Ten Top Tips to Deal with the Tricky Transition Season

With sultry summer days still clear in our memory, this tricky time of transition, before Autumn arrives in all its glory, can be a wardrobe nightmare. Follow our top ten transition wardrobe tips and avoid the pitfalls of unpredictable weather by blending the seasons perfectly.

1. Darker basics

Replacing your whites and pastels with deeper colours gives a nod to Autumnal hues. Moving from summer brights to deeper tones will help mix and match summer favourites with Autumn staples to create a flexible look.

2. Feels like Autumn

The change of seasons is just as much about texture as colour. Bringing in a few textured items will achieve that new season look without you being overdressed when the sun puts in an appearance. Go for open knits rather than anything too heavy. Texture can come from accessories too: bags are exciting this Autumn with materials such as beads, and even wood, featuring heavily

3. Summer repurposed

Don’t give up on your favourite summer dresses yet. The right styles can easily be teamed with a plain white tee and some will look just as good with a pair of boots as they did with your summer sandals.

4. Cover up with a cape

Cape-lovers will be delighted to hear that this easy, cool-but-covered style isn’t going anywhere soon. Blanket coats will be featuring this Autumn, helping us all to stay warm on those cooler evenings. Coats and jackets of all sorts are your friend in a transition wardrobe: they are the ultimate in layering and adding a chic look during inclement weather.

5. Versatility

Being versatile with every piece in your wardrobe will make dressing for the change of season much easier. Some of your summer outfits can be layered with an over-sized, chunky-knit cardi or even knee-highs for a look that’s a cosy as it is chic. And, for those ditsy summer prints, simply add leather for style that’s perfect for Autumn days.

6. Prints are in

There’s no need to worry that an Autumn wardrobe means drab days ahead. Quite the opposite as there’s lots of emphasis on graphic prints and colour blocking. The season’s biggest hit though, is animal print. Leopard print leads the charge and with many more big design houses choosing faux over fur, it’s a look we can all enjoy.

7. Boho is back

Hooray, everyone’s favourite look, the effortless and enduring boho-chic is here to stay. Maxi dresses are a great transition wardrobe addition as they can be easily layered and teamed with all sorts of footwear from strappy sandals to knee-length boots.

8. These boots were made for wearing

We all secretly love the day we can wear our boots again – but AW18 signals a new style that’s perfect for transition. Ankle-length, heeled sock boots in purest white can be worn with long layers or minis and bare legs, for just the subtlest nod to summer.

For some fabulous looks, check out this Harper’s Bazaar piece on how to transition your boots.

As seems to be the theme for AW18, the rulebook on shapes, fabrics and finishes has gone out of the window. Check out this amazing take on the style from Topshop.

9. Skirting the issue

We may take the humble skirt for granted but it’s probably the single best transition item you could own, with Elle even claiming 2018 is set to be the year of the skirt.

Quite happy coupled with long boots on a cooler day or teamed with anything from strappy heels to your kicked out converse, the skirt is flexible and fuss-free. Try different styles and colours to complement your late summer and Autumn wardrobes. With yellows, deep red and greens in the shops now, it’s easy to find versatile skirts whatever the weather.

10. It’s all in the details

For Autumn 2018, accessories are set to become the main event. Shoes, bags, jewellery and even hats have been pimped and primed.

The popularity of animal print is influencing shoes and bags and every material imaginable is fair game in the world of accessories. There are leather bags masquerading as plastic shopping bags, as well as mags made of carpet, plastic, and gem-studded. Jewellery is over-sized and amazing and hats range from wide-brimmed to balaclava style.