Celebrity Stylists Share 5 Easy Ways to Transition Your Summer Wardrobe to Fall

While any fashionista loves an excuse to go on a shopping spree — and let’s face it, a seasonal change is truly a great opportunity to do so — sometimes keeping the credit card in your wallet and redirecting your focus back to the clothing already hanging in your closet is the best approach. Beyond just saving cash (and having some extra $$ for that apple cider vinaigrette-dressed and brown sugar walnut-topped Wendy's Harvest salad you've been craving), sometimes you simply want to work some of your summer favorites into your fall rotation. Not only is it nice to keep some of your tried and true go-tos around, but incorporating those pieces into your autumn outfits can make for some notably stylish looks.

To help you make a seamless transition from the blazing days of summer to the season of pumpkin spice, we’ve enlisted help from two celebrity stylists. Here's their best advice.

If you don’t already own a pair or two, now’s the time to invest in some boots.

“Booties and high boots are a great add-on for fall,” notes Ali Levine, who you may also remember from the premiere episode of Stripped. She's also dressed lots of Bravolebrities (including Lisa Vanderpump!), Candace Cameron Bure, and Holly Robinson Peete. “You can pair a black or gray pair with pretty much any outfit and it’ll say ‘fall.’”

A fun alternative to boots are closed-toe clogs, she adds.

“Summer sundresses and maxis can transcend the seasons by adding of-the-moment denim jackets in various colors. My favorite right now is army green,” advises stylist Jene Luciani, who not only co-wrote Get It! with Jacqueline Laurita, but has styled her and Gretchen Rossi.

For a fool-proof, simplified approach, simply pair your favorite dress with a dark denim jacket versus a colored one, said Levine. You could also try a strong leather jacket, cozy cardigan, or versatile statement blazer. Pair the look with some boots and you’re ready to walk out the door.

Don’t put your shorts or skirts into summer storage just yet — they’ve still got some life in them! Luciani says, “Shorts can go from warm weather attire to cooler temps by layering tights underneath.”

For early fall days when the temps aren’t quite as low, reach or thin, opaque tights. Later in the season, when you need more warmth, move onto thicker options. You can keep your outfits simple with black or gray tights, or try deeper, fall-favorite hues like navy, camel, burgundy, and emerald.

Speaking of fall-favorite hues, Levine says a great trick for transitioning your wardrobe from summer to autumn is to deepen your color scheme via accessories.

“Jewel tones for fall are always great,” she notes. “Even a jewel-toned scarf, bold hat, or accessory will add the perfect amount of fall to your look.”

That old rule that says you shouldn’t wear white after Labor Day? Forget about it. “Wear white right into fall,” says Luciani. “Pair white jeans with fall sweaters and brightly colored blazers and flats.”

“Tanks are also easy to transition by putting a t-shirt underneath,” says Luciani. “It’s a cute and unique way to layer the basics.”

You can also layer a t-shirt underneath a spaghetti-strap summer dress for additional warmth — a style rule straight out of the ‘90s that very on-trend today — or throw on a t-shirt with jeans and pair it with a jacket.

Final Note: When in doubt, Levine says to think of your summer staples as foundational pieces and then build around them.