Jenn, I feel for you. This has been the hottest summer we've ever had. We set records for days over 100 and consecutive days over 90, and almost set a record for consecutive days over 95. It has been really awful. This week we had a couple days not reaching 90, only 88! Whooee!! Top that with a broken toe and my wardrobe felt really constricting. I guess my cycling through the same things over and over was changed up by getting to wear real shoes again. My toe is healed. Yeah! And there's been a hint of fall. The mornings have been cooler.

Also, I've been reading voraciously about the Harvey damage where we used to live: Port Arthur, Orange, and Houston (and Corpus Christi, where my husband grew up). I've been thinking about the people who lost everything in the wind and flood, and making donations to various charities. It sounds really corny, but I'm grateful for what I have, and that I wasn't flooded, even though it meant having such a brutally hot summer.

Jenn, I do have one dress from over ten years ago that works for this. I guess it's more of a modal-type blend, which means it doesn't cling, but I know what you mean about sticking. The dress I have is a drapey empire-waist with cap-sleeves and a bit of a Grecian vibe, and hits around my knees. It really is a four-season dress, but the silhouette doesn't look as current now, which is why I've been longing for a new one that could fit the same purpose.
If I have time later I'll take a pic.
And since I've been looking for something like this, if I find one, I'll share here!

I found a great clothing line from California. Handmade linen dresses, which might work well as transition pieces in her fall colours which I've seen on IG - not yet on website. . They look like your style (which I love btw) I bought one for summer (sleeveless midi navy stripe in first picture) and will work working into fall and spring for me. Did brilliantly in hot and humid summer for out vacation in Japan too. Company is pyne and smith. Expensive for us Canadians, but moderately priced otherwise.

kerlyn, I didn't know you made jewelry! I have a couple of leather bracelets that I like a lot. I should pull them out, as I haven't worn them in a while.

Joy, I haven't been able to make the dress-over-pants look work with my wardrobe yet. I should do some more experimenting.

Ginger, lips and toes are a good idea! I took the polish off my toenails a week or two ago in a fit of optimism when we had a few cool days in a row. I should repaint with something fun.

Jenni NZ, I'm so grateful to have you as a partner in this #30wears quest. I just had the realization that I let go of a few of my warmer season transitional pieces recently because they were literally worn out. No wonder I'm struggling.

Emily, I do have another pair of Chucks on my list, but they probably won't be bright!

Adela, great to hear what worked for you! I think removing things like jackets or sweaters or scarves is just the reality this time of year, and moreso in some climates than others. We often have 40° swings over the course of a day.

Style Fan, I'll wear bf jeans, but not skinnies, if it's under 90°. I'm kind of envious of your rainy summer. Why can't the weather ever be just a nice, normal, even keel?

Suz, I will definitely put anything pricey through its paces before I decide to keep!

smittie, I ordered the scarf. I've been obsessed with Pendleton for a while, so I think it will have a long-term home in my wardrobe.

Column, I am not one who wears my clothing in the same combinations over and over again. I just don't have a lot of warmer weather pieces. It's interesting that you mention feeling forced to buy something to keep current. I definitely don't feel that way!

Angie, I'm heading to Seattle for another quick trip next month. I hope it rains! Just not during the Sounders game. I think you're right about the lightweight tunics. I just had to purge my silk tunics from a few years ago, and I may just be feeling the hole they left.

JAileen, I didn't know you used to live in south Texas! It's especially hard to watch when that sort of tragedy hits close to home. A few months after we moved to Seattle in 2008, our town here in Colorado was hit by a tornado. We felt so powerless watching from afar (also worried, because we still owned our house here).

K.M. I think with these types of things, you never really know how they'll work until you try! I would love to see pics of the one you have.

K2, that line looks great, and their size range works for me! I struggle sometimes with the kind of gathered waists that a lot of the dresses in their current line have (they feel childish on me), but I will keep my eye on them. I'm following on Instagram, and the fall line looks great.

Not easy Jenn. I feel for you! I get bored of an item and then can't see why I liked it in the first place. The tunics sound like a good plan, and if you know they worked before, they will work again.

I hear you on the gathered waist and share that feeling too, however I do find because it is heavier linen it seems to not look so bad -of course I think that entirely depends on colour and length too....mine is quite dark and longer. Too flowery or light or short and I wouldn't feel the same.

Oh yay! I didn't realize it was Pendleton, but it make sense because I gravitate to their designs and colour schemes.

Do post a follow up!

Thanks, Jane. Hopefully, they'll do the trick.

K2, you're right. I bet the length and fabric make a huge difference.

smittie, I'll post when it arrives.

Okay, so here's the plan.

1. Ordered the Pendleton scarf. I think this will help with mornings and evenings, and give me some variety in my scarf capsule. Most of my scarves are either very thick wool or lightweight cotton/rayon, so if this works, it can join my EF shibori poncho in the in-between category.

2. Order a few lightweight tunics. I'll probably only keep one, but I'm down two silk tunics from last year. The replacements need to be higher quality than the old ones, as they each had less than 15 wears when they started getting holes and tears.

3. Start shopping for fall. I'm usually well into fall updates by now, but aside from the one sweater and trench at NAS, I haven't bought anything. It's rare for me to not buy anything in August (I almost always get something for my birthday month!) but I just haven't been feeling it this year. Having something new to look forward to will probably help with the malaise.

I second the idea of exploring for new lipstick colours.

Super plan! Your thought process is so inspirational!
May I ask who makes/sells that rust blouse? I've been looking for something like that for AGES.
The Tolani tunic is gorgeous. Based on personal experience, I fear you may not think the fabric is substantial enough to last 30 wears. But hopefully this one is better than the one I had!
Also, love the Pendleton scarf - looks like a wool challis, which seems perfect for transitional weather. And what a great pattern!

krishnidoux, I love a good lipstick, but I don't think I wear it often enough for it to feel like a refresh.

Ryce, thank you for calling this inspirational! I feel a bit like my wardrobe or my planning has failed me, but also, maybe this is just something that happens, and I have room in my budget and my shopping plan to deal with it. I really appreciate the info on the Tolani tunic! I was already thinking it might be too boho for my fall style (the front is great, but it has a very boho-looking mandala on the back), so your thoughts on the fabric add to the minuses. The rust tunic is from Garnet Hill, here:
http://www.garnethill.com/wash.....value=main

I'm looking at a similar one from Poetry (below), too. Might order both to compare:
https://www.poetryfashion.com/.....-tunic.htm

The colour is richer in the Garnet Hill one I think.

I like your plan Jenn. One or two pieces now will also get worn next year so it is not wasteful. Longer than anticipated seasons are hard!! Let us know how you get along.

I don't feel that way for summer but I do for winter - it is raining here again for about the 25th out of the last 28 days (or close!!). Today I have been wanting to walk all day and it keeps hailing, thundering and pouring with rain.

This is very familiar territory for me because where I live we have long summers - from mid Sept to March it is hot or at least warm (maximum over 25C, but in mid Summer, 40C happens far too regularly). I like to mix things up and in Feb / March I will move to wearing more darker tones - clothing that is still cool to wear, but just a more Autumnal look. This is my typical colour palette:
- Sept - Nov: Blush / ivory / dove grey / ink / black
- Dec - Feb: white / blue / red / pink with metallic and white footwear
- Feb - Mar: animal print / beige / blush / ivory / grey
I wear denim year round, but cropped denim in summer in light shades and darker skinnies in the shoulder seasons.

Thanks for the links, Jenn. I agree with Jenni about the color of the Garnet Hill option, but the shape of the Poetry tunic is really lovely! And I notice both brands offer sizes 0-18! That's a practice I want to support with my $.
I gather this weather is unusual for you? That is the toughest kind of dressing. I never would have made it through our cooler-than-usual summer without my white jeans, which I had considered purging at the beginning of the season since they were so seldom worn.
Look forward to a report on your new purchases!

Jenn, do you come to Seattle often? It's not close to wear you live.

JenniNZ - It's really hard to judge color from online photos! You may be right, though.

Sal - I start to get sad when I notice winter coming to an end. I like being able to get out and hike and do outdoorsy things, but we do plenty of those in the winter as well. Summer is usually our rainy season, but I'm convinced it just doesn't really rain anymore, ever.

Bijou, that kind of heat would drive me mad!

Angie, we have a lot of friends in Seattle from when we lived there, and we love the city, so we try to get out there at least once or twice a year. My son, especially, feels a connection to the weather and landscape there, and Washington is on his short list of places to go for college in a couple years. My husband's company also has an office there, so it's a dream to split time between Seattle and Denver. Too bad, those two places happen to be two of the three hottest housing markets in the country right now.

Ryce, it seems like it's getting hotter and hotter here. My dad lived in Colorado when I was little, and I remember mild summers in the 70s and 80s. That's not the case anymore.

You used to live in Seattle?

Angie, yup, from 2008-2012. Actually! That's how I found YLF! Before moving, I googled "Seattle fashion blog" to see what people were wearing there.

HAH. Hilarious. Where is Seattle did you live? We live in the city. Madrona.

Angie, we lived out in Kent, but hubby worked in Belltown. If we ever move back (full- or part-time) we'd definitely live in the city, since we wouldn't be having to deal with school districts or space for a kiddo anymore!

The tunics I ordered came.

The Garnet Hill one was a no-go, as was the other top I ordered from them at the same time (a charcoal sleeveless tunic with a silk back). The silk was lovely, but the blouse was simultaneously too big in the shoulders and too tight across the bust. Next.

The Poetry top I'm not sure on. Pics below. I like how it looks, but the silk is definitely lower quality than the Garnet Hill top. Also, it was oddly staticky (a problem I almost NEVER have). It's pretty, though, and I think it fits well.

Sorry that one/both are not slam dunks. I do appreciate the side-by-side comparison of the silk, though.

It looks really good on you. I like that little pleat in front. But your face is disgruntled which speaks to the texture, I guess?

Nyah Suz, just ignore my face. I was hot and grouchy in my un-air-conditioned upstairs.

Jenn, this will be a slight tangent, but since you mentioned that the Garnet Hill tops didn't work for you... I'm curious as to your experience with their return policy. I once returned a couple of sweaters that didn't fit and they deducted so much for the return that I felt compelled to write and complain (I should have read the fine print instead of assuming they'd have a generous return policy like everyone else). If I had known I simply wouldn't have risked trying something new. My email complaint fell on deaf ears, or deaf inboxes.
Then I reviewed the sweaters--nothing mean, just describing how they didn't work for my body type and saying I returned them--and that review prompted a CS rep to contact me and refund the return fee a few weeks later.
So at the end of the day it was a free return, but with a bit of hassle/disgruntlement that could have so easily been avoided. This was about a year ago so not sure if they changed the policy.
The brown silk top is pretty tho

KM, they deduct about $7 for return postage. I just factor that in when I order, and consider it the cost of being able to order and try things on in my home. Especially because they're one of not-many retailers who carry my size. Were they deducting more than the shipping when you ordered?

Jenn, I just checked my records (I saved my email to them), and they deducted $21 from my return. I think it was two sweaters at full price (those printed merino cardigans everyone loves--they didn't fit me).

I am completely fine with paying for postage because it is a service that involves labor, space, and logistics, so I'm not one of those people who wants free shipping on everything (i.e. hidden-shipping-cost). And I totally appreciate the convenience and the fact that it's saving me time, gas, etc.

But I'm used to the average $8 deduction from other retailers, so the $21 was a shock. I think they included handling.

And they really only refunded after I wrote a review, otherwise they wouldn't have.