Trans-Seasonal Dressing
How to effortlessly evolve your wardrobe between seasons!
What to Wear?
We Toronto girls have it easy: hot and humid summers demand breezy-light summer dresses, whilst in chilling winters, we know to rely on wool tights and cozy cashmere. Without much in-between weather, our wardrobe demands, trustworthy and steadfast, are never difficult – right? So, why is it, as soon our outdoor thermometers hit moderate temperatures, we’re at a loss as to what to wear? Fashion law (and hopefully, our better judgment) dictates no open-toe shoes through snow season, and please, save your Canada Goose down jacket for when you really need it (salt-stained coats look most inappropriate when daffodils and lilacs are blooming). But what about that murky, unknown territory we enter between each season? Fear not, we can finally conquer our wardrobe conundrums.
Trendy Transition
Transitional dressing has never been easier, with layering, prints, and mixing textures all major trends we’ve been seeing on the Spring 2011 runways. Indeed, trans-season dressing is a great opportunity to be edgy, experiment, and mix trends. Want to throw a menswear tweed jacket over a feminine, floral dress? Now’s the time to try it! Combining chunky knits with delicate lace and silks, or short hemlines with textured tights are all winning looks. Not only can one achieve a modern mix, more can be made of your closet. During these credit crunch times, a little amalgamation of winter-spring clothing can be something to give you a little more bounce in your step, not to mention less of a dent in your chequing account.
Layer On
Transitional chic is best executed through searching through both your winter and summer closets and doing some creative layering. Resort collections from Rag & Bone showed us how to pair fall’s harem trousers with a tee shirt, vest, scarf and boots. Adding thin layers, such as modal or lightweight cashmere cardigans and scarves, to your cotton basics is a fashion-forward way to maximize your trans-seasonal wardrobe.
Colour Palettes
For the print or colour-tentative, this is a wonderful opportunity to work more interest into your outfit by adding a bright cardigan or a Missoni-inspired print scarf. Swapping black accessories in favour of lighter-coloured neutrals (tortoiseshell sunglasses and nude handbags) can lighten your end-of-season aesthetic, as well.
European Influences
When looking for wardrobe inspiration, a great place to start is observing what other women across the globe are sporting. Though navigating through murky weather territory may not be easy for us, European girls, with their non-extreme climate (and, admittedly, innate fashion sense) are fantastic examples of how to do transitional dressing well. Scandinavian fashionistas love to mix lightweight scarves with heavier military-inspired parkas; Parisienne women realize that pairing heavier tights with peep-toe shoes is an inter-season must; and every London lass worth her TopShop wardrobe knows that a trench coat is a staple piece for inter- seasons (see Rachel Roy, Acquascutum, and Burberry).
Style Stalking
When seeking fashionable flair from across the pond, no globetrotting need be necessary. Take a peek at the following style blogs:
* Copenhagen Street Style (http://copenhagenstreetstyle.dk/) is a great source for what the high-cheekboned set are wearing in Denmark
* London’s The Style Scout (http://stylescout.blogspot.com/) will have you wishing for Old Blighty’s weather year-round (well, almost), showing how both men and women stay Brit-cool in vintage and savvy street-wear
* We forget that not every Australian city is Bondi-Beach-hot year round: Melbourne’s stylish set are notorious for their weather-appropriate layering and rock ‘n roll aesthetic. Check out Lady Melbourne (http://www.ladymelbourne.com.au/) for pitch-perfect Down Under style.
The fashionable need not fret! Done right, transitional dressing can bring a fresh look into your wardrobe, as well as be fun, look chic, and easy on your wallet.
No comments:
Post a Comment