Hot one minute, chilly the next – when the weather can’t make up its mind, it’s easy for getting dressed to feel like a guessing game. Is it too cool for a dress? Will I overheat in jeans? Did someone say rain?
After our heatwave summer, but before jacket season starts, navigating shifting temperatures is all the more confusing. Just as you’ve mastered your grown-up shorts and sandal combinations, it’s time to think again. And as no one wants to leave the house only to regret an outfit choice before getting to the end of the road, it’s certainly worth considering your yo-yo dressing technique.
The trick is to reach for lightweight and versatile pieces that can be piled on and peeled off according to what the day throws at you (even when that’s four seasons in one day). This approach is called “onion layering” from the Italian expression “vestirsi a cipolla” which directly translates as “dress like an onion”.
At John Lewis, layering heroes are hot in demand: trench coats, cashmere cardigans, long-sleeved T-shirts and tanks have all seen a rise in customer searches over the past month.
“Start with natural fibres next to your skin and build out from there. A cotton vest top with a cardigan or denim over shirt, and then a jacket and neck scarf if needed,” says personal stylist Rebecca Clouston.
For a more sophisticated effect, Clouston advises sticking to a tonal colour palette when layering, adding in a dash of colour with accessories: “I love camels and toffee tones with pinks and reds.”
From chilly office air conditioning to unexpected showers, here’s how to dress for unpredictable weather and still look chic.
Try the new twinset
Don’t overheat in a chunky jumper, instead grab a lightweight knit – or two. The White Company’s modal blend vest and cardigan set will warm up linen work skirts and trousers on the morning commute. Strip the cardigan off and tie it over your shoulders for sunny lunch breaks.
Modal blend vest and cardigan set, £145, The White Company
Me & Em wool and cashmere knitted vest (£85) and matching cardigan (£150) comes in “pecan”, a brown hue which has been specifically designed to work alongside lighter summer colours, and also complement richer tones further into autumn.
Team Navy Grey’s breathable linen and wool T-shirt (was £250, now £125 in the sale) with your denim shorts at the weekend. Tie the coordinating sweater (was £280, now £210) around your waist ready to be shrugged on when needed.
Reach for an oversized shirt
Consider a good quality cotton shirt as this season’s layering hero. At the recent Copenhagen Fashion Week, style insiders were using block coloured and striped styles to add coverage to high-summer pieces from slip dresses to Berdumas. A slightly oversized, mannish fit makes for a cooler look. Arket has a good selection of 100 per cent plain cotton styles for £55.
Hemp shirt, £130, With Nothing Underneath
With Nothing Underneath’s hemp shirt creases less than linen and will provide airy arm coverage when you’re heading from hot tube to air-conditioned office.
For extra warmth – and a fashion-forward edge – tap into the “double shirt” look. Tuck one buttoned-up shirt into the waistband of your trousers, then layer on a second, keeping the buttons undone. This works particularly well with a white shirt as your base layer then a bright or printed style over the top. Look at Jigsaw for classic stripes.
Switch to white denim
When temperatures demand trousers, but you’re not quite ready to go back to your indigo straight-legs, keep things light with white jeans instead. Off-white tones such as ecru and cream tend to look more expensive than optic-white, and are easier to pair with other colours as the contrast isn’t so stark. Mid-weight cotton has structure but won’t feel too thick and stiff. Hush’s relaxed fit barrels (£110) will look just as great with an airy cotton blouse and flip-flops as they will your striped cotton jumper and ballet flats. For a sleeker look, Palome’s classic-fit style gives a summery spin to your tailored jacket and loafers.
Classic-fit style jeans, £65, Palome
Slip into plimsolls
The canvas plimsoll is enjoying a fashion revival and is the perfect shoe to bridge the gap between flip flops and boots. And when it’s spring, summer and autumn in the space of 24 hours, they strike the balance between lightweight and coverage. Go for a classic white style – the Princess of Wales wears Superga’s 2750 Cotu Classic (£70) or look to Bensimon’s tennis shoe (£41), a favourite of Jane Birkin. Both will work with midis and maxis, tailored shorts and jeans.
Pack an all-eventualities scarf
Silk and cashmere blend wrap, £140 (now £112 in the sale), Rise & Fall
The scarf has been this summer’s hero accessory, wrapped around heads, waists and the handles of basket bags. As we head towards the end of the season, scarf styling proves just as chic, not to mention useful.
Swap silky squares for an XL size that offers more coverage. Your cotton holiday pareo will do the trick, or look at Rise & Fall’s silk and cashmere blend wrap. Keep it in your tote ready to be wrapped around chilly bare shoulders, or to protect them from midday sun should you have forgotten SPF. Use it to fend off in-flight aircon on your late-summer city break. It can even be used as a makeshift canopy in the event of surprise rainfall. And for smarter dress codes, drape it around an office blazer or evening dress, securing it at the shoulder with Mint Velvet’s molten gold pin (£29) for insulation with flair.