Kicking off our fashion column with an inspiring (and super practical) guide to mixing your winter pieces to create a transitional wardrobe. These looks will take you through your spring and summer travels in style.
Warm weather days have finally arrived. And with that, it’s time to evaluate your wardrobe and decide what stays and what goes. However, if you are planning to store away all the winter vacation clothes, we suggest you hold on for a bit.
Yes, we know, summer is not sweater season, but that doesn’t mean all your cold-weather favourites have to be relegated to the storage to collect dust all year long. With proper styling, right layering, and smart accessorising, there are plenty of ways to include winter staples with your summer travel wardrobe.
The key to making your winter clothes work through the summer season with ease and style is to ensure that you have a well-rounded assortment of non-chunky, light, and breathable winterwear items to pack and pair with summer must-haves.
Whether you are planning your next vacation, starting a new job, or simply looking at ways to revamp your look, we have put together a list of outfit combinations that will let you flaunt your winter pieces even when the temperature starts to soar.
Suggested read: Fashion forecast: Top 5 trends that made it to the 2022 list!
Bomber Jacket + Jeans
Bomber jackets are one of those versatile pieces that never go out of style and can be paired with practically any piece in your closet. Moreover, it is an ideal transitional piece that can effortlessly be worn from season to season without too much of a hassle. To make the most of the bomber jacket during the hot days, pair it with different types of jeans.
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For travel: Have a flight to catch? Layer a casual tee and distressed jeans look with a bomber jacket, oversized tote bag, and sneakers for a comfortable yet attractive airport look.
For sight-seeing: If you plan to spend the day outdoors, visiting tourist destinations, we recommend pairing the bomber jacket with slim-cut jeans, a tank top, comfy sandals, and a cross-body bag.
For clubbing: For a night of dancing and party hopping, add a bomber jacket on top of a sheer blouse paired with skinny jeans, and complete the look with an embellished statement necklace and clutch. This look can have you fit in at clubs anywhere in the world.
Sweater + Skirt
Traditionally a winter staple, sweaters have come a long way since the woolen ones our grandmothers used to knit for us. While the thick and chunky sweaters are not made for hot weather, the lightweight ones are and can comfortably be worn on warm summer days. A sweater looks great with pants, dresses, and jeans but when paired with a skirt, we have a winning combination on hand. With an array of styles to choose from, you can’t go wrong with this duo.
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For work: Whether you are heading to the boardroom for a presentation or off to a business meeting, a solid colour sweater paired with a calf-length pencil skirt and pumps works perfectly well in all working environments.
For that impromptu vacation brunch: A sweater and skirt combo is not all business. It has a playful side as well. Style a metallic colour sweater with a short skirt, clutch bag, and oversized sunglasses for a brunch date with your girls.
For a weekend getaway: For a laidback yet trendy getaway look, pack a cute sweater and pair it with a pleated skirt, sneakers, and sling bag and click tons of vacation pictures in it for the gram.
Denim Jacket + Summer Dress
A popular item during winter, denim jackets can take your wardrobe to new heights all year long. There isn’t a piece in your summer wardrobe that can’t be paired with a denim jacket. But there is something pleasantly appealing about a denim jacket and summer dress combination.
With unlimited styling options to choose from, you can literally create different variations and wear this combo every day of the week and still not get bored of it. Perfect for travelling light yet keeping the style meter up.
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For a music festival: Summer is incomplete without attending a few music festivals and if you are headed to one, we suggest you pair an indigo denim jacket with a skater dress, Converse, and a backpack. Add studded earrings and colourful nail art and enjoy the gig in style.
For a beach vacation: Soak up the sun and sea in style by adding a light blue denim jacket to a strapless maxi dress along with mixed metal bangles and a scarf styled as a hairband, and you’ve got yourself an uber-chic boho look that you can wear to any beach party.
For your shopping day: If you plan to spend time going from one store to the next, we suggest you layer a floral dress with a classic blue denim jacket, wedges, and a shopper to hop from one place to another without breaking into a sweat.
Full-sleeved Top + Slip Dress
Few garments are as versatile as a full sleeve top. And yet, many shy away from wearing them during the summer days and don them only during the winter. This needs to change.
Starting now, experiment with a full-sleeved top even on hot days. You can pair it with jeans, skirts, and shorts. For a sophisticated yet sultry look, we highly recommend pairing it with a slip dress. We promise you; this look will always keep your fashion quotient high.
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For Fashion Week: The one place you can let go of all your sartorial inhibitions and create a drool-worthy colour block. Pair a vibrant hue top with a jewel tone dress, add gold dangler earrings and the latest IT bag and spot yourself on everyone’s best-dressed list.
For a night out on your trip with the girl gang: Layer a black slip dress with a gold top. To accentuate the outfit silhouette, add a delicate belt and polish off the look with stilettoes and a cocktail ring and you are ready to party the night away at even the most glam destination.
For an engagement party before the big, destination wedding: Not big on wearing bold, contrasting colours? Worry not. You can instead opt for a soft, candy colour monochrome ensemble and accessorise it with traditional Indian jewellery for an elegant Indo-Western fusion look.
Blazer + Crop Top
Whether you’re a fan of structured silhouettes or prefer oversized, boxy ones, there is a slew of sharp blazers on the market that you can comfortably wear, even on the hottest days.
The secret to making a blazer work in the summertime is layering it correctly. A turtleneck and cardigan combo is the go-to choice for fall-winter, but during summer you can create a polished look by pairing it with a crop top.
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For a business meeting: Instantly elevate your basic crop top by pairing it with a tailored blazer. Add a pair of high-waisted trousers, a watch, brogues, and a satchel bag to stylishly get you through a hectic day packed with meetings, be it in your home city or anywhere your work takes you.
For a spur-of-the-moment holiday date: For a look that is neither too formal nor too casual, pair the crop top with straight-leg jeans and add a solid colour blazer, a long chain necklace, and ballet flats. This look works for a day date and a night one as well.
For that end-of-the-trip sundowner: Get your bling blazer out and pair it with a black crop top and short black tulle skirt. Add an obi-style broad belt, metallic stilettos, and complete the look with smokey eyes and red lipstick.
Amena Azeez is a fashion and body positivity influencer, content creator, and storyteller. She has over a decade of experience in the fashion industry as a designer, stylist, writer, content strategist, and creative consultant. Amena holds a degree in fashion designing and a master’s degree in English Literature. You can follow her on Instagram at @AmenaAzeez and on Twitter at @AmenaAAzeez.
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