{how to} transition your wardrobe

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On Wednesday, in my wish list post (see here), I touched upon how you can make your wardrobe transition from summer to autumn. If you have a lot of money to spend on clothes then this probably isn't necessary for you but if you're like me, consistently poor, then following some of these tips may help save the expense and effort of attempting to buy a new wardrobe on a tiny budget! These tips don't just apply for this summer to autumn, they can be used when considering the transition from any season to next however the examples I'm giving apply to the seasons previously mentioned. All the items shown are examples of pieces that are great for both summer and autumn.

"Pick your colours wisely"

Summer is pretty much open season (no pun intended) for every shade of every colour. You can get away with pastels, neons, metallics and those lovely deep colours we usually attribute to autumn (do those colours have a name? if so please tell me in the comment section!) However when the summer comes to an end so do those softer, cooler colours and out come the burnt oranges, dark greens, plum purples and earthy tones. So if you want your wardrobe to transition, it's important that you pick your colours wisely! For example, if you are out shopping and you see a swing cami vest and it comes in a range of different colours, pick the colour that will work well for both summer and autumn not just the one you like the most. That sherbet lemon may be perfect to wear at the weekend but, come September, will end up being packed away with the rest of your summer clothes. If you're unsure what would work well in your wardrobe or there are too many colours/prints to choose from then black and white will never let you down. However, if you want to be more experimental and colourful then pick bright but deep colours like emerald green and magenta. Both of these can be styled for a summer or autumn vibe depending on the accessories you put with it.

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"Read up on trends"  

It's hard to plan ahead if you have no idea what you're planning for. How can you go shopping with the next season in mind when you have no idea what's going to be 'in'. Well, the great thing about fashion is that it's always ahead of itself. Read up on trends by following the fashion weeks online or simply Google 'A/W 14 trends'. If you want it spelt out for you, magazines like ELLE and Vogue will often have a section dedicated to the next season with catwalk pictures and tips. Also, if you subscribe to the ASOS magazine (which I love), it usually has a section detailing upcoming trends so there's no reason to not know! Trends aside, it's also important to remember that there are certain summer trends, like kimonos, swing dresses/tops and joggers, that are going to stay where they are and will be big players this autumn, so make sure you buy into them sooner rather than later. An item like the kimono is such a transitional piece simply because it's versatile. It can be worn with shorts and a vest/over your bikini in the summer or with a vest, jeans and a pair of boots in the autumn so if you don't already have one, hurry up! The best ones seem to be going quickly.

"Restyle and play around"

In the summer you wore that black swing dress with your tan, a pair of sandals and a whole load of after sun. In the autumn, pop a cute white shirt underneath, add a pair of tights, your ankle boots and a big scarf. The real key to transitioning your wardrobe is restyling it. So you bought that cami top in the plum purple and you have a monochrome kimono but that doesn't mean you have to wear those pieces in the same way that you wore them in the summer. Use this opportunity to restyle and play around with what you have. Also remember that whereas your wedges and floppy hat were you accessories during the summer, you now have scarves, hats, tights and boots at your disposal so make the most of them.

"80% basic and 20% statement"

When you go shopping, don't get caught up in buying too many statement pieces. Yes. there is such a thing as too many! The basics are your best friend. That means a good pair of skinny jeans, a trusty LBD, plenty of simple tops/shoes/bags in nude/black/white. A denim jacket. A leather jacket. Items that are going to be easy to restyle and won't be going out of fashion any time soon. Statement pieces are vital to anyone who loves fashion but I think there's such thing as a good balance. I'd say 80% basic and 20% statement. This gives your wardrobe a nice amount of versatility within the season as well as taking you effortlessly into the next. 

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"Make the most of crazy trends"

Sometimes crazy things happen in fashion. The summer/ duster coat being a perfect example. This year has seen the rise of girls wearing big long coats out on hot summer days. If you read a lot of fashion blogs you'll have seen this during the last couple of months. At first I was against it. Summer is not a friend to the coat. Nope. I was outraged! But the more I saw it, the more I started to fall in love. In fact, I'm on the hunt for my own. My advice is to make the most of these crazy trends. The duster coat will be perfect when the weather cools down and the sandals are put away. It will effortlessly fall into that rotation with your leather jacket and tweed blazer. Although you can find summer/duster coats in most shops online, their doesn't seem to an an abundance of them. I think it's probably because it's a risky trend and brands are unsure that people will but into it. However I think that they will start appearing more and more towards the end of this season and will be pretty big this autumn. 

Let me know what you think of my tips to transitioning your wardrobe and feel free to share your own in the comments section below!

Happy Saturday!