Wardrobe Review- Transitioning From Summer To Autumn

Given that summer has officially ended, I decided it’s time to review and cull my wardrobe. The end of summer has always been the catalyst, and it takes some work. My warmer clothes are hidden in the spare room cupboard and I can never recall what’s in stock.   

Culling Clothes

My long process of culling clothes has begun and it is a challenge. I am hopeless when it comes to holding onto favourite items. I begin with moving potential discards to a rack in another room, under consideration. My plan is to reassign pieces to friends or Vinnies/RSPCA. Selling them is time- consuming. I never get around to doing it. The stash on the rack, gives me the opportunity for a second review before I part with a good mate. You may laugh but I become attached to outfits. Particularly the ones I have paid a bit of money for. 

 The remainder, I review the mix/match combinations or readjust. Being a sewer helps. I can turn maxi’s into mid-calf, change the sleeves, turn dresses into skirts. As a retiree living on a single income I think twice about the cull process. Yet when clearing out items I may treat myself to something new. I love clothes and could easily spend a fortune

It is comforting to hear conversations from our younger generation. Most are conscious of our planet; the environment, recycling and sustainability. My environment friend refers to the R’s: Refuse, Reduce, Repurpose/Reuse, Recycle/Recovery. I have been doing this since I was a kid, as did our mothers. The only difference back then was terminology and objectives. It was about not being wasteful. 

Swapping and shopping around

Dresses and Skirts

I love dressing during the seasonal transition periods in Australia. It is this between seasons time I have the most fun, particularly as summer crosses into autumn. It gives me the opportunity to rediscover pieces in my wardrobe I had forgotten about. 

The other positive is by the end of summer I need a break. I cannot stand the claustrophobic feeling of fabric clinging to my body due to the humidity and heat. I lean towards free flowing dresses with short flutter sleeves. This is why I enjoy bringing in clothes such as jackets, cardigans (yes I wear them), scarves, jeans, trousers, and long sleeve garments. 

Now we have stepped into autumn, I am rummaging through my wardrobe seeking mix & match pieces I can swap around. The wonderful thing is I can still wear many of my summer dresses by introducing a few layers to blend in with each garment. Perfect as the cooler breezes return to town. 

As an example, my gorgeous Maiocchi (Brisbane dress designer) maxi floral and navy dress  is sleeveless. From about March/April I pop a medium sleeve length body top underneath to bring out one of the colours in the floral. For more stylish warmth I opt to wear either of my blue or white denim jackets. When winter hits, the only change I make is wearing long sleeve body tops and thick tights underneath. If I am flying down to Melbourne in winter I add my long coat and gloves.   

Jeans & Trousers

My biggest cull has been with my jeans and trousers.  I am tired of the skinny leg look and already wearing my wide leg pants. I had a quiet smile when on a recent shopping expedition. Most of the styles are reminiscent of the seventies and nineties look. I remember it well. To this day I regret giving away my beautiful woollen burgundy maxi coat!

My wardrobe consists of pairs of dark and light coloured extremely wide leg pants (they feel like a comfy skirt), loose taper jeans, straight leg jeans, and pull-on tailored taper joggers (perfect for plane flights). The range of fabrics is huge and can be dressed up or down with tops, jackets, footwear and bags.

Skirts and tops can be complicated when trying to mix and match. Styles have changed, particularly with the sleeves and body length. It’s essential to think before you buy with standalone separates.   They can easily sit on a hanger because you can’t match them up with what you already have at home.   

Footwear

My first rule is comfort then style. I am past trotting around in high heels. Maybe it’s an age thing but the thought of slipping or falling over is foremost in my mind. I replace sandals with either my white sand shoes or wear casual flat boots. I adore wearing boots with longer dresses.  

When it comes to footwear with the newer trousers, I suggest you have a test run at home. Some shoe styles and heels are better than others with wide-leg or tapered pants.

 If your function is not super formal I tend to go to my safest option, sand shoes. The sand shoes industry is booming. It has become a speciality style in itself. 

Otherwise I wear chucky platform wide strapped sandals or slip-ons with wide straps. Kitten heel sling-backs with pointed toes are smart and comfortable. For formals a higher heeled slip on gold sandal works well. My pointed-toe court shoes are a part of my staple footwear range.  

Bags

I opt for mainly cross-body. The fashion industry has introduced skinny and wide exchangeable straps. This is a fantastic option.  I can change the look for my outings in seconds. I also have bags with short handles. They work well when you don’t need to be hands-free to carry shopping bags.  I tend to use these for evening functions. 

Dressing Up 

Pays to check out online stylists, local and international. They give a different perspective on pairing outfits. Dressing up can be fun, inexpensive and make you feel good. Autumn is a great time to review your wardrobe to see what old can be used with new and culling is therapeutic. 

I also look forward to seeing what ideas fellow columnist, Michelle Beesley, brings back from Sydney’s Fashion Week Australia in May.