How I Dress for Fall in Summer Weather
Summer has ended, at least according to social media, fashion retailers and the seasonal section at Target. Although fall doesn’t technically start til the 23rd, Labor Day is, for better or worse, the unofficial end of summer. Yet, as far as I can see, our forecast still calls for 100 degrees or higher for the foreseeable future. What’s a girl to wear in this seasonal conundrum?
I treat Labor Day as the end of summer, too, but I think a lot of that is because I’ve been living with summer weather since at least May, including the all too recent 45-day streak of consecutive 100+ degree temperatures. And it’s still very warm! I simply cannot bring myself to pull on a pair of jeans just yet, or add a layer or step into booties. Having lived in this climate for nearly a decade, however, I’ve learned how to dress for fall in summer weather.
Here’s what I do:
Continue wearing white after Labor Day. There. In case there was any confusion, let me remind you that I don’t subscribe to antiquated style rules and neither should you. White is welcome in my closet year-round. In fact, I just might wear my white denim shorts to a birthday party this upcoming weekend. The key to wearing white year-round is to style it for the season. Instead of pairing it with your favorite highlighter shade from this summer, try it with an autumnal hue like mustard or rust. You can never go wrong pairing white with black or grey no matter the time of year. Personally, I love white paired with cream for fall and winter.
Retire summery fabrics. Goodbye, gauze. See ya later, seersucker. Til next time, terrycloth. For the most part, I tuck away typical summer fabrics right about now. The one semi-exception I make in my closet is for linen. You likely know about my linen love affair, and while most of those pieces will be on hiatus til next year, there are a few items that I’ll continue wearing, likely for the next month or so. My Universal Standard Juniper Linen Easy Pull-On Shorts will stick around for a bit. Even though they’re fluorescent lime, I’ll style them with black or earthy olive as opposed to white like I did during the summer, to transition them to the current season. Similarly, I’ll wear my Iris Linen Easy Pull-On Pants, also from Universal Standard, a bit longer. I have them in Dried Saffron which is a great hue to wear into fall, again, when styled with complementary seasonal tones.
Transition to a fall palette. My closet is relatively neutral to begin with, so I don’t change much in terms of colors. However, I add autumnal shades (yellows, oranges, reds, browns, etc.) here and there, and depending on the trending colors for the season, I may or may not incorporate them. For example, red seems to be on all of the “trending for fall 2023” lists and I don’t wear a lot of red clothes, but I like the idea of red accessories and am excited to pull out my Vince Camuto booties in fired brick.
Wear shoes other than sandals. Changing footwear is one of the easiest ways to transition to dressing for fall. For me, this typically means slipping on a pair of mules or flats instead of my Birkenstocks. And this fall, ballet flats, Mary Janes and the pointy toe are all en vogue again and I am here for it—especially the latter. Not quite yet, but soon, I’ll also start wearing my Tecovas with dresses. It’s not a huge change, but a closed-toe helps to signal cooling temperatures and that seasonal shift.
Add layers. This doesn’t necessarily mean layering on another piece of clothing, but I’ll get there once the weather cools a wee bit. For now, I layer on jewelry and/or accessories like my favorite neck kerchiefs. You can layer texture into your outfit, too, by adding something like a woven handbag. I ease into layering clothing by starting with something lightweight like my chambray button-down over a tank top or t-shirt. In time, I’ll add my beloved J. Crew denim jacket that I’ve had for at least a decade to my looks. I also really like the look of a sleeveless blazer layered over a sleeveless dress or a tank top paired with trouser shorts.
Here are some ideas on how you might put these tips into action:
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