Its here. The occasional brisk day. The wind and rain. School and football well underway. Slowly but surely, summer is passing the seasonal baton over to fall and its much cooler temperatures.
Regardless of whether we love or hate the arrival of fall, we are all confronted with the same issue when the season finally comes around. As we look through our closets at the shorts, tanks, tees, skirts, and dresses, the reality of the task ahead of us finally sinks in. It's time to start switching up our wardrobes to suit the colder weather and harsher elements.
For many of us this means pulling tons of clothing out of our closets, throwing it into storage, and restocking with the contents of storage boxes containing our cool weather clothes. The process is often tedious. It forces us to section off our wardrobes, and makes the breakup process between us and our beloved summer season that much more painful.
There is a solution, however, to this fragmented fashion ordeal that we face each year. There is a way to make our parting with summer more palatable. There is a way to hold on to a pocket full of sunshine. Put down the hanger, and grab your warmer wardrobe, because below are some cool ways to take what you've been wearing and mix it with some warmer pieces so that it still works for fall.
LADIES
Substitute bare legs and sandals with tights and boots when wearing summer skirts and shorts. Okay - so maybe tights aren't the greatest form of protection from the colder elements, but lets face it: half of the fashion transition from summer to fall revolves around social normality. In other words, there comes a time when, even if it's warm enough to wear sandals to class, it's far enough into fall that they just don't look quite work. Pairing shorts and short skirts with the boot/tights duo keeps you modestly clothed, slightly protected, and really cute without losing great pieces from your summer wardrobe.
BOTH
Substitute fedoras and baseball caps for beanies and other cool winter hats. Whether you're an everyday hat person or someone who just picks up a cool hat to top off a cute look, this transition is the move for you. If you like fedoras and cowboy hats, trade in those straw looks for knit pieces by picking up trapper hats or baggie beanies. If you're more traditional and enjoy rocking a simple baseball cap, or you're sporty and wear snapbacks, try classic skullcap or tassel beanies. You may have to set your summer caps off to the side, but you'll love the change so much that you wont even miss them, and your new hats will only enhance the rest of your remixed summer looks.
BOTH
If it isn't obvious enough already, try taking an outfit that you once wore with a pair of shorts and subbing longer pants or jeans. If you're still feeling chilly, then try adding a jean or leather jacket into the mix. Between those two additions, you're dress shirt, favorite tee and summer scarves should transfer nicely into looks for the winter season.
GENTLEMEN
Is your old T-shirt no longer getting the job done? Add a long-sleeved thermal underneath your favorite tee to add an effective layer of warmth without ruining the look. For when those gamedays get cold, try wearing a black or blue-grey thermal under "the shirt" to keep you warm but still in spirit! You can do this with just about any crew neck tee, and it's amazing to see what the addition of a couple of thermals can do to transform a summer wardrobe.
These tips are a great way to get started, but don't stop here! Keep calm and style on! Brainstorm some more tricks on your own, be creative and you'll find new ways to make pieces work for every season.
Contact Jes Christian at
jchrist7@nd.edu
The views in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
