The Seasonal Switchover

By Lisa Haynes

Woolly coats, snuggly snoods and a sea of faux fur... the shops may have deemed it the depths of winter, but meanwhile some of us are still padding around in flip-flops and short sleeves.

Welcome to style limboland where even practiced fashionistas slip up on wardrobe choices.

The crossover seasons can often leave us in a quandary over what to wear and we occasionally slip up, committing iffy fashion faux pas like teaming sandals with Winter coats.

Yep, it's that tricky time of year when summer's behind us and the days of cosying up in winter warmers still seem like a long way off.

Invest in those winter must-haves on your shopping list now before they disappear but don't shock your body by wrapping up in big knits and gargantuan coats just yet - you'll have nowhere to hide once the real cold weather hits!

Transition tricks are your solution to get the most out of straddling your seasonal wardrobes. Here's how to turn that summer-to-winter style switchover into a total breeze.
Love Layering

With precarious weather forecasts and switching between sunglasses and umbrella, layering is your key to effortless autumnal dressing. You can shed or add a layer in a fashion nanosecond and still look effortlessly chic.

Use a tee or vest top as your bottom layer, or long-sleeve poloneck if you feel the cold, and add fine layers like tunics, cardigans and waistcoats to build up your style central heating. Cardigan coats are ideal as a top layer.

Mix up varying materials and colours to differentiate your layers from being one 'block' of clothing.

Try: Tu at Sainsburys grey stripe cardigan, £14; TK Maxx boyfriend blazer, from £29.99; Debenhams oversized cardigan, £55; George at Asda stripe kimono sleeve cardigan, £18. See our Casual Picks.

Booty Call

One of the easiest ways to step into autumnal dressing is with your footwear. Swap your strappy gladiators and ballet pumps for tougher boots to stomp your way into the new season.

Teamed with bare legs a la Alexa Chung, or with tights, ankle booties can be worn now with summer dresses to instantly give your outfit a winter makeover. Tan brown is a great shade for transition chic.

Turn to knee-length boots if you really feel the chill factor or look to this season's thigh-highs if you dare.

Try: Next suede boots, £50; Freemans western ankle boots, £85; Clarks Kandy Costume tan ankle boots, £79.99; Faith Sammy grey suede frill boots, £70. Pictured Above - Next fairisle jumper dress, £35, chunky scarf, £14, suede boots, £50 and knee high socks, (set of 2) £12.

Access Accessories

Unsure about the weather forecast or working the same outfit from day to night? Accessories like scarves, gloves and hats are 'the' non-committal miracle workers in transition dressing. Simply throw them into your bag and pull them out once the barometer drops.

This season snoods have become the scarf's trendier sister so update your look with a versatile shade like steely grey that will work with any outfit.

If you're wearing a three quarter-length sleeve coat or cardigan, long gloves will also keep you cosy and add a pop of colour to your look.

Try: Warehouse grey snood, £18; Next blue chunky scarf, £14; River Island long purple gloves, £24.99; Marks and Spencer Limited Collection black bow studded leather gloves, £25. Pictured Warehouse dress, £50, jeans, £40, shrug, £45, bag £32, snood, £18 and gloves, £16.

Tights Tactics

Last winter, tights lost their frump factor and made it into all the cool lists with outrageous colours and wacky prints and this season they still have legs.

Designer Henry Holland has put the trendy stamp on hosiery designing a cutting-edge collection for Pretty Polly with colour blocking and quirky prints, and Bora Aksu's rock chick studded tights were the star performers in his autumn/winter catwalk.

More of a traditional tights dresser? A pair of 80 deniers in black will be your best friend throughout the winter if you want to cling on to short dresses or shorts.

Knee high socks worn just over the cuff of boots are another way to keep pins snug.

Try: Matalan pink floral tights, £3; House of Holland for Pretty Polly colour block tights, £10; Marks and Spencer grey ribbed cotton tights, £8; Next knee high socks, £12 for pack of two. Pictured TK Maxx dresses from £19.99 and boyfriend blazers, from £29.99

Colour Story

Long dark nights are depressing enough so don't make the mistake of falling into an equally drab colour palette of black, greys and smudgy dark shades.

Winter may be looming but you can still inject a serious dose of summer brights into your wardrobe.

A winter coat in an eye-popping colour will act as your daily dose of sunshine.

Opt for a colour block jacket in lime, cobalt, fuchsia or yellow, or head for a Matthew Williamson-inspired ombre coat combining graduated shades.

Try: Warehouse red coat, £90; Dorothy Perkins cobalt wool biker jacket, £50(Pictured); River Island yellow Fallaway swing coat, £69.99; Wallis burnt orange graduated coat, £85.

Get the look
Singer Beverley Knight hits the right notes in a sharp shoulder dress. Steal her style with Goddiva's L.B.D, £38, available to pre-order now at www.goddiva.co.uk/

Buy it now
Fashionistas will have a fight on their hands to bag French Connection's latest limited edition. To celebrate 25 years of London Fashion Week, they've launched 1,500 Bonnie Cotton dresses (usually £110) for just £25 in a Damson Dream colourway. Available in selected stores and online at www.frenchconnection.com/ from September 13.

Recessionista alert
Missed out on an Office shoe candy craving? Check out their new eBay store where you'll find branded products from previous seasons to bid on from as little as £5. Delivery is £3.75 per UK order, no matter how many pairs you buy. Visit http://stores.ebay.co.uk/officeshoes

Fashion flash

Lingerie launch
For boudoir underwear without the jaw-dropping price tags check out BHS' new Bellissima lingerie. Inspired by twenties designs with Chantilly lace, pleating and ribbon detailing, the premium collection is both pretty and sexy. Available in selected stores and online now in sizes 8-22 and cup sizes A-FF, with bras from £16 (www.bhs.co.uk).

Stockists
Warehouse: www.warehouse.co.uk/
Sainsburys Tu Clothing: sainsburys.co.uk
Marks & Spencer - marksandspencer.com
Freemans: freemans.com
Dorothy Perkins: www.dorothyperkins.com
Wallis: www.wallis-fashion.com
Next: www.next.co.uk
Debenhams: www.debenhams.com
Matalan:  www.matalanonline.co.uk
Clarks: www.clarks.co.uk
Faith: www.faith.co.uk
George: george.com
Pretty Polly: prettypolly.co.uk
River Island: riverisland.com
TK Maxx: www.tkmaxx.co.uk