An Indian summer might be around the corner, but in the fashion world, September officially marks the start of the new A/W season. So that’s goodbye bikinis, and hello big knits.
If you’re not quite ready for a massive seasonal style shift, make like the fashion editors and ease yourself in gently with transitional pieces that work with or without a winter coat draped over your shoulders.
From outfit-elevating wide-leg pants to oversized shacket cover-ups, these are the sartorial pieces that will instantly kick-start your new season wardrobe.
If you don’t already own a ‘shacket’, aka the jacket/shirt hybrid, it will be your transitional secret weapon for those warm-ish September days. Make it one in a neutral tone, like Nanushka’s Martin jacket, and it will go with just about anything in your new season wardrobe. Cut to an enveloping oversized silhouette, wear it as a layering piece with more fitted pieces to balance out the proportions. With front patch pockets and discreet side ones to boot, the utilitarian style means it’s oh-so-practical as well as chic. Wear it with shorts until you’re ready to switch over to winter trousers.
It’s like midi dresses were made for the new season transition. Bottega brings the blues with this statement Bottega Veneta pre-fall collection dress. With boxy cap sleeves, you can wear it solo and then add a poloneck layer for winter. Cut from crisp coated cotton-poplin it will retain its structured shape, while the statement gold buttons puts the drama into daywear. Team it with mules for the warmer months and switch to knee boots when temperatures drop and you want to keep your legs under wraps.
Never underestimate the power of a pair of wide-leg pants for elevating summer tops to new season-ready. Keep the colour light and they’ll work for your vacation wardrobe, too. In a minimalist silhouette and neutral palette, Le17 Septembre (so apt for this month) has a pair of slouchy wide-leg pants with sculpted front pleats that will instantly make you look put-together if you’re back in office mode. Wear them with a casual tucked-in tee and sneakers for a pared-down vibe or amp up the look to super-smart with the matching Cady blazer (£400) and kitten heels for a more structured look.
Pair with: Le17 Septembre Cady Blazer
Never underestimate the power of a pair of wide-leg pants for elevating summer tops to new season-ready. Keep the colour light and they’ll work for your vacation wardrobe, too.
Word to the wise: all the best winter coats get snapped up in September. The barometer might not be cold enough to reach for the big woolly coats yet, but the stampede will still be on (trust us). Make a dash for Acne Studios Avalon coat, which is on every fashion editor's new season hotlist. The powdery blue is just as easy to style as a neutral and the minimalist, oversized silhouette is ideal for accommodating big sweaters. Wear it to give your autumnal outfits a shot of dramatic colour, no matter what you’re wearing underneath.
If you’re going to invest in a pair of new season It boots, go big and step out in new knee highs. In versatile beige leather with rounded point toe, Saint Laurent’s knee-high boots will go with everything from midi dresses to city shorts. They’re like the footwear equivalent of hosiery for adapting your wardrobe and navigating the seasons. In buttery, soft creamy-beige leather, they’ll give your summer dresses a longer shelf life and look just as good with faux furs and big knits when temperatures drop. You’ll look like the cat that got the cream (boots).
A new leather bag for September is like the back-to-school equivalent of a shiny new satchel. We love the sculpted half moon silhouette of Aesher Ekme’s terracotta-brown Demi Lune bucket bag, which is named after the French word for half moon. Uber-minimalist but statement due to its unusual outline, it will set the tone for all your new season outfits. The shape will practically mould into your body so wear it nonchalantly slung over your shoulder. If you want more of a statement tone, you can get the same Demi Lune bag in blue-grey or creamy oyster. We love it in every colour.
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