Your favourite seasons for dressing

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Angie is co-founder of YLF and its resident fashion stylist.

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Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Your favourite seasons for dressing

— by Angie

on August 12, 2009

I thoroughly enjoy all four seasons, but there are some I prefer to others because of the wardrobe choices the weather dictates at different times of the year. Here’s my ranking:

Autumn wins hands down because I get to haul out my extensive boot, jacket and scarf collection. Boots in all styles and colours are my favourite form of footwear and I adore wearing them with jeans, dresses and skirts. Scarves are fun and there’s nothing like an assortment of fabulous jackets to make you look and feel urban and sophisticated.
Summer is in second place because I love wearing a short, sleeveless sheath or sack dress with a pair of flats or low heeled wedge sandals. Not having to fuss with layers makes a welcome change.
Winter is next because I enjoy wearing coats and hose.
Spring comes in stone last because our Spring is cold and you usually end up wearing Winter clothes, which you’re SICK of wearing by the time Springtime rolls around.

Although I have favourite seasons, what I enjoy most is dressing for four different seasons. The change in weather keeps my wardrobe choices interesting. I wouldn’t like to wear sleeveless dresses or boots and jackets all year long because that would get boring.

Over to you. Do you have a favourite dressing season?

Individual Style

49 comments · Add a comment

Claire

Winter, definitely — I love the potential found in heavy layering.

August 12, 2009 at 12:43 am

Ele

(website)

Autumn BY FAR for me! It’s my favourite season in every respect- the weather, the clothing, the cool crisp feeling in the air. The end of summer is always a bit sad, but the thought of bringing out my jeans, boots, scarves and cardis always cheers me up. (I think, as a consummate student, that the whole “back to school” excitement is indelibly marked on my psyche, too.)

Second favourite is Spring, but only since I moved to the UK. We don’t really have one at all in Ontario- one minute there’s snow on the ground and the next it’s sweltering hot out! Spring here is lovely, and I like easing in more summery looks.

Winter and Summer are tied for last place. I don’t really mind either (love the layering of Winter and the dresses of Summer), but both are far too long and extreme for me!

August 12, 2009 at 1:08 am

Anne

Winter for me – but what I wear in the Australian winter is more like your Autumn.

August 12, 2009 at 1:22 am

Loulou

Winter is my favourite- i love thick winter coats and boots and i find it so much much easier to warm up than cool down in summer
Autumn and Spring are tied
Summer- I hate it at the momentt our summers are so changeable it annoys me, yesterday was lovely and hot today cold and wet
Ultimately i like the seasons to do what they are supposed to do! In which case i wouldn’t have a favourite because i love each of their distinguising features

August 12, 2009 at 1:40 am

londonkiwi

I have equal favourites:

Summer and Winter as the weather is much more certain – either reasonably hot or reasonably cold. In summer skirts and dresses are worn sans tights and in wither they are worn with tights and sometimes boots. No consideration is needed about whether it might start off cold and get hot or vice versa.

Autumn and Spring are my least favourites, for the fact that they are so unpredictable and I never know what to wear.

I think that a lot has to do with the fact that in New Zealand Spring and Autumn are not as defined seasons as they are in England, so you don’t tend to have clothes specifically for them – for instance I would never need a heavier weight coat and a lighter weight one in NZ, but in the UK you get a lot of wear out of both.

August 12, 2009 at 3:04 am

rute

oh.. I hate the extremes.. the winter because I don’t like the heavy layering..and I hate anything made of wool. The summer because in Portugal is so hot that you are never put together, always sweaty…
I love Autumn and spring because we can play with thin layers, a dress and a cardigan, jeans and a leather jacket…

August 12, 2009 at 3:50 am

hanna

autumn wins it for me, hands down and without question! and spring comes next. i love the potential for new looks in being able to play with layers, and i don’t mind a little rain because that’s a reason to break out the wellies, rain jackets and cute umbrellas!

i can’t do the extremes — very hot and very cold — summer and winter basically make me want to hide and just wear the comfiest clothes possible.

August 12, 2009 at 4:27 am

Laura

I agree with Hanna (maybe because we live in the same city!). Autumn all the way. It always reminds me of “back to school” and new fall clothes. Loved that as a child!

August 12, 2009 at 4:35 am

Phoebe

Summer is so easy: just put on a dress, slip into your sandals and go.
More interesting are autumn and winter – basically I dress the same in both seasons, wearing a coat over my outfit in winter.
I don´t care much about spring – usually it´s too chilly for nice summer dresses and too warm for coats, so…

But I agree that the most interesting part is the CHANGE of seasons and the possibilities it has in store.

August 12, 2009 at 5:22 am

Real Style Real People

(website)

ooh good one, Angie! Taht’sm y order too. I love fall b/c you can wear stuff w/o a coat -jeans and ballets; long sleeve tee and scarf-no coat required!

August 12, 2009 at 5:57 am

Sarah

How fun Angie! Everyone’s answers are so different. Yes I definitely have a favorite season. Here is my breakdown, coming from the MidWest with all of our spastic weather:

Spring: My absolute favorite! After a winter of dark colors, I long to break out the brights and ice cream tones. Most of my dresses hid away in the winter too. Spring colors make me happy, and with our constantly changing weather my jackets, scarves, and boots still get plenty of wear.

Autumn: After Spring and Summer of brights, it’s nice to tone things down a bit with fall colors, and once again my beloved boots, jackets, and scarves get to come out and play. I also wear hats often in autumn.

Winter: I love bringing out my turtleneck collection, which is one of the most flattering silhouettes on me. I also love wool skirts, tights, boots, and winter coats.

Summer: This season comes in last for me because it is so difficult to dress for. Days range from 80-110 degrees, and without a working air conditioner in my car I’m bound to sweat in whatever I wear, regardless of the number of layers. On the other hand, I have to bring a jacket with me if I’m going to be inside long, because the air conditioners in most businesses seem to be set for 65.

But overall, like you, I love having variety in weather.

August 12, 2009 at 6:19 am

Melody

I love the fall season most! I prefer the deeper colors widely available in the fall, and look forward to the debut of all the new denim. Plus my birthday is in September, and I associate fall with tons of new clothes.

Winter comes next for me. Our winters are very mild so I’m still wearing the fall pieces, and I still have a nice coat wardrobe. My favorites are my double-breasted red wool coat and black/white big plaid wool coat.

I really like summer too. I love the ease of wearing dresses almost exclusively.

Spring comes dead last. While I love the fall colors, I do not care for springy pastels. And I find it very difficult to transisition from winter to spring.

August 12, 2009 at 6:22 am

Bethany

I adore autumn clothes! Not just the coats, scarves, boots and tights, but the COLORS. All the retailers bring out these amazing teals and purples and burgundies, which I adore. Just being in stores makes me feel like I can smell the crisp fall air.

But eventually winter comes and I get tired of wearing those clothes I was so thrilled to put on just a few months before + wearing gloves or more layers. So my second favorite is definitely summer – which is good, because we get a lot of it here in Florida! I love breezy dresses and (nice) flip-flops, white jeans and light scarves… yeah.

And contrary to what you may think, we do get all 4 seasons in Florida – or at least in north Florida. We just have an extended summer and a shrunken winter (which I’m so totally cool with, after having grown up in the arctic known as Wisconsin). My grandmother just started staying in FL over the winter after living in Michigan most of her life and was shocked in November when the leaves started to change, and then shocked again when it hit below freezing a few times in the winter. She had always heard Florida had two seasons: hot and hotter, but that isn’t true, at least here in Jacksonville. We’re only super-hot mid-June-August, too. I love it here.

August 12, 2009 at 6:42 am

Bitsy

(website)

Autumn is my fave, too. I LOVE wearing boots. But it’s still warm enough that (usually) I don’t have to hide my clothes beneath a winter coat.

August 12, 2009 at 7:05 am

Kathleen

I grew up in San Diego, where it is 70 degrees and higher about 75% (or even more) of the year, so you would think my favorite season would be summer or spring, but now that I live in New England, I’d say autumn is my favorite season. I love actually being able to wear long sleeves and sweaters and jackets and coats and boots for more than one or two months! And I prefer the deep jewel tones that you see much more in fall.

August 12, 2009 at 7:06 am

Target-Addict

(website)

Autumn is my favorite… although here in Northern California it can be a bit tricky as we can have summer-like weather well into October, so layers are key. And I must agree with Laura: I always get a bit nostalgic for Fall in thinking about “back to school” shopping when I was young. So perhaps that’s why it’s my favorite season, as I equate it with the opportunity to add to/change up my wardrobe.

August 12, 2009 at 7:09 am

gina

(website)

Fall is definitely my favorite. I love the fall colors, and I love being able to layer, but without having to bundle to the extremes required by the cold of winter. Boots, tights, sweaters, tees, in light comfortable combos.

In theory, I like dressing for summer, but in reality, I spend so much time in air conditioning that my summer is pretty layered, and doesn’t feel much like summer to me anymore. More like an extended spring, that just rolls smoothly into fall.

I enjoy all the possibilities that winter layering presents, but after a while I get tired of being bundled up all the time and can’t wait for warmer weather and lighter clothes.

August 12, 2009 at 7:17 am

Danja

(website)

In terms of fashion my favorite season is fall because I love mixing tweeds, patterns, and layers. I also love accessorizing with scarves, fun tights and my favorite fall shoes, high-heeled oxfords.
Summer is next because it is always fun to go barelegged, wear fun sandals and bright colors (although I do tend to wear bright colors year around).
Winter is fun too, but not quite as much as fall and summer.
By the time spring rolls around, I am all giddy about upcoming summer season. I stay away from tweeds, and wear light sweaters, pants and skirts in spring like colors.

August 12, 2009 at 7:20 am

redhead

No question–Autumn! The colors found in nature and fashion, crisp air, warm clothes without the need for a jacket, the delightful scents of pumpkin and spice, Halloween, Thanksgiving and football season!

August 12, 2009 at 8:04 am

shiny

I love all four seasons, and I particularly adore the warmth of summer, unfortunately, I do not care for summer fashion at all. I used to not mind it so much, but the older I get, the more structure and layers I need to cover up middle-aged lumps and bumps and look my best. And with hot flashes, this is unbearable in the summer.

Winter, I do like, but can get cold and dark and way too long.

So give me Spring and Fall! Those are by far my two favorite seasons, fashion wise.

August 12, 2009 at 8:25 am

Susan D

I am not at all sure because I only found YLF last winter and didn’t get to really start putting into “practice” until Spring. So I am looking forward to both Fall and Winter (OK…not really looking forward to winter, but not dreading it as much as usual) to see how my wardrobe choices/pairings will have changed with all that I have learned from YLF and its members!

Susan D

August 12, 2009 at 8:33 am

Cricket

Wow, how interesting that fall is such a favorite! I love fall too!

August 12, 2009 at 8:50 am

Meredith2

I do love autumn clothes, although it’s not my favorite time of the year (that would be summer Jeans, boots and sweaters have been my wardrobe staples since I was a teenager. Interesting question!

August 12, 2009 at 8:53 am

Laura

Fall by far. The colors are gorgeous and I don’t overheat while walking home (east coast summers are brutal). I also love a little bit of corduroy. Not to mention my extensive collection of slouch berets! Oh I’m getting excited for fall now.

August 12, 2009 at 9:24 am

Mac

Wow. I thought I was the only one who loved fall clothes but apparently not. I love fall fabrics: tweed, cashmere, mohair, denim. I think leather boots – all heights and all styles – are simply smashing. And as a freckled redhead, I find fall colours quite flattering for me: charcoal gray, deep brown, tawny reds, moss green etc look nicer with my skin than some of the brights or pastels of other seasons.

August 12, 2009 at 9:31 am

Shari

I love summer. I love bright colors, wearing skirts and dresses without tights, the openness of sandals, linen, cotton and other light fabrics. Spring and fall can be short here in the Midwest – the old season lingers and lingers and then it can change pretty suddenly. I pick spring next because I love pulling out my snappy navy and white. Fall third, even though here I’m wearing summerish items until October. Winter last. It used to be one of my favorites, but he older I get the more I hate it – the darkness, the weather, the layers. I hardly ever wear skirts in winter because I hate tights.

I have noticed my seasonal prefernces have changed since I have become a gardener to coincide with the cyle of my garden. I used to love fall, but now it’s the time for my garden to so to sleep and I am always a little sad about it v. spring with all its anticipation.

I do endeavor to keep my flowers in my garden and not on my clothes (or in my household decor).

Shari

August 12, 2009 at 9:33 am

Lisa

Autum for sure. I can bring out the boots, sweaters and scarves, but don’t need a bulky coat. I just love it!

August 12, 2009 at 9:54 am

Sri

Angie, I am your opposite!

Spring is my favourite season. I can layer, wear pretty colors, get full use out of my wardrobe in spring. Winter (California) is mild here, and is my next best season, as I get to pull out my coats, scarves, and boots. Summer is OK – though the inability to layer significantly reduces the number of outfits I can wear.

Autumn is really the worst as it feels like summer just never ends and the stores are already stocked up on winter clothes that I am looking forward to! It does not help that Halloween, Diwali, Navarathri, and a number of other festivals are in autumn and I feel that I have never figured out how to dress for those! The kids are always excited, and there are moms who go all out in orange or in indian finery, and I am torn between wearing something festive and looking out of place at work, and wearing something normal and looking out of place amongst the festivities. What do other working moms do?

August 12, 2009 at 10:04 am

CHICKDOWNTOWN.COM Sarah

(website)

Definitely autumn!!! I love the idea of back to school shopping for scarves and boots. I love light jackets and jeans too!

August 12, 2009 at 10:10 am

Sarah

After reading the other comments, I find it interesting that Autumn is such a favorite here. Spring beats it out on my list because I look good in most Spring colors. In Autumn I have to be much more choosy in order not to wash out my pale completion.

August 12, 2009 at 10:32 am

mamark

I love to dress for winter – I love wools and cashmeres and the dark, rich colors of winter. I love wearing silks, taffetas and velvets for holiday parties, and I ADORE wearing coats, and suede shoes and opaque tights… I could go on and on.

My least favorite season to dress for is summer, by far. But it’s my favorite season to enjoy life, and I’m always sad when it’s over. I wonder if that’s unusual.

August 12, 2009 at 11:18 am

Joelle

Fall & winter are my favorites because I like the deeper colors, the layering, and the extra accessories, like hats and scarves. Somehow I get the impression that fall and winter clothes tend to be of higher quality than spring and summer ones and they look more stylish.

Spring is next because it is still cool enough to wear a variety of outfits.

Summer is last because I hate hot weather and bright sun, and starting to sweat the moment I step outside. Where I live only thin cotton tops are tolerable outdoors and after a few weeks I get tired of them. Layering is only possible indoors with the AC on.

August 12, 2009 at 11:46 am

san

Angie, since I live in the same climate as you, my list of favorite style seasons is the same. However summer and fall are my favorite seasons to live in. Maybe that will change now that I know you and YLF forum.

August 12, 2009 at 12:09 pm

All Women Stalker

(website)

Unfortunately, I live in a 2-season kind of country. But I LOOOOVE rainy days because I get to use coats, jackets, boots, and scarves.

-meream

August 12, 2009 at 12:17 pm

Sal

(website)

I completely agree that having all four seasons to dress to is SUCH fun. I love transitional times and looking forward to coming seasons almost as much as I do living through them! But, since you asked:

Fall: Cool enough for boots and tights, but not so cold that I have to bundle up yet.
Winter: It IS my dominant season, and I’m finally getting to a point where I love my winter arsenal.
Summer: I have a pretty enviable collection of sandals!
Spring: I agree that spring is generally cold and wet, and you just want it to be summer already.

August 12, 2009 at 12:33 pm

Jerseyjan

In Naples (SW Florida) where it IS hot and hotter, believe it or not, there IS a seasonal vibe. Autumn dressing equates with deeper jewel tones, too, just perhaps sleeveless tops. Winter is long sleeves and light jackets, leather, silk, or cotton–probably not too much wool–never heavy wool; spring into summer the brights come out. My feet always have open toe shoes 95 percent of the time. In NJ where I grew up, fall was my fave, too, cooler, crisp, and sunny days, cool nights. I enjoyed the comfy clothing. Lovely. But I’ll take no winter hands down! No thank you, to heavy coats, gloves, and scarf, with my cherry red nose on top!

August 12, 2009 at 12:52 pm

Amy

#1 Autumn
#2 Winter
#3 Summer

And I’ll leave out Spring since, as others have mentioned, we really don’t have that season much around here. But I LOVE boots, layers, jewel tones, boots, etc. My body just looks better in autumn and winter clothing than in summer clothes. And I’m a total scarfaholic. I have soooooo many scarves and have a hard time leaving a store without one.

However, if it were January right now, I’d be saying.
#1 SUMMER!!
#2 SUMMER!!
#3 SUMMER!!
#4 SUMMER!!

August 12, 2009 at 12:57 pm

Sue M

My order mimics Angie’s and for the same reasons. Here in Seattle the spring goes on forever and we are so sick of those boots and trousers and tights by about April, but the nice weather doesn’t start until about June. I think I like Fall too because we get to wear all of our recent NAS purchases

August 12, 2009 at 1:02 pm

Joy

#1. Autumn and the layering possibilities without messing with heavy coats, gloves, etc. Our fall temperatures can extend into December, so it’s also a time to think of holiday outfits.

#2. Spring for some of the same reasons as autumn…layering without heavy layers and renewed interest in wardrobe for warmer weather ahead.

Winter and summer too often mean just trying to be reasonably comfortable in extremes.

August 12, 2009 at 1:14 pm

SewingLibrarian

Here in San Diego I really miss autumn weather and the new clothes for the fall/winter season. It’s back-to-school time, but it’s too hot for the plaids and tweeds I love. Oh well, I get my revenge in the depths of winter when it’s lovely here! I don’t miss the snow and cold of the midwest.

August 12, 2009 at 1:35 pm

Taylor

(website)

I love spring and fall because I can wear ALL my clothes. Some days are very cool and I can layer and scarf and boot and other days are quite warm and I can go bare legged with a sleeveless sheath..and everything in between, so my wardrobe gets a nice work out.:)

August 12, 2009 at 4:16 pm

Lynette

I love summer best by far because there is an abundance of bright pretty colors and I can wear a skirt or dress everyday. Winter is my second favorite because it’s easy to dress for – cold. Plus I have some nice pieces. I get cold easily so I don’t wear dresses or skirts as often though. In fall I always welcome the change of seasons and wardrobe, but it can be very chilly in the mornings here and hot by afternoon. I find it very hard to dress for. Spring is dead last for the very reasons Angie stated. We often have nicer winters in Colorado than springs. In spring there will always be a few days of beautiful warm weather, and just when you’re ready to dump your winter wardrobe and pull out all your lovely summer things, it blasts you with cold and snow. At least in winter when you get a beautiful warm day you appreciate it and know it won’t last. Spring just gets your hopes up then dashes them.

August 12, 2009 at 4:26 pm

Jessica

I love it when the weather is moderate enough that I can wear layers. I live in a warm climate and really look forward to days that feel like autumn, though there are few enough of them. I love an excuse to throw on a cardigan or light jacket or to wear a scarf.

August 12, 2009 at 4:48 pm

Nadine

(website)

I actually like Autumn and Spring, even though (or maybe because?) in NZ they are each about 3 weeks long. It’s such a treat to be able to wear jeans and a t-shirt or a dress with a jacket without freezing or boiling. Summer is dress-only weather. Winter is layers and thermals and jerseys.

August 12, 2009 at 5:20 pm

psisson

(website)

Wow, thought for sure you’d have examples of great dressed women fom each season Angie!!
But, for me I love love WINTER, being from super sunny San Diego CALIFONIA now living in San Francisco..I love having actual SEASONS not just Summer and fall ( SD’s winter is like most folks’ FALL as far as west coast) Boots, scarfs jackets, sweaters, tights/leggings and hats… love love it!! second, is SUMMER cuz it’s bright and cheery and I love feeling the heat and getting a great tan..well more tan becuz i’m halph black w/ mexican and russian blood! gotta love it! peace out…stay fabulous ladies!!

August 12, 2009 at 7:47 pm

Erin

(website)

Probably winter because that’s what I’m most used to dressing for here in New England. I have the layering thing down pat. When we get our three weeks of summer/warm weather I pretty much just try and wear as few clothes as possible to soak up my years ration of vitamin D
yeah, we definately get spring/summer fever up north.

August 12, 2009 at 8:00 pm

Maya

Autumn hands down! I love layering, scarves, and most of all BOOTS! But at the same time, it isn’t frigidly and unbearably cold like it is in winter. It’s my favorite season in general. Perfect for taking long walks while the leaves fall and the air is crisp (and taking those walks is a lot more comfortable in boots).

Second is spring. I can still wear my boots in spring since NY springs are still pretty cool, and it always feels good to finally not have all my outfits covered by a heavy coat.

Winter is third. I love winter accessories. And of course boots.

Summer is my least favorite. It gets unbearably humid, which makes me look like an oil slick from the neck up. My hair gets frizzy and messy. It’s just impossible to look like anything but a sweaty hot mess. And of course, the footwear makes me miserable. I love dresses and breezy voluminous tops, but I just never feel as sleek as I want to. By this time of year, I’m DESPERATE for autumn to come.

August 12, 2009 at 8:18 pm

tammy

(website)

Fall is my favorite season! I love layering, boots and the sultry look of the darker makeup!

August 16, 2009 at 10:23 pm

virago

Fall for sure! Perfect weather for jeans, all sorts of nice tops and jackets at night. Summer is too hot for most of what I like to wear, as I don’t like to bare too much skin. Winter is too cold, although I do like wearing nice winter coats. (But most of the time I’m walking around in snow pants!) And spring only lasts about 5 minutes here.

August 22, 2009 at 2:46 pm

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