There’s a particular kind of denial that kicks in at the beginning of September. The mornings have a chill in them, the shops are full of chunky knits, and yet I still find myself reaching for the linen shirt one more time. If you’re feeling the same way, I promise you’re not alone - and the good news is, you don’t actually have to choose. You can dress for the season ahead while still holding onto the spirit of the one you’re not quite ready to let go of.
Here’s how I do it.
Layer, don’t swap
The biggest mistake we make this time of year is treating autumn dressing as a wardrobe overhaul. It isn’t. It’s an editing exercise. Rather than packing summer away, I simply start layering over it. A sleeveless linen dress becomes an autumn piece the moment you add a fine knit underneath and boots below. Nothing new required - just a shift in how you’re wearing what’s already hanging in your wardrobe.
Hush Cosette Scoop Neck Cord Mini Dress
© Hush Cosette Scoop Neck Cord Mini Dress | Burgundy Purple £110Let your feet make the seasonal call
If there’s one item I change over before anything else, it’s footwear. Trainers or sandals through September, then boots the moment there’s a proper chill. It’s a small switch, but it does more to signal “autumn” than almost anything else you could put on, which conveniently means the rest of your outfit gets to stay exactly as summery as you like for a little longer.
Bring in one transitional hero piece
© @beckydeditsEvery year, I pick one piece to be my bridge between seasons - usually something oversized and easy, like a car coat or a lightweight trench. The trick is choosing something roomy enough to throw over a slip dress on a mild day, but substantial enough to layer over a jumper once the temperature properly drops. One coat, two seasons, zero decision fatigue.
Reach for tonal, not heavy
© @beckydeditsYou don’t need to leap straight into black and charcoal. Some of my favourite fashion-editor cheats: swap white for cream, swap bright florals for a warm rust or olive, and keep your palette tonal rather than suddenly wintry. It reads as “autumn” without feeling like you’ve abandoned the lighter, brighter mood of summer altogether.
Keep one ritual sacred
This isn’t really about clothes, but it matters just as much. For me, easing into autumn also means holding onto a bit of the summer feeling - a Sunday lunch at the pub, sleeves rolled up if the sun’s out, jumper on standby if it isn’t. Dressing for the season doesn’t mean abandoning the mood of the one before it, and honestly, that’s the bit I find hardest to let go of every year.
© @beckydeditsThe takeaway
You don’t need an autumn overhaul, and you certainly don’t need to say goodbye to summer overnight. A few small, deliberate swaps - footwear, one hero coat, a slightly warmer palette - are enough to carry you through the transition while still feeling like yourself. Ease in. There’s no rush.
