Warm Versus Cold Weather Outfit Variety

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

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Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Warm Versus Cold Weather Outfit Variety

— by Angie

on May 25, 2015

It recently occurred to me that there is a lot more variety in my Spring and Summer style than there is in my Autumn and Winter style. In Spring and Summer (when we have a proper Spring that doesn’t feel like Winter), I wear skirts, dresses, blouses, shirts, open-weave knitwear, Spring cashmere, jackets, pumps, loafers, oxfords, ankle strap pumps, pointy toe flats and ankle strap flats along with all sorts of jeans, pants and cropped pants silhouettes.

This is tremendous variety compared to my Autumn and Winter style which consists of jeans, trousers, pullovers, heavier weight jackets, coats and booties. I do not wear skirts and dresses, because no matter how I try to stay warm with hosiery, I’m still too cold. I also need to wear footwear with cozy socks to feel comfortably warm, which means booties are my best bet. And I don’t wear pumps or loafers in Autumn and Winter because I prefer those styles of footwear without socks. The wet weather limits my jeans and trouser silhouettes to tapered hems, restricting my outfit variety even further.

I’m too practical by nature to not dress in a way that isn’t sufficiently comfortable and warm, but I DO want more variety for what is actually my dominant season and have a few ideas for how I’m going to do that this year.

First, I would love to get a few pairs of knee-high boots. For years I have been looking for a non-stretchy, non-black, fashionable and tailored pair of boots to fit a 13 inch calf circumference. I’m seriously thinking of having a pair of authentic riding boots custom made in a rich shade of brown. At this stage it might be my best option, as well as a nod to the equestrian aspect of my style persona.

Second, I’ll be on the sharp lookout for more variety in jeans, trousers and knitwear. Perhaps I’ll find some comfortable mid-calf boots to fit that aren’t casual and rugged. A coat in a shade of pastel would also be fab.

Over to you. Does your warm weather style also have more variety than your cold weather style? And are you happy with this level of variety.

Individual Style

55 comments · Add a comment

Runcarla

Veteran

Like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon I trade my darks for colours and lights. Most of my wardrobe is in my closet for year round mixing and matching, but in the colder temps I gravitate towards those darker clothes. I never made it to winter white out, but have been doing all white outfits for over a month, since the weather turned warm.

I need to find the right pieces so I can have a lighter and more colourful (joyful?!) winter wardrobe. Maybe all I need is a ‘pop of colour’ winter coat?

May 25, 2015 at 2:29 am

Style Fan

Veteran

My Spring and Autumn style has the most variety. Spring is very unpredictable. It can be summer like one day and freezing the next. In one week I wore my shorts and T to walk my dog and then a down parka. Variety for sure. Today it is raining.

The only time I can really wear jeans and be comfortable is in Spring and Autumn. It is too cold in the Winter and too warm in the Summer. That occurred to me when I was in Florida this year. I wore jeans all the time because the weather was perfect. No wonder my jeans last so long.

May 25, 2015 at 2:29 am

Belladogga

Active Member

Your observations resonate with me. I’m currently on holiday in England (live in the Caribbean). It has been “warm” (13-21 Celsius) and I can’t imagine myself wearing anything other than closed shoes with socks, full length jeans and trousers and 3/4 or long-sleeved knitwear at these or lower temperatures. Mind you, I’m a uniform dresser at the best of times, but colder temperatures would definitely preclude dresses and skirts for me.

May 25, 2015 at 2:40 am

Sal

Veteran

Interesting, although I am not sure that it quite holds for me as our climate is very temperate. I accessorise more in winter and enjoy mixing textures in clothing, hosiery and footwear. In summer I wear more colour,

With the midi skirts around Angie you may find something that appeals with tall boots. If the skirt is knee length with tall boots it can be very cosy!

May 25, 2015 at 3:52 am

krishnidoux

Veteran

I have a colleague who makes a point of wearing only dresses and skirts because, she says, she doesn’t like herself in pants – despite a very nice figure. We live in a very cold, messy climate, winter often lasts more than 6 months of the year. Yet this colleague, who admitted being sensitive to the cold, is always so stylish. I noticed that she brings lots of footwear to work, keeping it in her office, so she can change it during the course of the day to suit the occasion/comfort need. She walks to work, so she wears athletic leggings or pants under her dress/skirt, which she removes upon arriving (it must be said that around here, when it gets cold, nobody cares what you look like outside). Another thing that surprised me is that she has an array of knee high boots for inside use as well as for outside. So she’ll come in, remove her knee high winter boots, and slip on other boots, often also knee high glove-like, or mid-calf, Italian leather or sometimes Cowboy style (the latter two worn almost always inside in our harsh climate).

May 25, 2015 at 3:58 am

skylurker

Veteran

yes, more variety in Spring/Summer, to adapt to the fickle weather.
I’m happy wearing the same formula over and over, I don’t care for more variety.

May 25, 2015 at 3:58 am

gryffin

Veteran

Exactly the same for me but different pieces. Extremes of weather are difficult to manage in either direction. Deep winter is the most restrictive since I alternate three pairs of snowboots with leggings, tunic, blazer. I do not even wear pants in winter – I have trouble tucking and I need to wear insulated boots with my Raynaud’s because even inside my feet are little chunks of ice. Cold but nice weather real fall and early spring nice selection of boots but still need leggings to fit into them. I do think from early fall and spring I have the most variety in dresses, pants, footwear. But I’m not complaining, I used to limit to one pair of heavy winter boots, now I at least have three so I can alternate. If I’m cold I’m miserable so I am slowing accumulating a capsule that keeps me snug and comfortable. But practical rules in extreme weather every time!!

May 25, 2015 at 4:03 am

Kirstjen

Veteran

I can’t imagine wearing a dress or skirt in the winter here in Chicago because of the cold, but they are also not something that I wear very often in the summer.

May 25, 2015 at 4:40 am

Phoebe

Have you checked out Duo Boots (www.duoboots.com)? They have beautiful leather boots in many styles, and you can choose not only the regular foot size but also the calf circumference. I have narow calves and after years of fruitless searching for a pair of boots that would fit, I finally ordered a pair from Duo, and I LOVE them. They are beautifully made, and the company’s customer service is excellent as well.

May 25, 2015 at 4:49 am

crutcher

Veteran

I am currently working on developing a summer wardrobe…My clothes consist of fall, winter and spring…Summers here are just not that hot..usually..and I have very few pieces that I can say this is summer…I rather wear spring without the jackets…So having summer clothes is my current task…
(I absolutely cannot stand being cold…So emphathize with you on this one…_

May 25, 2015 at 5:14 am

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I agree with you Angie – it is much easier to wear different types of clothing when you don’t have to worry about cold feet and cold in general. Winter dressing is first and foremost about keeping warm for me.

May 25, 2015 at 5:26 am

Lucy

Quite fascinating!
I think it is something about the more extreme weather, rather than simply the cold.
I moved to a warmer climate in January, and I really found it quite a shock! It was not like my old city wasn’t just as warm at times, but it was not hot every day for months! I found I had a lot less variety in my wardrobe in the real heat and humidity – semi fitted dresses for work (as formal as I could get without sweltering); maxi’s for weekends; leggings and sleeveless tunics for casual. It was way less variety than I was used to, but anything more was too hot!
So perhaps it is the moments of the more extreme climate that makes us reach for the most practical clothing….

May 25, 2015 at 5:42 am

Tanya

Veteran

Ah, I could have written 90% of what you have Angie, out situations are very similar, other than hr fact that my lifestyle and dress style are much more casual than yours. I live in a four season climate with long summers and slightly shorter winters, and get bored easily so I need lot of variety.
In the spring and summer I wear pretty much everything you have listed, tough work dress code limits me with long pants and closed toed shoes. Outside of work I avoid those two like crazy, and stick to various length shorts, dresses, skirts and sandals. When it comes to wardrobe bottoms and shoes, I feel like I have two different ones for the warm weather for those reasons (tops and toppers are the same). So the variety comes naturally.
I also very rarely wear skirts and dresses in the fall and winter, since I also tend to get cold easily, but also because there aren’t many occasions to. I do wear some casual skirts and sock-less fall shoes (loafers, oxfords etc.) in the early fall, usually from late September till early November while the weather is fairly mild, but afterwards it is skinny jeans ad nauseam with occasional dusting of trousers and some non skinny silhouettes.
I have long ago figured out that I will go bored to death if I do not have lots of variety in the main three categories: skinny jeans(pants), booties/boots and knitwear. I was very lucky to amass a decent collection of tall boots that fit my 12.5″ chicken calves in the period before explosion of booties, I think I have about 7 pairs (most flat, two with a small hell/wedge). Last year I got my first pair of sleeker true winter.snow tall boots that have kept me very warm and cozy. They are black and I would love something along those lines in a lighter color this winter, but would probably be impossible to find. I would also love a short pair of grey/taupe combat boots – lace-ups are always good for skinny calves. I already have a very big skinny jeans/pants collection, other than traditional styles and washes, I own various true colors (e.g. pastels, brights), patterns, coatings, metallic, moto detailing… I am always on a lookout for something new, but I can not imagine anything I do not already have. There are also some skinny ponte pants cut like jeans that I like to wear with tunic-length sweater dresses for variety. My knitwear collection is also quite big, and I do look for non-traditional styles here too, such as the sweaters, but also knitted motos, unusual knitted vests etc.
I have a decent outerwear collection, I think its size is similar to yours, but realized last winter that I tend to wear my puffers much more than wool coats when it gets really long, so a new long one in a fun color (I own black and pale silvery grey) is on my wishlist too. Still, no matter all the variety, it seems that from November through the end of March I am always in the same formula: boots/booties, skinny jeans, knitwear (perhaps layered) and puffer (or wool coat). It does get boring, but I do not seems what else to do beyond getting lots of variety in all those categories which I have already done.

May 25, 2015 at 5:50 am

dakotacheryl

Veteran

With our increasingly longer winters, and shorter springs…I find it a good thing that I run “hot”.
I love coats, but usually leave them in the car, as I can’t bear wearing them inside for even a brief period. Almost bought the beautiful blush wool Trina Turk coat on sale at Nordstrom, but it was double breasted and I knew I would hate the extra layer of warmth on my chest.
I think I wear skirts or skinny pants year round, only changing out the fabrics. And of course open toe shoes in warm temps, and boots or booties in colder temps.

May 25, 2015 at 6:13 am

jackiec

Veteran

Hmm. I don’t really have that much variety in many of the season, actually. It’s still usually jeans or crops in the spring, changing to shorts and maybe a skirt or dress once in a while in the summer. I even seem to stick to the skinny silhouette. My footwear changes, clearly, and tops are lighter and I usually don’t have a jacket in spring/summer. I wear a ton of the long cardi over skinny look in the spring/fall. I’m thinking I need more variety – but only really to the extent of adding bootcuts or flares. Good post.

May 25, 2015 at 6:15 am

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Angie, we have a difficult climate but the exact same situation. And I have learned that this is why I love my spring/ summer wardrobe so much more than my fall/ winter one — even though winter is my dominant season.

One of my own tricks to help myself this past year was buying a warm tube skirt with very warm tights and wearing with knee high boots on the warmer days. I wish those boots were not black, but a girl does what she can, right?

My other trick is to ENJOY the variety I can have in the summer by actually switching things up a lot! Now is the time for me to wear different silhouettes and you had better believe I am going to trot them out!

May 25, 2015 at 6:17 am

lisap

It’s so true of my closet too. In fact I was just looking at what is probably 3 times the number of pieces I have for F/W and shaking my head. So many clothes for such a short season. Oh well – as Suz says, I take every advantage to enjoy the variety. It’s much so much more fun to buy for S/S !

May 25, 2015 at 6:42 am

a matthews

Ange, If you’re looking for an awesome made-to-measure option for knee high boots, look no further then the Edmonton startup Poppy Barley. I had a pair of heeled boots made by them and the fit was fantastic. I’m now having a pair of flats and flat booties made. I am fairly confident you’ll enjoy their selection!

May 25, 2015 at 6:46 am

kkards

Veteran

last year i had a lightbulb moment and realized that were i live now, “transition” is actually my dominate season. we have a short, but cold and icey (not snowy) winter, and a short hot and humid summer. transition dressing requires layers that look good together and separately, and so variety is both a given and a necessity.

May 25, 2015 at 6:56 am

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Fascinating, ladies. Thanks for sharing. The climate can put a damper on your style, can’t it? (Pun intended).

Suz, that’s excellent advise. I have grown to love my Spring and Summer clothes more too – which is a HUGE switch for me, since I’ve been an Autumn Gal most of my life.

Dakotacheryl, running hot in Winter is a dressing advantage for sure.

Krish, your colleague has a great dressing strategy. Good for her. I would try to do the same if I worked in a warm, public office all day.

Tanya, you have the most wardrobe variety of us all.

Phoebe, yes, I know all about Duo Boots, and thanks for the suggestion. The styles aren’t quite what I am after though.

May 25, 2015 at 7:11 am

Jamie

Veteran

I live in a climate with long, hot summers. Spring, fall, and winter do change, and we do get cold weather December through March, but the variety I crave is spring and summer. I never seem to have enough to carry me through without becoming utterly bored. In fact, I feel boredom already settling in, and it’s only May. Sigh. That said, my go-to items for winter are much the same as yours, and though we move from cold to warm much more quickly here, I get bored during winter as well. I hardly wear any skirts and dresses for 4 to 5 months, and a new pair of non-black tall boots has long been on my shopping list. Perhaps, I will find them this year. After thinking some more, variety is key for me in any season. In fact, I may still be trying to figure out how variety and a modestly small wardrobe can coexist.

May 25, 2015 at 7:32 am

Diana

Veteran

For me, spring and autumn have the most variety because I can wear the majority of my wardrobe, plus i can wear layers but not have them all hidden under a giant coat and scarf.

In winter, i mostly wear skinny pants with tall or mid calf boots, sometimes warm dresses but rarely skirts (because I dislike tights, and dresses for some reason work better over pants or leggings). But I have variety in my big collection of knitwear (including accessories) and a bunch of blazers, not to mention jewelry (which I didn’t wear too much recently but I’m sure I’ll come back around to it.)

In summer, I generally wear sack dresses, clam diggers, or breezy skirts with light tops. Shorts only on weekends. Shoes are sandals or oxfords. I don’t wear jeans when it’s very hot or humid with the exception of my cropped loose BFs. I also don’t layer much, and my jackets serve more as outerwear, meaning I don’t consider them an integral part of my outfit. I can only wear minimal jewelry and other accessories in the heat.

Spring and autumn are the best of both works!

May 25, 2015 at 7:44 am

Diana

Veteran

Eta: you’re prob right that there’s more variety in silhouette in summer, but the lack of layers makes it all seem kind of the same after a while.

May 25, 2015 at 7:46 am

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I’m with Diana. I love spring and fall dressing because I can take advantage of the largest portion of my wardrobe. Now that it’s starting to heat up here, I find it more difficult to be creative with my outfits. So even though the silhouette might vary more in summer (I wear more dresses, for one thing), it’s not my favorite season to dress for. Unlike you, I don’t run cold in the warm weather, and I don’t have arctic AC to deal with (I control the thermostat at home and in my studio), and our summers are hot and humid, so once we get into that kind of weather, I feel like my style gets a bit samey-same, probably as Diana says, because of the lack of layering opportunities. I was looking through my summer wardrobe the other day, and noticed that I have an embarrassing number of sleeveless tops. Well, it makes sense. I have trouble finding bottoms (pants, shorts, skirts) that are interesting and flattering on me, so I default to a relatively small selection of bottoms and keep changing out the tops to give myself some variety. However, I have decided I am NOT allowed to buy any more sleeveless summer tops in shades of blue! Yikes. I think my entire summer wardrobe is blue, white and black.

I find it much easier to feel stylish in cold weather. Our winters are not, as a rule, terribly brutal, and I feel like it’s rarely so cold that I have to bundle up more than some jeans, thick socks, boots, and layered sweaters and tops will accommodate.

May 25, 2015 at 8:00 am

Jen

Exact opposite here. Much too hot/humid in Spring and Summer for me to enjoy getting dressed in many things. All I wanna do is wear t-shirts. I run hot and also have to take meds for saliva production that produce the unfortunate situation of extra sweat. In Autumn (once it finally cools down latter part) and in ‘Winter’ here, I can wear single layers or sweaters and jackets and all sorts of things.

May 25, 2015 at 9:15 am

UK Sue

Active Member

Resonating completely with this post! I have a similar climate here, and also run cold and have fussy feet so there is the comfortable moment of sinking into my main winter uniform of cahsmere polo, straight legged jeans and boots. I add variety by using a lot of block colour,and batting for Team Giraffe allows the use of a large number of scarves allowing some pattern and adding warmth.On the relatively warmer days I do find that tall boots and a lined knee-length skirt with thick tights plus a 3/4 length coat with enough room for a cardi underneath as well plus gloves just about does the job. Certainly summer does give much more choice but as it is a highly moveable temperature range here it is a daily task to work out what degree of clothes warmth is needed and so what the options are – which is certainly more of a challenge!

May 25, 2015 at 9:33 am

Aziraphale

Veteran

Well, I guess it’s true that I wear more skirts in the summer, and jeans almost exclusively in the winter, but I don’t feel like I have more variety in my summer dressing. It might be because I’m less likely to wear a jacket or some other “third piece” when it’s really warm. It’s either top and skirt, or top and shorts. I seem to wear the same pair of sandals every day too, whereas for spring, fall and winter, I have scads of footwear options (and I really do rotate through most of them!).

What this might come down to, Angie, is that you “feel the cold” more than most, and so maybe you feel constrained by that when you dress in the cooler months…?

May 25, 2015 at 9:48 am

Suzanne (ambergreen)

Veteran

I used to be all about autumn too, but that’s because I lived in the US Northeast with its climate extremes of cold, snow, and ice vs. humid and very hot summers. Did I ever hate summer dressing–it was too uncomfortable to wear *anything* (I have always run warm), and I am pale, which was far less fashionable when I was young. (Well, actually, that was as a young adult. When I was a young girl in the 70s, I liked summer dressing because clothes designs were very fun. I have very vivid memories of specific items I loved to wear, including some lime wide-leg trousers with white top stitching and white star stud detail, white leather ghillie/gladiator sandals, a tie-front shirt in alternating panels of calico fabric in two different greens…)

From there, a few years ago I went to Silicon Valley, where there’s very little seasonal difference and little variety in what I wore: pretty much jeans and tees (albeit in fun colors and patterns when I could manage it). Style was not big on my radar.

I am having so much more fun being able to mix and match an almost year-round collection of pieces in the PNW. I am almost looking forward to summer now since I’ve gathered some very me items that will work in the heat we do get (which is still more than I like). So, to answer the question, I’ve happily developed a more even variety across seasons. My warm-weather things are not as sadly limited as they used to be. Yay!

May 25, 2015 at 10:03 am

Dana

(website)

Veteran

I have the very most variety in summer. I love being able to wear anything I want and not worry about being cold. I am also more psychologically comfortable wearing dresses and skirts in the summer than in other seasons.

My second season with the most variety is winter, although I get tired of jeans and leggings as my only casual options.

Spring is growing but still needs work, and fall needs lots of help!

May 25, 2015 at 10:08 am

Joanna

(website)

Active Member

I’ve lived on the East Coast my entire life, so definitely dress for all 4 seasons. But since I started my current job about 5 years ago, where it’s cold ALL the time, I’ve really had to change my approach to summer work wear–no open-toe sandals, no short skirts (my feet and legs get too cold). Sometimes I wear long skirts to work and then add leggings underneath. It’s a bit frustrating because there are so many climate changes–I walk to the bus (hot & humid!), then the bus is air-conditioned and once I get inside it’s a deep freeze. I leave layers and warmer shoes in my office, which helps, but I really wish I could just dress one way! As it is I always have a few layers stuffed attractively in my backpack. I depend on long loose trousers and add socks underneath. When I am not at work it’s all shorts/skirts/tank tops, all the time!

May 25, 2015 at 10:26 am

klauren

Active Member

My most creative wardrobe seems to be fall and winter. I love the variety of sweaters and tops and all kinds of bottoms – skirts and pants, dresses, there’s just so much. I hate the heat and will wear the same things over and over again ’cause of the heat. Not a lot of variety and so unpleasant being hot.

May 25, 2015 at 10:29 am

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

I have the least amount of variety in my Summer wardrobe. It is very hot here in peak Summer, and I am always working in my uniform anyways. I think my second dominant season is Spring. Winter and Fall are short here. I have quite a bit of variety in my Spring wardrobe, as days can feel either wintery or mild in our long Spring (which starts in January-early February). I believe the more temperate a climate is, meaning Goldilocks comfortable (not too hot, not too cold), the greater variety is possible in your wardrobe.

May 25, 2015 at 10:52 am

Gaylene

Veteran

I think it’s easier to have variety when temperatures are moderate–whenever that season occurs in your area. Extended periods of rainy, snowy, cold, or heat play havoc with style options because of practical requirements for comfort and safety. I also think WHERE you spend your day also comes into play. If you are in a climate-controlled, indoor setting, you can shed, or adapt, your practical layer once you arrive at your destination. That transformation is much tricker if you have mutiple destinations, or are at the mercy of the elements, for most of the day. In reality, fashion bloggers aside, much of our style is hidden from the casual observer during harsh weather or is left in the closet when we have to be out and about in temperatures of 100F+ or extreme humidity.

May 25, 2015 at 10:53 am

Ruth M

Active Member

Angie, here’s hoping you can finally track down some well-fitting tall boots and some mid calf boots, allowing you to wear a far greater variety of silhouettes in your dominant season. A pastel-coloured coat sounds delicious, too.

I used to have greater variety in my winter clothing than in my summer clothing – which was the right balance for my climate. Last winter, though, I didn’t wear skirts at all because I couldn’t find well-fitting tall boots in a style that I liked (another member of the skinny calf club here). I might try Duo Boots, mentioned by Phoebe in her comment above.

May 25, 2015 at 11:25 am

Barbara Diane

Veteran

I’m grateful to live in a fairly moderate climate. I put away my winter only wardrobe and it was 2 pairs of cords. Then I had to pull one out as I was going to be outside for 1-2 hours at 9 at night. Because early morning or late at night in spring and summer I wear the same clothes I wear most winter days. When it is hot, which it does get, luckily it is dry, so I wear mostly crops or capris and lightweight blouses. Only jewelry or scarves to dress it up. Occasionally long lightweight dresses. I will have to order cotton knee length dresses after finding only jersey here year after year here. That’s too hot for me in summer.

May 25, 2015 at 11:40 am

Kaelyn

Veteran

I’m just the opposite! I have more variety in my cool weather wardrobe than in my warm weather wardrobe, I run warm (summer is an absolute nightmare for me), and the warm months are my dominant season because I live in Georgia aka the state that basically shuts down when we get more than an inch of snow. I’m actually more or less okay with having less variety in the summer because practicality is the most important thing for me. I need to stay cool, and that means lightweight and sheer items, short or no sleeves, and shoes that can breathe. Last summer I wore shorts or denim capri pants with mostly graphic tees or tanks. This summer I’ve added a pair of ankle length cropped pants and I’ve gotten into lightweight vests (I have a fun one with fringe!) and kimono-type tops. I’m on the lookout for a perfect pair of sandals and until I find them I’m in my Converse almost daily, with a pair of flats now and then when it isn’t too hot (they don’t breathe).

May 25, 2015 at 12:05 pm

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

I’m the opposite of Angie as well – I definitely have more variation in cooler weather. Jeans, cords, ponte pants, sweater-knit dresses with tights, tall boots, ankle boots, sneakers, oxfords, flats if it’s not rainy, sweaters alone, sweaters over woven tops, knit tops and cardigans, tops with blazers; I probably haven’t thought of all the combos.

In comparison my summer looks like: loose dresses with sandals, short sleeve or sleeveless tops with shorts or capris and sandals and a light sweater for the a/c…that’s pretty much it. Plus less accessories and my hair is usually up to keep cool.

But then neither of these are the dominant season here – we have a long spring and a long fall, so ‘in-between’ outfits are honestly worn the most and end up being worn on cooler summer days and warmer winter days as well as most of the spring and fall.

May 25, 2015 at 12:42 pm

Diane G

Ooh, this is tough for me to answer. I think I have a littlie bit more variety in my Spring Summer wardrobe, but not by much I don’t think. Autumn and Winter tends to be mostly jeans, booties and sweaters.

May 25, 2015 at 12:42 pm

Joy

Veteran

Put me in the group that has the most varity spring and fall because of more moderate temperatures. Our winters and summers are both brutal, but summer heat can start in April or May and last into October. In August I can’t wait to be able to put on a jacket or long sleeves and it can still be a long time off.
For varying cold weather outfits I have started doing what Suz once suggested and changing out my closet, at least partly, in mid winter.
Cold weather starts about Thanksgiving, so my first grouping includes holiday wear…red, metallics. I wear this heavily until Jan. 1st, then put away the holiday stuff and get out a growing group of warm wooly pastels and add navy and put away most dark brown. Blacks, greys, and whites carry through. I love seeing a change of color in mid winter.
I use wooly sweater dresses with leggings or layered tights and knee high boots in winter. I also wear skirts with sweaters as often as possible to change things up. This past year I have loved having some colored and plaid jeans, especially the blush color. I’m also loving whiteout with different shades of white and pale neutrals.
I can’t wait to see how you plan to vary your fall/winter outfits. My biggest problem is still finding variety for long hot summers.

May 25, 2015 at 1:08 pm

smittie

As suz and a few others have alluded to, there has got to be a way to make a dress work with some sort of legging or tall boot.
Other ideas:
1. blankets (not scarves, blankets). I think Kit & Ace have a couple.
2. leg warmers (not too sure about this one).
3. nice/fancier gloves, bags, tuques
4. bright coats or interestingly-cut coats

Basically, work the outerwear angle.

May 25, 2015 at 1:32 pm

Caro in Oz

Veteran

I live in a temperate (think Mediterranean) climate. Our summers are hot & winters are mild – no snow. My summer wardrobe consists of basically two silhouettes – dresses or linen pants & tops (unless I count swim clothes).
The rest of my wardrobe is pretty much trans-seasonal – I just layer with Heattech & warm socks & a wool coat if it’s cold or wear a silk top booties & a lighter jacket or coat if it’s warmer. I have a nice variety of booties & jackets so I don’t get bored with them

May 25, 2015 at 3:15 pm

Debbie

Veteran

I love Spring dressing. You do have a variety of sillohettes. As it gets into high summer here that variety goes down for me. I live in dresses and sandals.

May 25, 2015 at 4:59 pm

tulle

Veteran

I see this issue is striking a chord for many of us! Both the dead of Winter and the dog days of Summer can make me miserable (heat & humidity more than cold) and I’ll tend to hunker down and wear the same few things that help me feel a bit more comfortable. These outfits are rarely fashionable or flattering! The temperate seasons are always wonderfully welcome after these extremes, but I would love to feel better dressed in Summer and Winter. I, too, am looking for prettier cold-weather coats–maybe not pastels, which look washed-out on me in Winter, but raspberry, blue or silver, maybe–and for anything that looks and feels cool in July. I’ve found a few very light and breathable tops, but respectable pants are tough to find in loose cuts and lightweight fabrics. Still hunting!

May 25, 2015 at 5:01 pm

DonnaF

Veteran

This Memorial Day, it never got above 60F here. Br-r-r-r! Sandals are the easiest footwear for me to fit; unlike many of you booties are difficult. I rather overdid it this year in sandal purchases, particularly since I run cold, have Raynaud’s in my toes, and only have the equivalent of a week or two of really hot weather each summer. So I’m able to sport the most variety in my summer footwear!

After 60+ years, I’ve finally figured out that I get really cold unless my neck is covered (or maybe I’ve just started to run that much colder?), so that has implications with how I can wear my pullovers and other collarless tops — i.e., not as versatility as I’d anticipated unless we get warmer weather.

May 25, 2015 at 6:00 pm

kelly

http://poppybarley.com is my go to for custom fit shoes for my hard to fit feet.

May 25, 2015 at 6:50 pm

SarahTheWhite

Veteran

Since it’s a holiday and I’m not working, I totally forgot it was a Monday and that there would be a blog post! This is a puzzler. In Florida, we basically have only two seasons – very hot, and sometimes cool. I have less cool weather clothing, but I feel like it has more variety than my hot weather clothes. Maybe it’s just that there are more layers, which makes the outfits more interesting? And the weather isn’t cold enough to require a whole separate wardrobe – you just add some layers to the existing items. Because of this, and due to the fact that the hot season lasts about 3/4 of the year, I just get so tired of those clothes. So to answer your original question, I guess my Autumn, Winter, Spring set has more variety than my Summer set.

May 25, 2015 at 8:09 pm

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

I haven’t really looked at my wardrobe in this way. I probably have less variety in the winter, but I like dressing for cooler weather (not to be confused with very cold weather, which I find very challenging). I like layering, and milder winter weather (like what we had this past one) is my favorite kind of climate to dress for.

May 25, 2015 at 9:05 pm

lyn67

Veteran

YES, and NO:-). I do love my Spring and Summer wardrobe as up to date it indeed have meant much more variety in silhouttes and color. But, the exactly opposite to you, I was wearing pants much more often in spring/end of summer-as the white jeans, and ankle chino BF’s were the only pants look which I could tolerate for using them at work(which is 90% of my needs). Previous longer length/hi-low fluid style tops, I have had aversion against so called basic blue skinnies/black trousers/jeggings and leggings, so in Fall and Winter I was usually using more skirts and dresses-which I have developed quite a good collection of some interesting pieces and was happy with them. Oh, and layering and the use of the scarves are of a great help, for keeping up my mojo in the coldest weather, too.
That being said, I am curious, how I will do this year, as I do already have a pair of waxed black jeans(which I find more sophisticated than any of plain blacks) from last year, waiting for more and better use-and I know this will happen, eventually:-).

May 26, 2015 at 2:08 am

Summer

Veteran

There’s not that much seasonal difference for me, but I do need to work on adding more variety generally to my wardrobe.

May 26, 2015 at 5:00 am

Thistle

Veteran

Late to this party, but yes, my cold weather style is significantly more restricted. Although it is easier to wear a third piece, I refuse to be cold. That means there is a brief period where tights work, and then I go into the frozen tundra of winter. At -20F, there just aren’t tights warm enough. I also move to sweaters or sweater jackets, and I am more willing to wear scarves. If this were just for 3 months of the year, it’s be okay, but true winter is closer to 6 months.

I much prefer wearing skirts and dresses. I love wearing sandals. I like culottes and would consider ankle trousers. But frankly, when I only have a few months for most of these pieces, I really have to scale back purchases. I just don’t need as many.

May 26, 2015 at 5:38 am

Helena

Veteran

I have great variety when the weather is in the mid-temps … I love to wear different heel heights, different cardis and jackets, button ups, and t-shirts, jeans, cotton slim pants, etc. … so that accounts for about 2 weeks of the year (Canadians and northern USers, you know what I mean!!). The rest of the year, my uniform is either “try not to freeze” or “try not to melt”, which tend to consist of the same things (skinnies, boots, t-shirt and hoodie in winter; shorts and tee or cotton dress in summer). I was actually thinking I need to invest in some more fun and perhaps colorful hoodies and sweats that are nice enough for day to day wear, since I have a closet full of cute medium-weather things and then wear the same gray hoodie for six months because I am reluctant to buy hoodies! But I’ve digressed …

May 26, 2015 at 6:50 am

rute

Veteran

here I feel the opposite! The spring and summer is so hot that I can wear only short sleeve dresses and sandals, it’s boring, I miss the third pieces, a nice jacket. In summer is even too hot for scarfs or jewelery!

May 26, 2015 at 6:56 am

Deb

Veteran

Here in southern Australia, In our four season, temperate climate, there is less variety for me during summer. When it is hot, a dress, a top and shorts or whichever light weight pants, a skirt and top, sandals, slingbacks, pumps and not too much more beyond the very occasional cool evening jacket. The other seasons involve everything in my closet, from dresses, skirts, shorts, pants, jeans, shirts and blouses, plus jackets, coats, scarves, all manner of jewellery, footwear, knitwear, headwear. We just don’t have the frigid, limiting climate, that I read about here.

May 26, 2015 at 6:47 pm

rachylou

Veteran

I don’t know. I have a lot more fall/winter clothing than spring/summer clothing. But at the same time, I’m pretty sure my spring/summer silhouettes are more various… and it’s a capsule I have to work on, esp. for hot summer days.

May 27, 2015 at 3:06 pm

Maneera

I so completely agree! I can’t bear to wear skirts and dresses in winter either, and I live in India! Well, north India is quite cold. Temperatures fall to 1degree and the dense fog with no sun for days together feels miserable. I wear only dark neutrals in winters, and I live in thick jeans, sweaters, long costs and tall equestrian boots.

However, we have a long long long summer. And that’s when colors and styles come out to play! I do wish I could wear more variety in winter. But I’d rather be warm and comfortable.

May 29, 2015 at 9:00 am

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