Fall temperatures have not yet arrived and likely won’t be here for another month. However, reading other Forum Member’s posts about planning their upcoming seasonal wardrobe and/or switching out their wardrobes has made me itchy to do the same.

I decided to start with the bottoms because they are the easiest to assess. It includes 27 pairs of pants and one black skirt. For the first time in my life, I have all 27 and 1 skirt hanging in the closet. The number seems high, but the closet does not look lopsided or out of balance.

Following are my subcategories and the assessment.

Slim Ponte Pants (Appropriate for WINTER; Too Heavy and Hot for Summer)

I own ten pants in this category (purchased 2014 - 2017). They all fit me well. This is a silhouette I have long loved: full length, slim fitting. I feel “strong” and “capable” in this silhouette. They range in colors from black to grey to navy to brown. They are unexciting but they are a cornerstone of getting dressed for ninety-five percent of my life activities during WINTER months.

Although this is my all-time favorite silhouette, I do not plan on buying any more ponte pants. I finally came to understand that they can only be worn for a sliver of my year. When that sliver of time finally arrives, I will wear these pants almost exclusively for both work and casual.

Jeans (Appropriate for Fall/Winter/Spring; Too Hot for Summer)

I own eight pairs in this category (purchased 2013 - 2017). They are all full length, slim cut. I believe they fit me well. I own two pair of white jeans (considered a best buy); one pair of blue “field” jeans, three pair of blue jeans, and one pair of red jeans.

I also own one pair of olive khakis that got included here because I didn’t know where else to categorize them.

I own too many pairs of jeans. I rarely wear them when it is hot. Since they tend to get worn most frequently during the Winter months, they compete for wears with the slim ponte pants.

I could easily get by with a maximum of four pairs of jeans (one white, two blue, one colored). There is no need to purchase any additional jeans because nearly half of what I do own is not worn. I bought them because I found them and they fit. I thought jeans were a HEWI. “When you find jeans that fit you should buy them.” I failed to consider climate or life style.

Summer Pants (Appropriate for Summer Only; they “read” Summer and can’t cross over to other seasons).

I only own four pairs of what I designate as Summer Pants. One of these four is a “special purpose” pant that is only worn during extended hiking/camping trips.

So that means I really own three pairs of summer pant (two of which were purchased in the 2017). Both of these 2017 purchases were Eileen Fisher linens in a natural beige tone. They are wide legged and cropped. I worried that I was overbuying a trend, but they are equally worn and I am grateful to have them in my wardrobe. They seem perfect for my climate and my lifestyle. Beige is a new color in my wardrobe. I am loving the addition. It feels perfect for Summer. Certainly the linen is perfect. I rank both of these as “best buys.”

Flowy Pajama Like Silk Pants (The goal is to make these four-season pants for all occasions, including work, dressy, casual)

I own five bottoms in this category. This is a completely new category for me. All five were purchased in 2017. All are Eileen Fisher. They range from cropped to ankle to full length. The colors range from black to navy to red to berry. Two are “slouchy.” Two are “wide legged (really wide legged).” One is cropped.

These were a huge risk for me. They are outside of my comfort zone. I bought the first pair in March 2017 when I felt I needed a light weight Summer pant for work. I duplicated them in May 2017. No regrets. It was the perfect decision. But having found myself so happy with the first two, I bought three additional pair. I can’t say I “needed” the three additional pants. I bought them purely on impulse. Impulsive buys are not always my most sensible.

It is my goal to make these four season pants by changing the top I coordinate with them. Lightweight sleeveless in Summer months. Lightweight long sleeved sweaters in Winter months. I’m not yet certain this will work, but it is the goal. I think if I make this a conscious decision it will get easier and easer with time.

Since these are a new silhouette, I am still very much experimenting with them. I do not like volume on volume so I have been wearing fitted, cropped tops with them during the Summer. I am happy with this silhouette and my friends tell me it works well. I am genuinely looking forward to experimenting with how to make them work as a four-season pant.

I am still getting used to the wide legged-ness. They certainly are cooler and easier to wear than anything else I have experimented with to date. I have yet to wear them for any work event that is formal. They “should” work but I always feel they are too trendy and not quite appropriate. So for those events, I resort to old, tried-and-true formulas.

For the time-being, I feel I have enough. I will buy more if the four-season experiment is successful.

In summary. Historically, I bought pants/jeans that are only suited for a sliver of my climate. For the first time ever, I bought not for “work versus casual” but for “winter versus summer.” It made a huge difference when I started to view my shopping from this prospective.