Recently I shared with you the “Seven Transitional Wardrobe Must-Haves” to help you change from your summer wardrobe to your fall wardrobe without worry. But before you decide it’s “out with the old and in with the new,” check out these tips to help you preserve and protect your summer fave raves–changing your seasonal style swap from daunting to delightful!
1. Know that timing is everything
Give yourself a timetable to swap seasonal wardrobes. Between now and October 1, when that delicate chill in the air ushers in the true beginning of the fall season, carve out some time to go through your summer clothes, keep what you love and give the rest away. Unless your closet is a mini-version of your favorite department store, the changeover process shouldn’t take more than a day–or even less.
2. Keep good company
Ask a trusted friend with good style sense to help you decide what clothing items to keep and what to “bleep.” If you’re reluctant to toss a favorite piece of clothing, a discerning friend or family member may help you decide whether it fits, flatters or is still in fashion. Besides, when you have company, sorting out your seasonal wardrobe doesn’t seem like such a bore and a chore. It becomes an event to look forward to.
If you don’t have a friend with impeccable style taste, don’t hesitate to email me with your questions and concerns–and perhaps send along some photos of any clothing items in question.
3. Fabricate your wardrobe
The fabric of your clothing is key to seasonal dressing. You’ll want to put away all summer-weight fabrics such as linen, light cotton, seersucker, eyelet, organza or open weaves.
But do keep any clothing made of low-ply cashmere or light wool, heavy cotton, boucle, silk or leather.
4. Color yourself seasonal
Colors and patterns are often great indicators of the reason they’re in season. You’ll want to pack up all clothing in colors and patterns that signify summer such as icy pastels, tropical and floral prints, look-at-me neons and delicate mini-prints.
Keep clothing in colors that will make the seasonal transition with ease. This includes neutral hues such as camel, gray, brown, black, navy and winter white. Also appropriate for your fall closet are autumnal shades on the warm side of the spectrum such as reds, burgundies, oranges and yellows. And don’t forget to save items in sophisticated, deeper, more-complicated colors like hunter greens, teals and eggplant.
5. Style yourself stylin’
Fall fashions have more substance and heft than summer styles, which are easy and breezy. Nothing says summer like shorts, flirty skirts, Capris or sleeveless, backless and strapless tops and dresses. These are definitely not appropriate for the autumnal wardrobe. Ditto for flip-flops, sandals, open-toe shoes and espadrilles. And double ditto for any accessories such as lightweight scarves, dainty jewelry, straw handbags or white purses and footwear.
Still in season, however, are khaki trousers, long skirts, knit dresses, boyfriend blazers, cardigans and moto- or short-cropped jackets. Always stylin’ is that every-season staple: jeans. All of these seasonal staples can be mixed, matched and layered with summer pieces such as flirty skirts and dresses to aid their transition into fall.
6. Tend to your mending
Once you’ve decided what to store and what to keep in store in your fall closet, the next item on your seasonal swapping list should be taking care of business–the business of mending and cleaning your clothes before storing them away. Here’s how:
Wash ‘n’ wear:
Minding the mending:
Before packing away any knits for the season, inspect them for snags, holes or tears. If you find any, take them to a reputable weaver or tailor to make sure they’re in pristine condition before storing.
Store in style:
Boxing tips:
Instead of storing wardrobe items in a cedar chest or hanging them on hangers that may change their shape, box them. Wrap all clean items in tissue paper and store them flat in an appropriate size box. This will help them keep their shape and prevent wrinkling. If you need to know where each item is, either write the name of it on the box or take photos of it and tape it to the outside of the box for instant ID.
There you have it! You’ve decided the time and place of your wardrobe swap, you’ve invited over good friends to keep you company and you know what to keep and what to bleep. The only thing left to do is to enjoy yourself–and your new seasonal wardrobe.
