Using Colors and Texture to Transition Into Fall

 I don't know why,  but it is a pet peeve of mine to see people rush into wearing the next season's fashions.  I remember last year, in late August, driving down the road and seeing a woman get out of her car wearing blue jeans and tall leather boots in eighty degree weather and I thought "Are you out of your mind?".  I understand the need to want to wear something different.  I get that feeling every year when the rest of the country is showing off their pretty Easter dresses and sandals, and I have to still wear snow boots and sweaters because there is a blizzard outside.  Trust me, I get it!  But seriously, clothes are not meant just to adorn the body, they serve a practical purpose first and foremost:  to keep us warm or cool!  When deciding what to wear every day, the first thing I consider is weather, the second is the event.  But weather, always, always, always, comes first.

So it is now mid to late August.  Most of the children are back in school, the days are getting shorter, but it's still in the upper eighties outside.   Fall is technically still more than a month away (September 22nd to be exact!), but I feel the need to start transitioning my clothes away from the pretty pastels of spring or the bright neon colors of summer.  What do I do?  I use fall colors and texture, but I stay true to summer clothing items like shorts, tee shirts, and sandals.

In today's outfit, I am wearing all neutral, fall type colors and incorporating textures like denim and corduroy that are normally meant for colder months.

Everything I have on is super old (some I would say are even vintage), so no shopping links other than what Lookastic provides below.

Even though a lot of women wear jeans during the summer, unless it's a very cool day or I'm out late at night, denim on my legs is just too uncomfortable for me.  I can't handle anything tight to my skin during the summer.  But a denim vest, that is a possibility.  I must admit though, that while wearing this vest I did get a little warm while taking these pictures and also in the car.  However, once we were inside air conditioning, it felt just right.  But that's the beauty of a vest....you can put it on or take it off for your comfort level.

The denim fabric, along with the olive green twill shorts and beige tee shirt transition well into the fall season because they are traditionally considered fall colors and fabrics.  However, the outfit still keeps me cool and comfortable, because they are shorts and a tee!

 Now here is my vintage item:  a very old brown corduroy purse.  Isn't this the coolest thing?  I tell you, sometimes it really pays not to throw things away.  I have had this purse more years than I can count.  I just recently re-discovered it again (tossed way in the back of my other purses) and thought "Wow! This is amazing!  This is totally in right now!".  I know we can't keep everything or our houses would look like we belong on an episode of "Hoarders", but I wouldn't be too quick to throw everything away either.  You never know when something will be "in" again.

For jewelry, I chose a bracelet and necklace that had brown and olives tones in it.  Both pieces were picked up at gift shops or odd stores while vacationing.

Here is the back of the denim vest.  I picked this vest up at Target last year around this time and would you believe this was my first time I ever wore it?  Sad, I know.  I thought I would get a lot of use out of it when I bought it, but I always felt it was too warm to wear it in the summer.  I will try and incorporate it more into my winter wardrobe this year.

My olive green shorts are probably twenty years old.  Thank goodness I still fit in them, although the waist line seems to get tighter every year. :)

I've seen a lot of fashion bloggers lately wearing booties with their shorts, especially if they are open toe'd.  I could have done that with this outfit and it would have looked great and even more "fall appropriate";  but to be honest, booties are still too hot for me this time of year so I stuck with sandals.  Plus, I won't be able to wear sandals in a few short weeks, so I might as well get as much use out of them as I can now.

These sandals are so old I can't even remember where I got them.  They are very bohemian looking with the intricate, woven straps.  There is a silver and a copper metallic strap woven in with the off-white one.  They zipper in the back, so they are very easy to get off and on.

So what about you?  Have you broken out your tall boots and cardigans yet, or are still dressing for the warm weather like I am?  How do you transition into different seasons with your outfits?

Have a Great Day!  Amy

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