You can already feel it can’t you? That transitional weather is slowly creeping in changing the way we dress from light, bright and breezy to something a little more complex. September style starts with battling the chilly mornings that are a taste of weather yet to come and ends with sometimes sweltering summer-like temperatures that remind you that fall hasn’t *quite* started yet. So, how do we dress for that? Transitional temps are always tricky but you’ve come to the right place, friends. Our look of the month is a replicable, easy way to decode September's super confusing dress code to help you find the styles you’ll be wearing all month long. Alright, let’s get started. You feel that? That’s fall in the air. You know the one, it starts off cool and breezy and slowly burns off to be–well–kinda summery still. And while it may not be a huge deal weather-wise, that slight chill in the morning makes all the difference when it comes to transitioning your wardrobe from summer to fall. So what do you wear when it’s a little too hot for those chunky sweaters you love and a little too cold for those summer dresses? Well, we’ll tell you with the help of our specially curated, expertly styled looks of the month. This month’s theme? The perennial transitional workhorse: layers. It’s gonna be a good one so read on.
THE THEME: LAYERS
So as we all know, North America is a pretty big continent and temperatures can be super different from place to place. But here at Levi’s®, we think of everything, so we have three (count ‘em THREE) looks of the month to cater to whatever weather you have in your region. Both looks follow the same theme though so even if you’re somewhere in the middle you can still feel confident in your look. The theme for September is layering. ‘Why layering?’ you may ask. Well as we mentioned, temperatures in September are–to put it lightly–a mixed bag. You can go from too cold to borderline sweating in the blink of an eye. So the solution to that is making sure that you have enough lightweight removable layers to always be one step ahead. Tossing on a sweater or peeling off a jacket are your keys to comfort here.
And while that in and of itself is pretty intuitive the hard part here is coordinating all these different layers so you look and feel put together. Before we break down our looks of the month let’s take a moment to talk about basic color, pattern and texture coordination rules.
You all may or may not remember this from elementary school art class, but there is such a thing as a color wheel. All color theory is based on an understanding of the six colors of the rainbow as arranged on this wheel or circle. To understand the wheel you have to first look at the primary colors–aka the colors that you can’t make by mixing two other colors together. These are red, yellow, and blue. On the color wheel, they sit in a triangle so that there is another color in between each of them. What are those colors you ask? Those are the secondary colors you get from mixing two primaries together. So, for example, in between red and blue on the color wheel is purple, in between red and yellow is orange, and in between blue and yellow is green. Ok so that was a lot but we promise there’s a reason why we just walked you through all that. That reason is that if you’re putting together an outfit with multiple colors in it–which, who isn't–you’re going to want to pick colors based on their location on the wheel. The safest bet? Complimentary colors that are across from each other on the wheel, like green and purple, or blue and orange. Another good choice–stay within the family. Primaries look great with each other and so do secondaries.COLOR
Mixing patterns is a little less scientific than the whole color spiel we just went through. The general rule of thumb is this: if you’re going to mix patterns you want to make sure that each pattern is represented in a different scale. So for example, if you have a subtle small stripe on your t-shirt, you can mix it with a bold oversized plaid in your layering flannel over the top. This is definitely not a rule, but we’re also a fan of mixing an organic natural print like a floral with a more geometric regular print like a windowpane or a stripe. The interplay of the geometric and the irregular is just cool looking.PATTERN
Mixing textures is really not that complex. There aren’t necessarily rules per se. So instead we’ll offer more of an endorsem*nt. In lieu of color or patterns, textures are a great way to add visual interest to an outfit. Think of the impact a fuzzy sweater or a satin-y shirt has on a look. It can totally take a simple outfit or basic silhouette to the next level.TEXTURE
THE LOOKS
Our first layered look is giving major outdoorsy vibes–which makes sense because fall is the last time you’re really gonna want to be outside until spring. Let’s break it down. An easy denim duo is a strong foundation for this layered look, especially when offset by a corduroy contrast collar. Next, in a textbook complementary colors play, we added an orange parka over the top. This two-tone gem not only provides warmth but the flap pockets keep the utility vibe going strong. Finally, key accessories with a ticked hiking lace finish the look.LOOK 1
Our next look is a little less tactical and a little more referential when it comes to the great outdoors. We start with a relaxed fit pant in a nice light neutral–lightweight enough for warmer weather but still a full coverage look for chilly mornings. Add in a crew neck sweater in a nature-inspired knit pattern and you’ve got the start of a solid layered look. Finally, we topped off the look with a pop of color in the form of a bright green parka. Plenty of pockets and a drawstring adjustable hood add major versatility as a final finishing touch.LOOK 2
Last but not least our final look really takes layering to the next level with not three, but four pieces. We kick things off with a button-down flannel–a true fall staple. Then we add a crew neck sweatshirt over the top letting the collar and untucked shirt hem add some visual interest. On the bottom, we’ve got a pair of classic corduroys in a super versatile beige. Piling on, an indigo Trucker with modernized pockets adds a workwear edge. And last but not least we added a classic baseball cap to keep things casual.LOOK 3
Love these layered looks? Shop more of the September Look Of The Month here.
