LATE SUMMER STYLE STAPLES

Happy Monday! Fun fact: as I actually wore the skirt in this blog post again today to the zoo. I styled with a few different accessories that sort of switched up the vibe. But these photos are from last year. I just tend to go for this skirt this time of year no matter what! Which brings me to the topic of this post: late summer style staples. This skirt is one of those for me. Something about the cut and pattern just screams August and September. You know, the back to school months that feel the same no matter how many years past school you get. Anyway, those are what we’re talking about today. But I’ll let you in on a little secret for this post – it’s all about warming up your summer fits with pieces strategically so they don’t scream fall. If you need a few more ideas, check out this post from last year as well!

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A CHUNKY MULE

Personally, I love an open-toe for this style. It gives you a little bit of summer and a little bit of a fall vibe. Not quite a sandal, but not quite a full mule either. This style is also something a little before an ankle boot, which, as we all know, is very fall. Showing off a little ankle keeps the look feeling a little more fresh and summery. But the chunky style comes across as more grounded. Perfect for a back-to-school vibe.

DENIM JACKET (FOR A CASUAL LOOK) & MOTO JACKET (FOR EVENING CASUAL)

I love outerwear. But I also find it so tedious to try on a million things to get the right fit. When a blazer isn’t the right vibe (my general outerwear pick), a denim jacket seems to always be a go-to answer. As the weather starts to vary more throughout the day as it does during this time of year, a denim jacket is an absolute late summer staple. You don’t need to spend a million years picking out a jacket you may or may not wear, just grab a classic denim one and go.

Fall is definitely the season for the shacket, but I’ve found most to be a little too heavy during August and early September in the places I’ve lived. Stylistically, they also really scream fall. If you’re looking for an outfit that sits right on that line between the seasons, you might find that a shacket takes you too far in one direction, where a denim jacket wouldn’t.

A moto jacket is also a great late summer style – when worn appropriately. You also might tip a little far with a moto jacket, but I find that they work well at night without feeling too “fall”. During the day, they seem to convey a feeling of warmth. Like, you’re expecting the weather to be quite cool and that sort of sets off that fall feeling. At night though, we tend to edge up our outfits, even during the summer, so a moto jacket is a great piece to have on hand during this transitional season.

A CROPPED OR STANDARD-LENGTH CARDIGAN

Basically – not a duster. Although I do love me a good duster because they’re just. so. cozy! As we near the official fall months, a duster cardigan can pull an outfit very much in the fall direction. But a little warmth is needed as the seasons change. While a duster wrap in the middle of summer might give off a beach evening vibe, as fall approaches it can feel a little more like you’re forcing the season to change.

A cropped or standard-length cardigan can offer you warmth if you need it, but you can stick to a more summery vibe if you feel like it! I have a cropped cardigan in a gorgeous lavender shade that I love during the spring and this time of year because it’s warm, but feels a little brighter than those fall hues.

BONUS FOR HOT CLIMATES

Everywhere I’ve ever lived, we’ve gotten a mix of cool and obscenely warm this time of year. So dealing with that is my focus when strategizing outfits that will be easy to put together and go. Of course, if you’re somewhere where it’s obscenely hot, these late summer style staples may feel a little sweaty. In that case, give your outfit a bit of a fall flare without taking it over the top. Opt for styling those cooler pieces in more fall hues and look for textures that give you a fall-feel in silhouettes that feel very summery.