Transitional Dressing: Moving From Summer to Autumn
Written by Artemis Clo
That odd fortnight when you leave home in a coat and come back carrying it: transitional dressing is the art of handling it with grace. The good news is that you do not need a new wardrobe. You need a few layers that turn your summer favourites into autumn outfits.
Transitional dressing starts with what you already own
The most common mistake at the end of summer is packing everything light away at the first cool morning, then baking in a jumper by lunchtime. Instead, keep your summer pieces out and add to them. A floaty dress, a pair of light trousers or a short-sleeved blouse can carry on for weeks with the right layer on top.
The cardigan is the hero here. It goes on in the morning, comes off in a warm office and goes back on for the walk home. A crew neck button cardigan in a fine knit works over a dress, a blouse or a T-shirt, and it buttons up into a top on its own. Choose one in a bridging shade, such as camel, navy or rust, and it will pair with almost everything in your summer wardrobe. There are plenty more in our cardigans.
A light scarf does a similar job for almost no effort. It closes the gap at your neck on a fresh morning, then folds into your bag.
Cardigans to start with
A few pieces that fit what you have just read.
Crew Neck Button Cardigan in a Fine Knit
Soft Knit Stand Collar Button Cardigan
Crew Neck Cardigan with Pearl-Look Buttons
Colours that bridge the seasons
Some shades belong to both summer and autumn, and they make the switch almost effortless. Rust, olive, mustard, camel and burgundy sit happily next to a summer floral, and they look just as good with navy, grey and denim later on. Adding one bridging colour to a summer outfit, through a cardigan, a scarf or a bag, is often enough to make it feel right for September.
Fabrics matter too. Swap the most see-through summer pieces for slightly denser weaves and fine knits first, and keep the light ones for warm afternoons. You will feel the difference on the first windy morning.
The summer dress, three ways
Your summer dresses do not have to go into storage just yet. The same dress can see you through three stages of early autumn.
- Warm days: the dress on its own, with a cardigan over your arm and loafers instead of sandals.
- Cooler mornings: add the cardigan, buttoned or belted, and a pair of ankle boots.
- Properly chilly: sheer or opaque tights, a knit over the top or a blazer, and a scarf.
Midi lengths are the easiest to carry into autumn, since they look right with boots. A wrap V-neck midi dress with puff sleeves works with a cardigan over it now, and with tights and boots in a few weeks. Browse our dresses for midi shapes that bridge the seasons, and when winter arrives, our guide on how to wear a summer dress in winter takes the idea even further.
The blazer, your in-between coat
In early autumn, a full coat is usually too much and a cardigan is sometimes too little. A blazer sits neatly in between. It adds structure to a soft dress, it smartens up jeans and a T-shirt, and it is warm enough for a breezy morning.
A relaxed check blazer with patch pockets brings autumn colours to a summer outfit straight away, and the relaxed fit leaves room for a fine knit underneath later in the season. Look through our blazers for single- and double-breasted styles.
Try a blazer on over a light knit, not just over a summer top. That way it carries on working into October and November.
Transitional dressing from the ankle down
Shoes are often the first thing to change, and the quickest way to make a summer outfit look autumnal. Swap sandals for loafers or ankle boots, and even a light cotton dress suddenly looks seasonal.
Ankle boots are the most versatile choice: they work with dresses, cropped trousers and jeans. A pair of zip wedge ankle boots with a layered sole gives you a little height without a narrow heel, which is welcome on a long day. See our boots collection for flat and low pairs.
The same thinking works in reverse in spring, when you start peeling the layers back. Our spring wardrobe refresh is the other half of the story. For now, enjoy the last warm afternoons, with a cardigan close at hand.
Next, from our dresses
Something from a neighbouring rail, for the same moment.
Wrap V-Neck Midi Dress with Puff Sleeves
Ribbed Knit Midi Dress with Gold Zip Front
Geometric Print Midi Shirt Dress
Your questions, answered
When should I switch my wardrobe from summer to autumn?
There is no fixed date: watch the mornings rather than the calendar. When you start reaching for a layer before nine, it is time to bring a few knits forward. Leave the summer pieces out for a few more weeks, because warm afternoons often carry on into October.
Can I wear sandals in September?
On a warm, dry day, of course. As the mornings cool, closed shoes like loafers or ankle boots are more comfortable for a full day out. Many people wear sandals at the weekend and closed shoes for work until the weather settles.
How should I put summer clothes away at the end of the season?
Wash or clean everything before it goes away, since small marks set over the months. Store pieces folded in breathable cotton bags or boxes, somewhere cool and dry. Keep a handful of light layers within reach for the warm days that always turn up in autumn.
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