I remember the morning it happened like it was yesterday. It was September last year and I was standing half-dressed in front of my wardrobe experiencing (in the words of my flatmate Emma) “a clothing meltdown”. It had been one of those peculiarly British days where the weather forecast says it’s autumn but it feels like four seasons have crammed into one: misty at dawn, warm enough for sun cream at lunchtime, windy enough to feel cold in the afternoon and by dinner time the rain will no doubt have arrived.
I had dragged nearly every item of clothing I owned onto my bed (clothes were scattered across the floor… and also my chair) trying to find something that would keep me warm but not make me overheat by 11am. “I wish dressing myself wasn’t so bloody complicated,” I yelled at Emma who was sitting opposite nursing a mug of tea and watching me miserably shove yet another jumper back onto the nearest hanger. “Look at me, I have T-shirts and jumpers and trousers until my eye balls but NONE OF IT GOES TOGETHER RIGHT NOW.” That was the moment it hit me: my wardrobe was lacking crucial transitional pieces that would see me from summer into autumn (and winter, and spring) without too much hassle. Here’s what I learned since that meltdown… Last September, the lightweight trench coat became my salvation.
I’d never really understood the fuss about trench coats. They always seemed so… dull.
Whenever someone mentions trench coats in a conversation I instantly picture my mum wearing hers.
But during that wet September I mentioned above, I was caught out in the rain during lunchtime. Run-and-gun style into ZARA I went, and £45 later came home with the most quintessential beige trench. It had barely been worn by the previous owner and soon became one of my most worn items.
Aside from being brilliant for torrential downpours that usually only last about ten minutes in this country, a trench coat is the perfect lightweight layering piece for Autumnal transitions. Throw it over a summer dress on chilly evenings; wear it with jumpers when it’s colder; belt it over jeans and a t-shirt. It’s thick enough that you won’t freeze on your morning commute, but light enough that you won’t melt if it decides to be sunny at 3pm.
Proof in the pudding? Last March I took a weekend trip to Edinburgh wearing nothing but the trench, three tops, jeans and a dress. That trench took me from pub lunches to hike-ups of Arthur’s Seat.
Jenny even asked me where I’d packed the rest of my wardrobe (“Basically in my bag. Ha! Take that autocorrect.”).
Flip flops may be fine if you live in LA but if you’re British (or, like me, Welsh) there’s nothing quite like coming home from work, pulling off your shoes and rubbing your freezing feet for several minutes before they start to feel normal again. You need boots with enough of a heel to lift you above any autumnal puddles but stop short of cumbersome heels you can’t walk far in. I found THEE pair during my uni Freshers’ Week when we took a trip into Leeds.
There was a shop selling everything (YES!) and they were closing down, so nearly everything was half price. I’d tried on these ankle boots as soon as I walked in and danced a little jig when they didn’t break in the fitting room (they’re leather, not these flimsy PVC monstrosities I’d hoped half the store sold). I’ve had them nearly four years and wear them so frequently they’re practically second skin.
They’re a black leather with just enough ‘Western’ detail to feel cool without looking like you’re dressing up as a cowboy. They’ve seen me through a lot of transitions and won’t stop anytime soon. Coats are another staple when it comes to making your wardrobe more seasonal-transitional.
I’m partial to a good midi skirt. I’ve never been much of a skirt person (jeans all the way) but when I spotted this black pleated midi on sale last year I decided to throw caution to the wind and buy it. One winter, my aunt asked me where I’d got my pleated midi skirt from.
I told her it was from Primark and she eyed it suspiciously for a second. “It doesn’t LOOK cheap,” she said (meaning, it looks expensive). Score! It was a similar story when I rocked up to my cousin’s wedding wearing the exact same skirt with a cream blouse and sparkly heels.
My cousin (whose boyfriend is a photographer) pulled me aside and asked where I’d bought it. “You should really wear that more often,” she gushed. High praise indeed from someone who refused to wear me anything remotely ‘ hippy’ until we reached beach sequence at the reception. With whole legs covered, you can get away with skirts well into winter.
During warmer days team them with flat sandals and a cropped top; when it starts to cool down throw on a jumper and ankle boots. Once it’s fully winter, chuck on a pair of thick tights and knee-high boots. Layers.
Skirts. Lots of layers. The secret with skirts, as with most of these transitional tips, is in the materials.
Look for heavier-weight fabrics that will last you well past the usual couple of months most midi skirts seem to hit their expiry date. Jumpers. Tops.
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Tees. Call them what you will – they were the missing piece to my clothing conundrum. Almost all of my tops were either summery (thin, sleeveless) or winter ones (chunky knit, usually tighter fitting).
Where were all the ‘in-between’ ones? Turns out there are plenty of versatile jumpers/tops that transcend seasons. Here are my three faves: 1.
Lightweight merino jumper. I was actually bought one of these for Christmas a few years back by my dad who frequents Japan for work and came across them there. They are literally life-changing and the best thing about them?
They’re cool in summer, but warm in winter. “You won’t freeze and you won’t sweat,” was Kate’s logic as she shoved one in my bag during a quick stop at London Heathrow en route to New York. Skeptical, I threw it on in JFK and have repurchased them pretty much every time I saw one on sale since. They come in every colour, too.
Invest. 2. Oversized oxford shirt.
Speaking of oversized, nothing is more effortlessly stylish than the classic Oxford shirt. I borrowed my brother’s several years back during a visit to my parents’ (mine had been sent to Dundee instead of Dublin… *rolls eyes*) and loved the comfy-yet-polished look so much I treated myself to one when I got home. Stylish enough to wear tucked into jeans or over a dress, and you can dress it up or down depending on the rest of your outfit.
Team with shorts in the summer, jeans in autumn and winter. 3. Long-sleeved breton top.
Ahhh Breton tops. Where do I begin? Adored by everyone from The Smiths to Alexa Chung, these striped babies are a must-have in any wardrobe.
Throw them over dresses when it gets chilly, team with jeans and ankle boots when it’s raining, or keep them plain and simple and stick to tees when it’s warm enough for bare legs. Scarves. Blanket scarves.
Ponchos. Whatever you want to call them, there’s a reason my mum calls them “blanket scarves”. It’s because they’re HUGE.
And they can legitimately double up as blankets. Sound ridiculous? I thought so too until I received this grey and navy check one as a birthday gift three years ago.
Oh em gee. It goes with everything in my wardrobe, matches literally any jacket and can be styled in so many different ways.
It’s so oversized that I can throw it over my shoulders like a shawl when it gets chilly, but equally acts as the perfect scarf.
Buy one in a neutral colour – grey, navy, beige – and you’ll get maximum wears. Scarves are another one of those wardrobe wonders that transition seamlessly between seasons. Throw it on over a summer dress when it gets windy, add it to jeans and ankle boots when it’s raining and team with tights and coat for maximum warmth when it’s snowing.
To be fair, most of the items on this list can double up as winter wardrobe additions. Throw on a pair of thick tights under that skirt; swap sandals for boots. Stick a belt through your oversized shirt.
These items can take you from Season to Season with the right tweaking – it’s all about getting creative! The moral of this story? Invest in good transitional pieces.
Stick to versatile wardrobe essentials that you KNOW will get you through summer-to-autumn transitions and you’ll never panic-buy a bulky knit jacket when your current jacket just isn’t warm enough anymore. Trust.
