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!