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Isaac Mirzahi cardigan over printed summer dress with GNW tights, Nicole fall sandals, and Prada bag (all own)

Struggling what to wear during the summer to fall transition? This post provides an example with explanation of how to style a summer dress for fall  plus information where you can learn more on this subject.

Contents
1 A Perfect Summer Travel Dress
2 Layering is Key for Summer to Fall Transition
3 How I created this Fall Look
4 How To Style a Summer Dress in Winter

 

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A Perfect Summer Travel Dress

I bought the summer dress below  for social dances. Upon its arrival I liked it so much that I decided to use it for work. The fabric is perfect for travel as it does not wrinkle. Thus, it was one of the dress to pack for a summer business trip to Boulder, Colorado. The weather in Boulder was perfect for the dress – like summer in Interior Alaska.  <3

On the side of the trip, I met Anna. If you are a regular reader of Ana’s blog Mrs. American Made, you know already about our meeting. She is such an interesting woman. Time ran way too fast. One of the outcomes of our meeting was that we will host today’s linkup party together. We also planned to meet again when I come thru town next time.

Co-host Ana and host Nicole
Ana and me in Boulder in front of the UCAR building. Photo from Ana’s blog

 

Layering is Key for Summer to Fall Transition

Fall lasts just a month in Fairbanks. Thus, I do not invest in fall clothes, but try to get away with a combination of summer and winter clothes. The printed dress has multiple colors. Thus, it is easy to add a variety of my cardigans. Here I took a black cardigan and black tights to get the insulation needed on a fall day in Fairbanks. I accessorized with my fall sandals that pick up a color of the dress and the bag. Look here for a guide on creating cold wet weather outfits.

Take-home message: Add items from the cold season to create adequate insulation.

blogger Nicole in summer to fall outfit

midlife woman in printed summer dress
Outfit details: Isaac Mirzahi cardigan over eShakti printed summer dress, GNW tights, Nicole fall sandals, pink opera length pearl necklace, Prada bag (all own), and wooden sport watch c/o Jord

 

How I Created This Fall Look

I paired a summer dress with black tight. The tight served to ground the look. There is black in the print of the summer dress I added. The cardigan is also in black. The turquoise fall sandals repeat a color of the dress. The color also is repeated in the bottom of the satchel. You can find an ultimate guide how to transition summer pieces to fall at the link.

Take-home message: Let the colors of a printed summer dress guide you to create a summer to autumn transitional look.

How To Transitioned This Summer Dress to Fall

While in Boulder, no tights and no jacket were needed, they were a must back in Alaska. In the outfit below, I paired the dress with black tights – a color that is included in the abstract print. To give the legs a long lean look the stiletto booties in black are a perfect match. To stay warm on the commute to work the quilted boxy leather jacket was just right. More tips on transition summer fashion to fall in this guide.

 

midlife woman in a summer dress styled for fall

printed fit-and-flare dress transitioned to fall

outfit details

mature woman wearing a summer dress styled for fall
Outfit details: eShakti printed summer dress, Hinge quilted leather jacket, GNW tights, BCBG statement belt and Harley Davidson booties

 

How To Style a Summer Dress in Winter

A couple of days later, we had some flurries in the forecast. Nevertheless, I decided not to give up on my beloved summer dress yet. I styled it for fall by “winterizing” it with a cardigan. Since the dress has some sort of fit-and-flare cut, the long cardigan wouldn’t work when worn open. However, its red matches the red in the abstract print. Thus, I made the combination work by knotting the cardigan.

Extra benefit: The knotted cardigan gives the look more shape than an open cardigan would do. For a lean sleek look of the legs I added red tights and red booties.

 

mature woman in a work outfit with dress, tights and booties

Girly summer dress styled for winter weather with red cardigan

over 50 years old fashion blogger wearing a summer dress styled for the first snow in October
eShakti printed fit-and-flare dress with Moda International cardigan knotted for shape, Hermes collier de chien bangle, GNW tights, Manolo Blanik booties (all own) and wooden watch c/o Jord

 

However, as the temperatures had dropped, a coat was in order for the commute to work. Since I had grounded the indoor outfit with red, my red pea-coat was a good choices to create a monochromatic outfit as my outerwear.

 

style blogger in fall outfit with red pea coat with matching tights and booties

fall outerwear as it is needed in October in Alaska
Outfit details: LeatherCoatsEtc Excelled Collection pea coat, eShakti dress, GNW tights, teal silk scarf, Manolo Blanik booties, and Jaeger tote (all own)

 

When you are petite wear your tights and shoes in the same color to look taller than you actually are. #styletip #dress4yourshape Click To Tweet

Temperatures were still in the positive double digits. In other words, they were just slightly below the freezing point. Thus, a wool pea coat was sufficient for the commute to work. See, I am not wearing gloves yet.

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How to you transition your summer pieces to fall? What are your style challenges in the summer to fall transition time?

Photos of me: G. Kramm

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