How I upgraded my Transitional Wardrobe

You only have to take a quick look at my seasonal most worn wrap ups to see that the items I rely on tend to be old favourites. As we shift into the transitional season, I’ve been thinking a little about how I can upgrade my wardrobe with minimum effort, for maximum impact.

Wearing Joseph rollneck sweater (affordable here), Christopher Kane camo skirt, Grana alpaca coat (similar here), Isabella Anselmi sock boots (sold out but similar here), Polene bag, Mejuri pearl earrings

I’ve said it before but a new season doesn’t signal the need for a whole new wardrobe; though a few *new* key pieces can help to inject some fun, additional variety, and make your old staples feel fresh again. Today I’m sharing some simple tips that you can use to upgrade your transitional wardrobe, without buying anything new (unless you truly want and/or need to…).

Unexpected prints

When I first shared this navy camo skirt on my YouTube Channel a few months back, I think it’s safe to say that the print was a bit of an unexpected surprise. Camo is never really a print I thought I’d see incorporated into my own wardrobe, but in a muted navy tones, it’s subtle while still looking effective. I’d had this particular skirt on my wishlist for years, so it was a happy coincidence that I managed to stumble across it pre-loved (there’s another one here). The easiest way to pull off an unexpected print is to keep the rest of the piece simple. The silhouette is a straight bell/pencil cut, and is free from any embellishment or interesting design details. I mimicked that simplicity for my overall outfit to make the unexpected print the hero of the look.

Texture

A sure-fire way to upgrade any outfit – whether it’s monochrome, super basic, or a full on statement look – is with texture. I mean, there’s a reason this tip pops up again and again, whenever I’m sharing any kind of styling advice. The transitional season is the best time of year to really have fun with textures. Try offsetting summery textures like linen and soft cottons with more traditional winter textures of wool and silk. It creates depth and can add an interesting element to your look.

Mixing high with low

While you don’t hear me mentioning this often, one of my favourite every day styling tricks is to might high with low. I rarely shop the high street these days as I tend to favour sustainable brands or contemporary designers more. And while it can be fun to dress head-to-toe designer once and a while, the best outfits almost always have a good mix of both. This is also a good way to ground an outfit.

A great handbag

One thing you definitely don’t need is a “handbag wardrobe”, but one or two great bags which work for your lifestyle, are good quality, and really finish off an outfit are a must. Black is timeless and will be a forever classic, especially if you go for a simple silhouette, though a fun colour can really *pop* if you prefer something that’s more of a statement. Some of you may disagree, but I’ve always thought of a handbag as the final layering or finishing piece of an outfit. It should complement the look but not overpower it. I tend to opt for something more small to medium sized and I do love a bit of structure. It works well to juxtaposition against the soft cosiness of many of my transitional looks.

Simple accessories

It’s really only been recently that I’ve started to put more attention on jewellery. My bookmarks are filled with pieces from Missoma (hello new Lucy Williams collection) on the affordable end of the spectrum, but I’ve also got my eye on some pricier delicate diamond rings and earrings from local jewellers Sarah & Sebastian. Like in my work, I think having that attention to detail can really make an outfit shine (quite literally…), and pared back will always be timeless and classic.