There is something about September that makes us want to start dressing for autumn immediately. New routines, slightly cooler mornings, darker colours creeping back in... I get it.
But if the weather has not caught up yet, there is no need to dive straight into cashmere, leather and ten layers. Transitional dressing is actually the fun bit.
You can keep wearing the summer pieces you love and slowly introduce colours, textures and styling ideas that feel more autumnal. So, just as I did back in June about summer, here are a few easy ways to make your wardrobe feel ready for the new season without looking totally out of place when it is still 25 degrees outside.
Keep your Summer Bag
I love what’s happening in the Loewe editorial below: full-on winter clothes finished with a bag in a colour that still feels completely summery.
That’s the swap. Let the clothes start dipping their toes into autumn—brown, navy, a bit of leather, maybe some tailoring—while the bag is still very much refusing to let go of summer. You are not changing seasons overnight, you are just starting to play with the mix.
A few easy ways to try it:
Red with brown and pink. A cherry-red bag against the brown jacket and pink skirt is such a good example of colour friction. It shouldn’t feel obvious, which is precisely why it looks so good.
Pale yellow with chocolate brown or navy. That Khaite structured yellow bag against darker autumn colours feels fresh without trying too hard. I also love something a little bit more playful like this preloved Prada one.
Cobalt blue with grey or tailoring. A bright blue bag instantly wakes up a very polished neutral look. It is the perfect way to make a simple white T-shirt and jeans combination feel a little more unexpected.
Let the bag be the summer bit. If the rest of the outfit is already leaning heavily into autumn, don’t be afraid to choose a bag colour that feels almost too wrong for the season.
Keep the rest fairly grounded. Brown ballet flats, navy shorts, leather, tailoring — all of that gives the bright bag something more serious to play against. The more friction the better!
Summer Embroidery + Leather
You know how much I love a boho aesthetic. It has always been a constant in my style, and I am endlessly drawn to Chloé for exactly that reason, so I am very happy to see it having such a massive resurgence over the last couple of years.
But I know this version of boho is not for everyone. So when I saw the Chloé editorial below pairing leather trousers with a delicate embroidered summer blouse, I thought: this is exactly what I mean.
Not the full festival-costume version going to Glastonbury in 2005, but that mix of something soft and romantic with something tougher: leather, suede, denim.
More witchy, less beachy.
A few easy ways to try it:
White embroidered blouse + leather trousers. Take it from Chloé and wear that cute little top you bought for your holiday in Greece with something much tougher on the bottom. This preloved Chloé top is exactly what I mean! But Sézane always nails this too.
White dress + oversized leather jacket. This is my favourite part of the year to wear white dresses, because you can instantly downplay the sweetness with tougher pieces that will instantly make it look fresh and modern. I am dying to wear my Edina Rixo dress with an oversized leather jacket and my cowboy boots.
Floaty skirt + leather blazer + trainers. Soft on the bottom, tougher on top, then keep the shoes relaxed.
Do not overdo the boho. One romantic piece and one tougher element is enough. I would keep the jewellery on the stronger side too: think a chunky chain necklace against pretty summer embroidery, It’s all about the friction!
Add White Shoes
I love when a trend carries from one season into the next, and jazz shoes have been slowly making their way through fashion circles ever since Celine put them in our radar.
Now, I am not going to tell you to go and buy jazz shoes unless you absolutely love them and can genuinely see them working in your wardrobe (yes, I am talking about you On Shopping My Closet ). They feel very trend-led to me, and I am not entirely convinced they will stand the test of time.
What interests me more is what they represent: that little hit of freshness a white shoe can bring to an outfit.
As you know, I added a pair of white flip-flops to my summer wardrobe and was genuinely surprised by how much they changed an outfit. They made darker colours feel lighter, gave simple looks a cleaner finish, and somehow made things I had worn a hundred times feel new again.
So now I am curious to try the same idea with a white closed-toe shoe for autumn.
Maybe white shoes are exactly the palate cleanser we need this season. We are heading into a very unusual colourful autumn full of what Who What Wear recently called “Scooby Doo shades, so a white shoe can create a bit of tension against all that colour, while also making neutral outfits feel fresher.
A few ways I would try it:
Pointed toe kitten heels + wide-leg trousers. I noticed while scrolling Zara that so many looks were finished with a pointed toe kitten heel. There is something slightly wrong about it, which obviously makes it feel very right. With wide-leg trousers, it feels elegant, effortless and very current.
White loafers + your everyday uniform. Ritika wears her white loafers so well that I think this is where my fixation with white shoes properly started. I had never realised how versatile they could be. Try them with the trousers, denim or skirts you already wear on repeat.
White boots + colourful outfits. I know, we are getting into Dancing Queen territory now, but Celine has made a very convincing case for them as a way to break up a busy look. They can work almost like a reset button against lots of colour and texture.
Keep the shape simple. If the colour already feels unexpected, the shoe itself doesn’t need to be complicated, hence the appeal for jazz shoes. A clean loafer, a ballet flat, a slim boot or point toe is enough.
I love these little styling shifts because they let you flirt with autumn without fully giving in to it. A darker texture here, a white shoe there, maybe a bit of leather, and suddenly the same summer pieces feel completely different. No need to start dressing like it is November when your weather app is still saying otherwise.
Now tell me! how you are easing into the new season? Are you changing your colours, your shoes, your accessories, or are you still firmly wearing all your summer pieces?
And if you are still struggling to work out how to make your wardrobe feel ready for the new season, let’s chat!
Love,
Noelia x
So many great ways to keep your wardrobe going - especially into your color combo recs :)
Ok fine, it's time to rewatch Practical Magic. Thanks for the feature, Noelia!