How to Build The Ultimate Transitional Wardrobe

Posted by Styloko

Ok, we’re just as frustrated as you are about this whole not-quite-summer-but-not-yet-winter weather we’ve been having here. But you know what, we’re glass-half-full kinda people, and looking on the bright side of things, it means we can start wearing our new season purchases that little bit earlier. Not quite so bad now, huh?

Although it should come naturally to us Brits, not everyone’s an expert on in-between season dressing, so have a few tips on which pieces to buy on us.

Jackets are, without a doubt, the most important pieces in your transitional wardrobe. Leather bikers are timeless and perfect for throwing over a casual ensemble – as well as keeping you fairly warm, they add an infinitely cool edge to almost anything. For a smarter, more structured option, wool blazers can be paired with trousers, shorts or mini skirts, too.

We’ve said it before, but trousers really are the best solution for when the weather’s not warm enough for bare legs and definitely not cold enough for tights. You can’t go wrong with slim-cut and slighty cropped cigarette pants (see Julia Neel’s latest Now Trending column) in block colours or prints. But if your style is more feminine, textured mini skirts and thicker fabric dresses make for great transitional pieces too. Proenza Schouler’s tweed tulip-shaped mini or Kenzo’s wool skater look great on bare legs as well as opaques, or, for the the more daring, with socks and heels.

Well-cut shirts are always worth the investment, and now’s a good a time as any to look for the perfect white shirt. Slim-fitting silk blouses with small square collars are du jour, but we also love the youthful twist of the Peter Pan collar – both of which look great on their own, underneath a cashmere sweater, or even under a shift dress.

The in-between period is also a great time to test out the autumn/winter palette and see what works with your skin tone – but it’s a good idea to keep things cheerful with bold colour combinations. Try loose knits in bright hues worn over jeans or tailored shorts for daytime, and textural metallic separates for evening glamour.

Need some shopping ideas? See what we’ve selected in our Transitional Wardrobe Scrapbook and get ready to make a move across the seasons in style.

1. J.W. Anderson, Striped Cashmere Sweater, £580, Net-a-Porter 2. Yves Saint Laurent, Greta Peep-toe Slingback Mules, £626, My Theresa 3. Proenza Schouler, Tweed Mini Skirt, £480, My Theresa 4. Emilio Pucci, Petrol Lace Print Pants, £529, Stylebop 5. Equipment, Fawn Sophie Colour Block Silk Shirt, £220, my-wardrobe 6. Jil Sander Navy, Multicolour Brocade Dress, £721, Stylebop 7. 3.1 Phillip Lim, Motorcycle Leather Jacket, £1,105, Matches 8. Miss Selfridge, Berry Scallop Waist Short, £32, Miss Selfridge