It is true, summer is winding down. And while we'll always have these precious summer memories of eating ice cream in the park, talking to people through stylish cloth masks, and protesting against the government, it is time to turn our attention to the transition to autumn.
The fall has always offered the environment for our best and most fashionable selves. It's not the winter when one eventually gives up on looking good and starts simply to wear all of their clothing at once, rotating the outermost layer so no one can tell, anything to stay warm on the subway platform. Nor is it the volatile spring, where one is forced to adapt to a new weather event every hour or so, oh I'm hot, why is it so cold, oh good now it is hailing on my fresh blow out. We cannot even discuss the summer, the time when everyone must ask themselves the most important question: can everyone tell this "dress" is just a long t-shirt?
The fall restores our faith in clothing, it blushes our cheeks with a hint of rosiness, and it gives us the opportunity to wear boots without having them fill up with sweat. Truly God blessed us when he created fall, and cursed us when he made it only approximately three weeks long in New York City.
Vivienne Hu has easy looks that make the transition to fall effortless. Dare to bare your ankles with a pair of flats and these comfy trousers -- or cover them with ankle boots, it truly is up to you -- that will make you think you could do something in these if you wanted. Something like golf, I guess. There's a bit of Katharine Hepburn in the slouch of these pants but tailored for a modern fit.
But truly the best part of fall dressing is jackets. Jackets without pockets, jackets with pockets. Pockets you can put lipstick and a twenty-dollar bill in and forget all about at the end of the season and then surprise yourself with as soon as spring comes. Jackets that enhance your silhouette, jackets that help you dress a garment up or down, depending on your needs. I love this one, with its fine balance of glitz and subtlety.
And when we are bored and done with the basic that goes with anything, we can reach for the distinctive. This dress has such a satisfying mix of textures and shapes, it only needs a pair of heels and a leather jacket to make it complete.
It's no surprise we can turn to a Swiss designer like Berenik to tell us how to dress properly for the fall. It is basically always fall in Switzerland, just looking at those mountains and lakes makes me want to drape myself in corduroy. Although there is no corduroy here, just easy, elegant, flowing garments like this shirt? tunic? whatever, it's wonderful, and it would work in so many different ways and match with so many different pants, skirts, tights, and jackets.
Or even this slouchy little coat from the same line. You can throw this over just about anything and look hopelessly cool.
The joy of the fall truly is the joy of layering, of finding unexpected combinations and colors and effects through juxtaposition. It's not dressing so much as it is playing. And a nice and trim jacket takes just a blouse to an elevated place. The Porto gray works great with a bright color underneath, and its stretchy fabric guarantees that you'll always feel snug but never constricted.
These longer skirts look great with boots, or just with a playful pair of tights underneath. It's just unique enough to stay interesting, but not too fussy to make it hard to wear. It's a perfect compromise, and it's important to find clothes that fight for you and not against you. This skirt, stretchy and comfortable, is on your side and wants you to look your best. And so do I.
Jessa Crispin is a writer and tarot card reader. You can find her at jessacrispin.com or on Instagram at @jessacrispin