16 tips how to transition summer pieces into fall

Interested in summer-to-fall outfit ideas? Then continue reading. This post provides a list of easy-to follow stylist tricks to transition summer items to fall in a stylish way.

Disclosure: This post has affiliate links.

Dressing in the transition season is tricky

It’s normal to be attached to your summer clothes. Since our childhood, we associate summer with leisure, pleasure, freedom and fun. That were the times, no duties, no homework, just living into the day. Since summer clothes ask for light fabric, they are much less expensive than winter clothes. Thus, shopping for summer clothes didn’t rib a big whole into our allowance. Having to buy a winter coat was the worst. It didn’t leave much wiggle room for the other Must-haves or any Lust items for the back-to-school wardrobe. And yes, the winter coat wasn’t the It of the season, but more a necessity. The statement coat was out of our budget to begin with! Not to mention an awesome coat wardrobe! Thus, our mother’s forbid us to wear our brand-new cold season clothes too early to not get into winter wardrobe boredom.

The ease of summer and summer clothes! No wonder that we want hold on to them as long as possible. When your transition season is as short as it is up here in the Interior of Alaska, you may even get away without any fall clothes at all.

Try a summer look with motorcycle jacket

Around early September or so even in mid-latitudes the mornings get already chilly even though equinox and the official start of autumn isn’t before later in the month. When the weather forecast calls for temperatures in the lower 60s (15^oC) in the morning, but 70s in the afternoon, a summer work outfit is still a go. Just add a leather motorcycle jacket for the commute. At lunch, leave it in the office. On your way home, wear it as a cape like in the look below.

Wear it now – wear it later

Example: Summer dress with a jacket

This look is straight forward adopted from clear sky summer evenings. You added the cardigan when it turned a bit chilly after sunset. In fall, just wear the cardigan all day and add a light trench coat of windbreaker for the commute from and to work. Another great possibility is to wear a dress with a biker jacket instead of a cardigan like in the photo below. To keep your legs warm go for pantyhose or nude fishnets.

Example: Silk skirt with jacket

Wear a short-sleeve cashmere sweater with a light skirt a blazer …

… or an utility jacket. Pantyhose or tights optional.

Not a fan of pantyhose? Tip:
Pumps with socks are a great trend this autumn. #trends Click To Tweet

Add a jean jacket to your fav warm season look

In the outfits below, all it took was a different pair of shoes, adding a scarf and a jean jacket to make the look work in the transition season.

Gap camouflage shirt dress with Left: pink statement belt, Winkwood sunglasses, Cartier juste un clou bangle (all own), and Ivanka Trump c/o Wikibuy. Right: Banana Republic floral coat, Hermes collier de chien belt, Winkwood mirrored sunglasses, statement necklace, Christian Louboutin pumps, and Longchamp pilage (all own)

List of tips on how to wear your summer pieces in fall

I thought that compiling the tricks shown in the wear-it-now vs. wear-it-later examples may be helpful. A list is easy to print out and hang into your closet for some cute fall outfit ideas right at your finger tips. Thus, here a listicle of  these inspirations that should work with any style and at any age.

1. Summer dress with a leather jacket, tights, tan or black wood sandals
2. Summer dress with cardigan (ends wrapped over each other hold by a belt (wide belt for long torso, thin belt for short torso)
3. Denim jacket, black tights, open toe booties or fall sandals with floral summer dress
4. Dark cardigan worn open over floral summer dress with matching tights, fall sandals
5. Summer dress with denim shirt and blazer
6. Wear a summer dress as skirt by pulling a sweater over the dress, add a jacket and tights when it gets even cooler
7. Wear a summer mini-dress as tunic with leggings and pumps
8. Knot a shirt over a summer dress for some extra insulation on the first cool days of fall
9. Wear your summer dress with a faux fur vest or a long grandpa style cardigan, tights and fall sandals
10. Add a piece, shoes, accessories in fall colors
11. Add leather items like a leather skirt, top, jacket or vest
12. Add a plaid shirt
13. Wear a floral summer top with a tweed skirt
14. Add a dark leather bag
15. Wear a slip or underskirt, tights and halftee under a summer dress
16. Use layering to create stylish looks and increase insulation

What are your tricks you hold on to your warm season wear? How long is your transition season? Is it long enough to invest in special clothes for it? Or do you mix and match warm and cold season items? What is your biggest wardrobe challenge in autumn, I mean except money. I mean
Who wouldn't love to pay a million in taxes, when they have the respective income? #budgetfashionista Click To Tweet

Want a cheat sheet for dressing? Buy my book How to dress for success in midlife to get the stress out of dressing your best.

I wore the look below on a windy rainy day. We were lucky to catch a break between showers to take the photos. I wore my layered blush tulle skirt with mules and a utility jacket. The latter served as a top.

More summer to autumn transition outfit ideas

Summer dress worn as skirt under Carhartt gingham shirt (pocket removed), Dr. Scholl wedge sandals, Coach bag (all own), and green wood watch c/o Jord
Victoria Victoria Beckham dress worn as tunic, DIY belt, Jaeger Tote, Burberry trench coat BCBG ankle strap pumps (all own), and twill leggings c/o No nonsense
eShakti motorcycle dress with GNW tights and snake print booties (all own)
eShakti lace dress, Graham and Spencer leather motorcycle jacket, Prada bag, and Salvadore Ferragamo pumps  (all own)
Karl Jäger summer dirndl, Jeanne Pierre sweater, ethnic belt, L.K. Bennett pumps (all own) and India Hicks scarf c/o Tammy Gray
eShakti printed summer dress, Halogen quilted leather jacket, GNW tights, BCBG statement belt, and Steve Madden fall sandals (all own) Hermes Constance bag, statement silver belt, BCBGMAX ankle studded pumps, Anne Klein scarf, Burberry London trench coat, statement cuff (all own), cropped pants c/o Ethyl Clothing, and blouse c/o Lily Silk Loula Roe abstract galaxy-like print fit-and-flare dress, statement belt, Very Fine sandals, Belorita fish bag, statement necklace with moonstone and citrin, Hermes collier de chien bangle (all own) and c/o Tricia Tanaka cape hoodie

GNW leopard print cardigan worn as top over eShakti floral print dress with H-belt, Michael Kors plateau sandals, Jaeger tote (all own) and wood sports watch c/o Jord
Denim summer dress worn over J Brand skinnies, DIY necklace, belt, Anne Klein pumps, Jaeger tote (all own) and wood sport watch c/o Jord
eShakti fit-and-flare dress worn under Sofie cardigan worn as top, Nicole fall sandals (all own) and wood watch c/o Jord
Isaac Mirzahi cardigan, eShakti abstract print summer dress with GNW tights, Nicole fall sandals, and Prada bag (all own)
Lookbook Store motorcycle leather jacket over Jeanne Pierre sweater, eShakti floral summer dress, GNW tights, Steve Madden sandals, shawl, and Jaeger tote (all own) Orvis utility camouflage with floral print jacket, statement suede with gemstone buckle belt, Hermes collier de chien bangle, Coach bag, amethyst earrings, Cartier just un clou, Bandolino kitten heel mules (all own) and double layer tulle skirt c/o Lookbook Store Vienna Scala hat c/o Tenth Street styled with own James & Graham biker jacket, wrapped twice knotted Oscar de la Rente scarf, Loft sweater, Oliveo Italian style jeans, Nicole plateau high heel sandals, and Celine shopper Great Northwest denim oversize jacket, Zaful polka dot dress, statement belt, Michael Kors fall sandals, DIY amber bangle, statement necklace that picks up the shades of the look, Hermes collier de chien bangle (all own), wood sports watch c/o Jord, and blue fish clutch c/o Bellorita

When you like the above fall outfit ideas for work and play, you may like my style book How to Dress for Success in Midlife with outfit ideas for all kind of situation in midlife. Buy the book now.

In summary

This post featured ideas and examples how to use pieces from summer to create outfits for the transitional season and to elongate the time you can wear inexpensive summer pieces. Whether your reason is to procrastinate on admitting or being on denial that it is early fall, shop your closet for

• maxi skirts (you can even wear cropped leggings underneath
• 3/4 t-shirts or shirts,
• jackets that permit layering and cover you up in the cool morning and evening hours,
• closed sandals to keep your feet warm or wood sandals for insulation from the ground that in early fall already cools down substantially over night, and
• make that a summery look.

Pro tip: Add summer accessories and keep the look on the casual side. Summer is much more casual than all other seasons.

While you are here, get a subscription to High Latitude Style to belong to the VIPs who know the first when a new post is up.

You may be interested in reading my how to wear your great fall wardrobe already now.

Photos of me: G. Kramm

© 2013-2020 Nicole Mölders | All rights reserved