sneaking up on fall (when fall is still a distant dream)

lips | necklace | tee | bag | pants | shoes
lips | necklace | tee | bag | pants | shoes

(No, it’s not quite so green here…that’s a little flight of fancy.)

Today I’m cross-posting with Lisa of Privilege about that dicey season between summer and fall, and transitioning wardrobes. If you haven’t discovered Lisa’s blog yet, you’re in for a real treat! She’s been focusing lately on home decor and her lovely garden, but also tackles style with a discerning eye, and distinctive voice.

Fall has always been my favorite season, and since moving to Los Angeles (from Northern California) 23 years ago, I’ve had to learn to adapt to a climate that treats fall as an afterthought, something to get around to, oh, maybe by Thanksgiving. Fashion websites, magazines and style blogs taunt me come September. It’s become my yearly wail of frustration that I can’t join in the “boots and sweaters” brigade until we’re closing in on the year-end holidays. But I am learning to adapt, and to find ways to work some fall style into my wardrobe even though September and October (and sometimes November) tend to be our warmest months of the year.

Color is one way to approach this conundrum. I look for lightweight pieces in fall-ish colors, like these J.Crew Sunday slim chinos in “hillside green.”

olive chinos
nice mid-rise on these and the fabric is really soft.

The color IRL is a little deeper than it looks online. Better in person, I think. I’ll be able to wear these now, and for the next few months.

Or this linen boatneck tee (a warm weather favorite of mine) in “dark cognac.”

linen jersey tee shirt

 

(A note about these and other linen knits: I always line dry them, never put in the dryer. I’ve found they hold up well when I do this.)

Or I might wear an open silk blouse in place of a jacket. Everlane always has some nice color options, and I especially like this “warm tan” shade to pair with other fall colors.

Accessories can be a way to sneak in some fall style without overheating. In addition to color, certain prints and textures can skew autumnal. Leopard, or snake print, for example:

snake chain shoulder bag

This Michael Michael Kors snake print bag can be worn over one shoulder, or pull the chain through to wear cross-body style. (Here’s a larger tote version.)

For cooler mornings (or over-cooled offices), perhaps a linen scarf in a soft, rusty red…

linen plaid scarf

The large check pattern on this Madewell scarf also channels that fall vibe.

medallion necklace
be still, my heart

And then there’s this gorgeous French Kande cracked agate necklace with a vintage French medallion from the new “Concorde” collection. Wear now with a tee, later with a sweater.

You can see Lisa’s post here.

Do you look forward to fall, or do you hang onto summer as long as you can?

WEAR NOW, WEAR LATER…


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11 Comments

  1. Ooh la La I love that necklace!
    Linen has been my best friend this summer…Eileen Fishers natural linen series is wonderful.
    Your options are very apropos for the coming season…although here it feels like summer might last forever.

  2. Oh you’re so right about Fall. In LA we barely get a chance to experience either Fall or Winter. Thus when traveling I’m always amazed at others’a appropriate clothing. I remember going back east a few weeks before Thanksgiving, looking at the foilage I realized, ” Ah, that’s where the whole Fall, Thanksgiving look” came from. But I guess we should be happy we don’t get some of those very hard winters. I guess we can’t have it all.

  3. I always look forward to fall and actually yearn for it. Like you, we have very warm weather late into autumn. I’m always looking for a way to look like fall but stay cool. I enjoyed your post on this topic. And, I love when you and Lisa crosspost. I think you two should do it often!

  4. I so miss those crisp, midwest Fall days since moving to N. California. On the other hand, no tornados or shoveling snow anymore. That necklace makes me swoon!

  5. I love fall, but in LA, it doesn’t really happen, as you know. I don’t really change colors for the seasons, I stay with my limited palette all year round.

  6. We have the same dreams here in Florida – of cool, crisp September days . . . These are lovely transitional pieces. I just bought another linen knit top and love wearing it. xox

  7. Where I live (Houston) it is ridiculously hot and humid right now, and will continue to be so, well into October. I love Fall clothing, but since the temps won’t be below 80 for another 2 or 3 months, I can’t exactly wear any of it for a while. Like you, I try to change up the color palette a bit; exchanging the bright tropical colors for more subdued tones. (Not that you wear bright tropical colors! But I do). There’s a limit to what I can do, though. I don’t even break the jeans out until October, it’s just too hot. Ugh.