Sadly, I’m not the most fashionable person (shocking, right?) so for this week I’m bringing in backup: Shandy from Happy Meets Home to give us “5 Steps to Get Your Wardrobe Ready for Fall.” And heaven knows I need the help. Without delay, I’ll let her take it away.
(This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure here. )
5 Steps to Get Your Wardrobe Ready for Fall
Fall is absolutely my favorite season. I love the weather, I love that I start making stews again, and I love fall coffee drinks. But most of all, I love clothes. When fall weather comes around, I’m ready to start putting on layers, to switch out my bright summer colors for more muted tones, and to wear real shoes again. I am always ready for fall clothing, but I have to spend a little time each season to get my wardrobe ready for fall. Today I’m going to share 5 steps to get your wardrobe ready for fall, as well as a few shopping tips!
Step One) Take your fall/winter wardrobe out of storage and sort into jeans/pants, sweaters, long sleeve tops, and jackets/cardigans.
Side note: If you don’t store your out of season clothing away, I highly recommend it, and here are two reasons why.
- ) You will have more room in your closet to see what you actually have to wear for the current season. I found that when I did this I wore more of my clothing and felt less like I had so many options and nothing to wear.
- I have also found that putting items out of sight for a few months leads me to feel more excited about wearing them again. If I am not happy to see an item, there’s a good chance it needs to head to the donate pile…
Step Two.) Determine if any of the clothing needs repaired, cleaned, or donated.
I know it can be hard to get rid of clothing for some people. I fall into that category myself. I’ve kept items before because I used to really love them, even though I haven’t wanted to wear them all season. I’ve kept clothes because they were in really good condition, even though they weren’t really my style or weren’t comfortable.
There are a lot of reasons that people hang onto clothing they no longer wear, but purging unworn clothing is an important part of having a functional closet. If clothing is damaged and you know you’ll never take the time to fix it, get rid of it. Get rid of it if you haven’t worn it since last year. If you look at it and have any other reaction than that you feel good in that item, get rid of it.
Step Three.) Take stock of what’s left and try to make 3 different outfits out of each top that you have.
Over the last six months, I’ve been working on developing a wardrobe that “mixes and matches.” That term had seemed so elusive in the past, but I just didn’t realize that I had to do some strategic shopping first (more on that later). Now I am enjoying small seasonal wardrobes (as few as 24 items!) that I can use to create many different outfits. I still love clothing and love to shop, but this approach is especially helpful to those of you who don’t enjoy shopping. Here are some examples of outfits I put together using just what I had from last year:
I LOVE chambray and stripes, and this outfit could be switched up in several ways. Try it with ballet flats instead of boots. Pair it with tall boots instead of ankle boots. Switch the tops around and layer the chambray on top of a lightweight striped top.
These olive cargo vests are so popular right now, and really fun to layer with! Have you heard of the rule of 3? For your outfit to really feel put together, try to put on at least 3 pieces, bonus points for more! For example, wear a pair of jeans, a striped top, and a vest, so much more interesting than just the top and jeans. Add a scarf and it pops even more. Or, if it’s really cold outside, layer a soft flowing cardigan over the striped top and under the vest for a really warm and cozy look.
I already talked about the rule of 3, and sometimes a fun necklace is all you need to make an outfit complete. That and a fun pair of shoes.
I hope that those photos help you see how you can have some variety in your wardrobe with just a few pieces. Can you do that in your closet?
Step Four:) Make a Shopping List
Ok, so hopefully the exercise from step three has helped you determine some holes in your wardrobe. Did you have a top/bottom combination that you really wished you had a jacket or vest to layer with? Do you have a dress that you would really love if it had a belt? Do you have an outfit that you just don’t have the right shoes for? What about accessories? Are there some trends for this season that you are dying to try? Write it down on a piece of paper or on your phone, including the colors you want, and make sure you have it when you’re out shopping.
Everyone has their own style and their own pieces that they would consider “staples”. I’m going to share a few of mine just to give you some examples of things that could round out your wardrobe this fall.
Bottoms:
-Denim in dark blue, medium blue, and black
Tops:
–Black and white striped long sleeve
-tunic in a solid color
-black sweater
Outwear:
-a vest for layering, such a the on-trend, a really long one, cargo, or a puffer vest
– cargo jacket (camel or green)
-structured jacket
-sweatshirt jacket (feels like a sweatshirt, looks like a jacket)
Shoes:
-tall boots
-ankle boots
-sneakers
-cute winter boots
Accessories:
-plaid or cable knit scarf
-long pendant necklace
On Trend:
Pick a few of the trends that appeal to YOU and try some out this season! For example, I’d like to finally give the over the knee boots a try, as well as cold shoulder sweaters.
Step Five: Go Shopping!
For some people, this will be the hardest step. If you really hate going shopping or have children that make trying on clothing in stores difficult, I would suggest giving online shopping a try. Here are some tips I have for online shopping:
-try to stick with stores that have free shipping both ways. Nordstrom is great for this, and they have a wide range of price points. If a store you love doesn’t offer free return shipping, maybe you could order online and return in-store when you have the time.
-purchase more than one size and/or color, especially if it’s a brand you haven’t tried before. Yes, it’s a big upfront cost, but you won’t be keeping everything. This saves you the frustration of ordering something and loving it, but it just doesn’t fit.
-Find some fashion bloggers that reflect your personal style and try their recommendations! Some bloggers will even give insights into a fit (size up or size down) plus great ideas on how to wear the item that you might not have thought of.
-Be patient. Shopping does take time, it’s not always fun, it can be hard to find just the right piece. It’s not just you, I promise! You might not find everything on your wishlist this year, that’s ok! Building a wardrobe is more of a marathon than a sprint.
Are you excited to get your fall wardrobe out and ready? What “staples” would you add to the list?
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Oh I love the fall too. And these are some great ideas to get going. I’ve been planning to go through my closet all summer. ha ha
So now it’s time to do it for the fall.
Let’s do this!
Yes me too!
Thank you! I know, going through the closet can feel like such a chore, but I always feel so accomplished when I’m done!
Yay for fall! I just adore this season!
You inspired me to tackle my closet next! I really need to take inventory of my fall/winter clothes and gear.
Thanks for sharing these tips!
xoxo
Awesome! Thanks to Shandy for the guest post!
I’m glad it was helpful Jennifer!
Oh, is it fall already? Wow! How time flies.
And these are awesome tips.
Not until September 22 this year, which is why we gotta prepare now. haha!
Ha, it snuck up on me too! It felt weird to be trying on fall clothing in 90 degree weather, but I know I’ll appreciate it once it gets cold!
It is time to get ready for fall. Great ideas.
Thanks Candy!
I am so ready for fall clothes! I am just itching to switch out my clothes but it will probably stay hot here until the end of September so I will wait. I love that olive vest – i need one!
Same here in D.C. Kind of nice that soon we’ll be able to wear jeans and tanktops though
I know, I’ve been ready to switch for a good month. The olive vest is a great transition piece, I wear it with tanks and shorts right now and feel “fallish”.
I love these tips and your outfit examples are too cute. My favorite is the third one. Love that casual look with the sneakers 🙂
Thanks Melanie! I just got my first pair of converse at the beginning of summer and I wear them with everything now!
Lovely post! I’m so looking forward to the change in season! I need to go through my fall clothes and weed out some old items.
ME TOO
Thanks Kiara! I’m ready for cooler weather too!
Great tips! I have to work on actually changing out my wardrobe, but my office at work is SO COLD year round, that I’m always wearing my sweaters even when it’s 90* outside!
I hear ya. I have a space heater in my office!
I get cold indoors in the summer too. I always leave a couple cardigans or sweaters out when I put my fall/winter stuff away!
Great great tips! I’m going to do that today.
Thanks Michelle! Have fun! (Or am I the only one who thinks it’s fun ? )
I love the tip 3, so important to see how you can use your clothes together to maximise the effect. I never do that when I sort out my clothes but I will from now on! #Alittlebitofeverything
Yes, agree! I don’t know how I knew what I needed to buy before I started doing that! Oh wait, I didn’t. I just bought random things that didn’t go together and then had nothing to wear. So glad I figured it out!
Love fall! It’s too hot in FL for all the cute layers and fall clothes, so we go for dark tones!
That’s a great idea Jackie! I’m doing that right now when it’s still too hot in Missouri for real fall clothes.
I live for fall and I am so excited to dive into my fall wardrobe. This is a fabulous plan for attack!! Maybe I am a creature of habit because I always wear the same top with the same bottoms and don’t normally mix it up. I think I might need to be a bit more adventurous!!
Oh me too. I go for boring and comfy…
I used to do that too Nichole, and then I got tired of my clothes pretty fast! It feels like I have a brand new outfit even if I’ve worn the pieces separately many times before.
I am actually working on replacing a few pieces in my wardrobe with fall in mind! It is definitely my favorite season to dress for hands down!!! Thank you for sharing these tips! I love storing out of season clothing! I did it this past winter with my spring clothes. It felt like Christmas when I got them all out again!
I like to buy clothes at the end of the season when they are super marked down. I don’t get to wear them yet but like you said, it’s like Christmas when the next season rolls around!
Yes! That’s a big reason I love to store them away!
I love fall and everything about it. Although, I must admit the idea of switching out our clothes overwhelms me with 8 people! I know I will be thrilled once it’s all done though.
Eight…yes I believe that would feel overwhelming, but agreed, good when it is done!
Whew, that would be a lot of clothing to switch! I have 2 girls, and I find that they outgrow most of their clothing from each season by the time it rolls around again, so I don’t store out of season for them. But I do store the older’s things for the younger…so yeah, it’s still a lot of work keeping on top of their clothes!
Great tips. I do the same out of season stash away and if I’m not happy when I revisit an item it goes in the donation pile. Great mix and match outfits <3
xo Jannine | http://www.happystylishfit.com
Thanks Jannine! I agree, it’s a great test to see how much you really like something!
Such great tips! Fall is my absolute favourite season, especially for fashion so I am just dying to break out my favourite pieces!
La Belle Sirene
Me too – and to wear jeans!
Thanks Courtney! Me too!!
Great suggestions! I have been selling some of the clothes I never wear on Poshmark. Now, I’m in need of a good pair (or two..or three) of fall boots!
I just tried out Poshmark this week Kristie! Hoping to sell more things soon, because I need boots too!
This is a really helpful post! I like the idea of running “inventory” on your wardrobe to see what’s missing and what’s needed for Fall. Great idea!
I loved that tip from Shandy too.
Thanks Cara! I think it really helps me to spend my money wisely.
This is a really helpful post, I like to buy clothes at the end of the season when they are down. I have been selling some of the clothes I never wear
I love that you’re making money and cleaning out your closet 🙂
That’s a great strategy Tamar, I should do more of that!
Thank you very for sharing these tips. They’re really useful. The fall come and I also have to change my clothes, so your post is definitely a great reference.
These tips are from fellow writer Shandy from http://www.happymeetshome.com You should check out her site for my great ideas!
I live for fall and I am so excited to dive into my fall wardrobe. This is really helpful post, thanks for sharing useful information.
Thank you Kim! I’m so glad it was helpful!
Fall comes everywhere, i have some decor project for fall. I and my partner just cleaned my wardrobe by giving some clothes away, need more space for fall clothes. And your tips are truly helpful me.
Fall is my favorite season, too. I love everything about it, the weather, foods, clothes… And also, seeing your post reminds me that I have to reorganize my wardrobe for the upcoming season. Thanks for sharing Sarah.
Great tips!!! I now have more way to get all the clothes well-organized in this fall season.
Thank you for sharing with us 🙂
I love the idea of making 3 outfits out of every top. This is smart as it may also prevent me from buying so many tops!