandra