Summer Wardrobe Refreshers to Wear Now (and Into Fall)

Retail Reconnaissance: The State of the Racks

I did a bit of in-person Retail Reconnaissance over the weekend, and came away…uninspired. Most of what I saw on the racks looked either bland and generic or cheap and overdone. I’m attributing this partly to being at the tail end of the summer retail season, though it also feels like there’s still a lingering “pandemic hangover.” What do I mean by that? Still recovering from a huge disruption, many brands seem to have either embraced extreme sobriety (beige, bland, safe) or conversely, have taken a YOLO approach and popped open a bottle of sparkling rosé to accompany the scrambled eggs and chorizo breakfast.

A Summer Wardrobe Refresh That Works Into Fall

But we still have several weeks of warm weather ahead, and if your summer wardrobe could use a refresh here and there, I’m starting to see pieces trickling in that aren’t quite so “beach vacation” coded. I’ve found better options online that you can wear now and into fall with just a few adjustments. Here are two versions of the same idea, one in a warm palette, and one in a cool.

A Warm-Toned Look: Olive & Cognac

First up, a warm-toned look built around olive and cognac. What I love about this combination is that it’s already halfway to fall — the palette does the transitional work for you. The linen pants and printed shirt are easy, breezy summer pieces, but come September, swap the woven flats for loafers, add a cardigan over the shirt, et voilà: nothing gets shelved. The tiger’s eye necklace and tortoise frames are the connective tissue here, bridging both seasons without missing a beat.

(Springs, you can replace the olive with brown, tan, or natural tones if you prefer.)

A Cool-Toned Version: Blue, White & Oxblood

And for those of you with cooler palettes (Winters & Summers) , the same idea in blue, white, and oxblood. The plaid shirt and white linen pants are pure summer, but that oxblood bag is the sleeper piece — it’s what carries this look forward. When the weather turns, trade the white pants for dark denim and everything else stays in rotation. The beaded necklaces add a playful note (and a bit of color mixing, which you know I’m always for) that works no matter the month.

Neither of these looks requires a wardrobe overhaul — that’s rather the point. A refresher should be just that: one or two pieces that slot in alongside what you already own and keep earning their place as the seasons shift. And if the racks near you are as uninspiring as the ones I saw this weekend, take heart — the good stuff is out there, it’s just hiding online for now.

Have you spotted anything lately that made you look twice, in stores or online? Do tell — I’m always curious what’s catching your eye.

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