How can I wear some spring favorites in other seasons? - YouLookFab Forum

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How can I wear some spring favorites in other seasons?

Joy

Veteran

I have a few pieces in my closet that I love to wear on cool spring days but they are orphans the rest of the year. They are too hot to wear in summer and the color feels too spring-like for fall and winter. Do you have any styling ideas for me to get more wear from these?
1. You've seen this mid tone blazer before. It's a summer-winter orphan. Ideas?
2. Another you've seen. How can I wear this coral dress in the fall?
3. The pencil skirt is actually half of an AT pale green suit from consignment. Is there a way to wear it in other seasons. It even seems too springy for summer.
4/5 & 7. This little yellow plaid jacket is lined and rather warm, but it's a spring favorite. I'm not sure that it works with the dotty skirt.
6. I have this great aqua button down shirt and another in peach that feel so right in the spring. How can I use a long-sleeved shirt in a spring color the rest of the year?
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Dressing

20 replies

Latest reply was from Day Vies

deb

Veteran

#1 - The jacket can be worn with a dark grey or black skirt for the fall/winter. Even a dark purple or blue for that matter.
#2 - What about a dark tpooer with tights for fall/winter?
#3 - Add and orange topper for summer. Or an apple green.
#4 - I like the plaid jack with the dotty skirt.
#6 - I pair spring colored shirts with falls darker colors.

All of your spring outfits look great!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Joy, you will have to excuse me. I need to get my fuchsia crash helmet.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Phew!!

That's better.

You look so amazing!! Do you have any idea how great you look?

Okay, I'm going to preface this by saying that sometimes I fear those of us who live in true four season climates put a bit too much pressure on ourselves to make our clothes work across all seasons. If we lived in a more temperate place, that might be a reasonable goal, but realistically, we need different fabric weights and even different colours in the different seasons for many of our clothes, perhaps especially toppers.

Now, this runs smack dab into conflict with the goal for a minimal, well curated wardrobe. So I tussle with it on a regular basis. I have no absolute answer, but I am working out a sort of plan to have X number of toppers per season. Only one or two of those will be truly cross seasonal (or, more realistically tri-seasonal, since in summer even the lightest would probably be too warm for me to wear). The rest I will simply rotate. And enjoy the shot of variety this produces in my closet.

Does that sound mad?

I haven't figured out my ideal number yet, and it might be more for fall/ winter than for spring or summer. Of course there will be overlap between fall/ winter and overlap between winter/ spring, and some overlap between spring/ summer as well, and then summer/ fall. But (to give you an example) when I put the wintery tweedy jackets away, the navy light wool comes into its own; when that one feels too dark and heavy, the white denim and the graphic print cotton peplum will work; when those feel too spring/ summer or light, it might be time to pull out the taupe leather again.

In other words, don't sweat it.

But, if you do want to wear out of season:

1. How about with rust or orangey shades in autumn, or with mustard?

2. Grey boots or booties and a scarf?

3. Look up some of the mint pins for inspiration. Maybe charcoal grey?

4. Love the yellow jacket with the dotty skirt and the pants, too!

5. Layer a sweater over top of the shirts so just a pop of colour at the collar shows.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

ETA to add...I also rotate my shirts. So my linen ones come out for spring/ summer but go into the other closet for winter. My heavier non-iron shirts and those in darker colours move out for summer, too. I even rotate skirts and dresses.

My goal is to have a small well curated closet per season. Obviously I'd love to keep the total number of items down as well, but first I need to build a base of what I actually need and use in each season.

Joy

Veteran

Deb, those are great suggestions and I even have some of those pieces to try. I'd not thought of a grey skirt with the lavender or orange jacket with the pale green.
Suz, you are a marvel! I can so identify with the struggle of trying to keep a small wardrobe in our 4 seasons climate. Your idea is not mad at all. This is probably the best solution. I've been trying to think lately in terms of hoe many tops or pairs of shorts or dresses, etc. I need for a week of above 100 degree F. Spring and Fall get more complicated because each feels like it has 2 mini seasons in it. Maybe the right toppers would stretch one into the other. I share your goal of a well curated closet and love your idea of rotating.
Please continue to share your progress. I 'm excited by this idea.

Vix

Veteran

Hi Joy --

Very general advice that maps to the ideas you've received:

-- Look at the season you're in, and pair the typical landscape colors that resonate with you with you "non-seasonal" one.

-- Check out Pantone's seasonal color trends when they hit and see what the designers they work with pair with colors close to your "non-seasonal" one.

Good luck!

Joy

Veteran

Oh, Vix, those are great ideas! Thank you.

Carole

Veteran

1 and 2) with Navy or brown-scarves that suit the season with just a dash of the lighter color

6- love aqual and peach with brown.

Not sure about how to transition the other items:(

Joy

Veteran

Carole, you've convinced me that I really need more brown, especially some great brown pants.

rae

(website)

Veteran

Just some stream-of-consciousness ideas:

Blazer with white blouse, dark denim, riding boots, and a dark-tones scarf. Or over black turtleneck and skinnies. Or a charcoal sweater, slouchy trousers, and dark colored shoes.

Dress over tall, slim boots with a blazer/jacket/cropped sweater?

Pale green skirt with bright white for summer? Or with a breton tee and sandals?

I think the yellow jacket looks great with that same outfit, plus some booties, for f/w. Doesn't Angie (and Una??) have a bright plaid jacket, too?

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Or TAUPE?????

Vix, those are BRILLIANT suggestions. Perfection. I get it. Squeeee!!!!

Joy, I completely agree about spring/ fall "mini-seasons." We have those, too. The portion of spring that is really like a sunnier, longer-daylight winter, and the portion of fall that is as warm as summer, yet the light is totally different.

Manidipam said she considers herself to have six seasons, and I really can see this argument for those in climates like ours, as well.

The trouble (for me) is that the mini-seasons are really short!! Or, rather, true spring is almost non-existent. (Instead, most years, we move straight from winter-spring to summer). And in some years that is true of autumn as well. We move from a long summer-autumn straight to winter.

I do think the right toppers would stretch from one to the other for the most part, but I've decided that I will always have one or two that are pretty much season dedicated.

E.g. My black wool crepe jacket is pretty much three-seasonal, and is even wearable in summer in the evening if the place is air conditioned or the night is not too humid. BUT...my tweed jacket is essentially winter (not early fall - maybe late fall, depending on temps). My denim jackets, for me, are primarily spring/ fall with the odd summer evening thrown in. My navy jacket can be worn in winter but is mostly spring/ fall. And so on.

This brings up the whole question of whether you need duplicates in different fabrications, i.e. a leather moto and a linen moto. Maybe, if the style is a true essential for you.

I have also been trying to work out, in absolute terms, how many pieces I need for our few weeks of very hot temperatures. I have determined that while my true summer wardrobe can be quite small (given my personal needs) it can't be too small, because I need to change clothes, especially tops, more often in summer. So I need more tops than I might need in autumn/ winter!

unfrumped

Veteran

This type of thinking is great.
The jackets would be great in colder r wlrn with darker colors and layers where the jacket is the spot of color.. How about a charcoal turtleneck with either of them? Column of dark neutrals and boots as the underlayer. Also ke the idea of bfowns and rusts with the lavender-purple jacket and leather accessories in warmer tones-- but skewed toward your coloring. For example you mah like more springy light colors near face but work warmer richer colors in elsewhere for fall. Also can use the lighter colors but in warm textured fabrics-- as in the winter white outfits.

Joy

Veteran

Rae, I need to save up in hopes that NAS has some great slender-calf friendly boots this year, especially in grey. I love your ideas and can probably try a striped tee and sandals with that pale green skirt soon. The yellow jacket is an Angie Chanal-esque find about 3 years ago at Target. It is well made and lined. I will have to go back and look at outfits.
Suz, yes! Taupe! A great idea as it transcends seasons but is less harsh with the light colors than black or even charcoal and chocolate. We are in similar climate areas where spring and fall can be very short or non-existent many years. I also need more hot weather tops because they get changed during the day and are in the wash more often. About the only time I need a topper is in the freezing grocery stores and for church. I usually carry one for the movies and other times when air conditioning may be intense.
Unfrumped, I like your ideas of how to wear these dark and light colors together. Rust with lavender may work for both spring and fall. I must try that.
Do you think I need to change the cream buttons on the lavender jacket to something darker. I'd thought of doing this when I bought it, but there are a lot of sleeve buttons. Still, it's doable.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Lots of great advice here!

Joy, I had to chime in to say that #7 knocks my socks off! You always manage to look Perfectly Playfully Elegant. A true style achievement! That outfit is KILLER to the power of KILLER.

Now I need to lie down to recover.

Day Vies

Veteran

Love that yellow jacket -- #4-5 is my favorite of them all. I don't think there is any need for any of these to be orphans outside of spring. I think all of these pieces could work in fall/winter if paired with its jewel-tone mate or complement. As always a dark neutral will work-- I'm thinking charcoal or dark brown/espresso.
BTW -- I have a cream skirt that I wear year round. In the fall it gets paired with a brown and orange palette. In the depths of winter I love it with light gray or deep emerald with bronze/copper accents. (I wore that combo to a holiday party about 3 years ago)

I think 4-5 would be worn in the fall/winter with no change.

unfrumped

Veteran

Joy, if they are pearl-type buttons it could be more versatile to change them to something more tonally neutral--could be taupe! Or a gray. But, since it is work to do so, you should play with some outfits and see whether you think it makes enough difference. I have that same issue with cardi's and jackets--the lighter or sometimes metallic buttons are great with certain outfits and make a good statement or pop, but then are not what you want with other colors.

Joy

Veteran

Angie, I need to lie down myself now. A K2K is toe-tingling and I like the descriptor of "perfectly playfully elegant".
Day, Can you believe that jacket is from Target!? I hear you. I need to play until I get the right combination with jewel tone mates or compliments or with dark neutrals for these to work fall/winter./p>
Unfrumped, I think you are right. I just need to style in a way that the buttons can work with different types of outfits.
thank you all for some great ideas and to Suz for the idea of seasonal closets to keep small but still have variety.

Anonymous

Wow, you've gotten some great advice (and you look terrific in these Spring items)!

I was going to suggest looking at changing buttons where applicable to something you feel looks more season-less, but you beat me to the punch. I like the idea of going tonal with darker versions of the same colors for a fall/winter look. For the yellow jacket, how about a grey turtleneck and faded jeans with pearls? Or over a black turtleneck with white jeans? Yum. I'll be right behind you if you find some narrow calfed boots at the NAS!

shedev

Veteran

I have 4 seasons but I really only have 2 color palettes. It helps that I dont really like spring colors or summer brights. For spring/summer I'm wearing some lighter denim and washed out blues greens purples and greys. For fall/winter I have more jewel tones burgandies choc browns. Then I have some mid range colors that cross seasons. For the most part I dont sweat seasonal appropriateness though.

Day Vies

Veteran

Target!? Wow -- nice! I haven't been trolling the clothing aisles there in a few weeks. I go in and I say "I have enough... I have enough".

Old Navy actually had in a store near me a Chanel type jacket too in tan, pink, yellow, and blue -- funny how these stores are sneaking in great pieces under our noses!