How to Do Summer to Autumn Dressing in Style - Without Spending a Fortune

While the weather may be on the turn, with colder evenings and early mornings, most of us are in no hurry to pack up our beloved summer wardrobe just yet.  Summer clothes are just so much nicer and brighter and all round more cheerful, aren't they?  But fear not, we have some great styling tips to make your warm weather wardrobe do double duty, so you can get summer to fall dressing sorted.


Layering is key as the temperature falls, and while throwing a cardigan on everything may work for a while, you do need to up your style game a little to make sure you look stylish all autumn.  Here are our top tips on how to style your wardrobe from summer to fall:

1. Dig out your slightly heavier jackets.  Donning wool or tweed over a white tee and jeans or trousers will look stylish and keep you warm.  Oversized blazers and bigger shoulders were a key look on the AW17 catwalks.  Check secondhand shops for velvet jackets, a frequent throw away, and perfect for this season's trends.

2. Embrace red in every shade from scarlet to oxblood, the key colour for this season.  But you don't have to go red top to toe, pick up the colour in your favourite multi maxi dress with a scarf, shawl or sweater, or team red with some of your summer separates.  Put longer sleeves under or over your maxi and add a belt to define your waist.


3. Layer shirtdresses over leggings, and add tunics and semi-opaque or patterned tights.  But don't put all your really summery dresses away, a cardigan, some boots and a ¾ length sleeve t-shirt underneath will keep them going long into autumn.

4. The return of wide belts is perfect for matching your summer clothes with some autumnal cousins, and makes combining dark and pale colours look super-stylish together.

5. Don't be afraid of dark and light.  Adding an item in a darker shade makes pastels look more grown-up and suitable for autumn, for example white jeans can be toned down by adding a top in a deep blue; a lavender dress sashays into autumn with a plum cardigan and boots.


6. In footwear, start introducing darker colours like black, brown and tan, but those gorgeous sandals should be fine most days for a few weeks yet.

7. Pull the longer sleeved shirts and tops to the front of your wardrobe, but wear them with metallic sandals or lighter colours to show you haven't given in just yet!

8. Embrace print.  Animal prints are a good way to start bringing more natural colours into your style palette, but don't overlook florals, another key look on the AW17 catwalks, and a staple in most of our wardrobes.

9. Keep the white jeans and pair them with dramatically coloured shirts and jumpers, metallic flats or new on-trend glittery boots and a fawn coloured bag.


10. Shop your wardrobe for mid-length skirts, full at the calf and flattering to the silhouette, the key skirt shape and length this season.  Colours seen on the catwalk were mostly plums, deep sea greens and blues, and darker burgundy reds.

11. Introduce traditional autumnal shades into your wardrobe, such as ochre, chocolate brown, aubergine and rust - and don't forget those on-trend reds.  You can do this cheaply with scarves, shawls, ponchos, cardigans and jumpers.

12. If you want to invest in a transitional coat, opt for a timeless colour and style, or buy cheaper and embrace this year's love for buttons.  Red, steel and chocolate brown are key colours.  Velvet and folky Russian prints are also fun trends that could translate well into high street coats.  You'll be hard pushed to find one that isn't belted this year though!


13. Start to change your make-up gradually, for example swapping summery pink or coral nails for a neutral beige, and adding warmer, tawnier colours on your eyes and cheeks.  Embrace bronzer to make the most of your tan.

14. Don't forget to up your skincare regime as the weather changes, opting for richer, creamier textures, moisturising regularly, and wearing products like cream lipsticks that will help do the job for you.  Exfoliating regularly and using a good body cream will keep that tan going for as long as possible, and give you great skin ready for next year's!

15. Don't shy away from jewellery and scarves.  In autumn statement pieces come into their own, fixing outfits and pulling everything together.  Pick some on-trend pieces to make autumn to fall dressing as easy as possible.


Tempting as it is to pack everything away (albeit with a summery tear in your eye) and rush out to the shops, with a bit of planning and a fresh eye, you can make what's in your wardrobe now work for several months to come.  Don't blow your budget on new clothes, just select some key new pieces, such as a great coat or some boots, and some cheaper accessories.  By adding some warmth with richer textures and deeper colours, your summer wardrobe will see you through autumn and beyond.

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