Fall Fashion Dreaming in the Hinterlands (Part One...)

It's still hitting 85 degrees and the humidity is especially high right now, but most of the stores and shops here are displaying "transitional" wear ... the early fall offerings that most of us here will be able to use all the way through the worst of winter. If you are, like me, just flipping through the current fashion mags, they'll make you yearn for some new looks for fall. And any new stuff you buy must make you look taller, thinner, prettier, sexier, smarter and completely modern . Right?

However, when you are 45 miles from anything, you need to plan trips to larger metropolitan areas. At least I do. And since finances are always an issue, as well as closet space, I've developed a Fall Agenda to keep this fall fun.

First: Say Goodby to Summer

This is a step that I sometimes neglect, but this year I am determined to optimize my fall style options by cleaning out my side of the closet. That means the beginning of a process that takes a few weeks to complete and it goes faster or slower depending on the weather changes. I'll be pulling most of my brightest summer tops and sandals first and finding a place to store them. Even though it is still warm, it feels enough like fall to quit wearing the floatiest and lightest of hot weather choices. I'll be keeping pieces I can layer, and darker colored sheers and silkies that will work with heavier fall fabrics and layers. The idea is to put away summer and pull out the fall things so you can see what you'll need this year. This is also make room for those new (yeaaaay !) items.

Second: Shop Your Closet

The next step is to take stock. By the time I've finished going through the first crop of fall magazines, I've got my Lust List in my head and on paper. Lots of what I wore last winter will work again this year, and I'll be looking for specific pieces that will bring my wardrobe up-to-date.

For example .... last winter, I gave in and up about my resistance to slimmer cut jeans and trousers. Mostly in black and dark denim blue. I've found that skinnies ( judiciously used !!!) even work for me to balance out the fuller cut, georgette tops I loved last winter. They're especially good with long tunics and sweaters.  I'll keep the slimmer cuts, and add colors and very subtle prints. I couldn't find them locally last year, now they're everywhere.

Another keeper is a black tuxedo-lapel blazer. I love it so much that I'm looking for one in navy blue. The example below is from the Kirna Zabete line for Target, and sadly not available locally. (See last post's rant. Argh....)

All this applies to accessories as well, of course. I'm putting many of my summeriest shoes away, and pulling out my more wintery pumps and certainly my boots. I'm taking a batch of my favorites to be re-heeled before I really need them. But I'm adding navy blue pumps because I think they'll look modern with reds, burgundies, and browns that I would have worn with black. Also, the navy and black is it's own contemporary combination that I'm loving.

 

Finally, the centerpiece of my Lust List is a bag like this one ... it's been a long time since I've seen this rich burgundy color, and I'm looking for boots as well.

 

(Next time, more colors, more accessories and how to find them.)