Tips for Wearing White All Season Long

Is it seriously September? I feel like the trees in our backyard JUST got new leaves and now I’m watching some of them fall to the ground! While I’m sad to see summer go, I welcome Fall with open arms. I see cooler temps, the smell of fire, and lots of oversized sweaters in my near future. One thing I don’t see is hanging up all of the white clothes in my closet. If you read my blog at all, you probably know that I think fashion ‘rules’ are DUMB! I think personal style is about wearing what you love WHENEVER you want. In the south, I think abandoning our white as early as September is tragic. It’s still 90 degrees outside. You can’t expect me to bundle up in all black on September 5th. So I wanted to share some tips for wearing white pieces all through Fall along with this fantastic fall transitional look today!

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photos by Kylie Stinson

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Stripes.

One of the easiest ways to wear white into fall is by wearing a good stripe. I went shopping with some girlfriends yesterday and one of them expressed her closet’s lack of stripes. I quickly assured her that the striped top she was trying on was 100% a MUST for her! It’s such a great pattern to use when layering. And if you’re wearing a black and white or navy and white stripe, then you’ll be pulling quite a bit of bright white into your outfit which gives you the ability to match that white with other pieces and accessories. In the above outfit, I chose to layer white on white and I LOVE the look. This exact top is sold out, but I saw a couple at Old Navy yesterday that are just as great. THIS ONE is almost the exact same fabric (so soft) and THIS ONE is the same cut with the V neck and split sides! Both fantastic options (plus they’re on MAJOR sale) and a long sleeved striped tee is a MUST in fall.

Fall Colors.

True. If you’re wearing white jeans or a white tee and you pair it with a summery yellow or barbie pink, you might look a little out of place among the sweaters and boots this season. So when you’re breaking our the white pieces, pair them with fall ready colors to really take your look to the next level. Some great fall colors include black (of course), olive green, burgundy, navy, dusty blush, rust (burnt orange), and brown. Above, I added a olive shirt tied around my waist to add color and break up the white on white. I tend to tie a LOT of things around my waist. It’s comfy, functional (if you get cold), and it hides the post dinner food-baby that seems to pop up uninvited! Not to mention it just looks cool!

Long Sleeves & Long Pants.

If white is something you’re unsure about during fall, but you’re dying to try it out, here is a safe way to go. If it’s white, make sure it has long sleeves or it’s long pants. You totally don’t have to stick to this rule (I don’t) but it’s a good starter for those who can’t decide if their look is ‘too summery’ for September activities. My typical rule is that white jeans are AWESOME in fall. In fact, I almost never wear white jeans in the summer because it’s WAYY too hot for long pants. So fall is the time when I actually break mine out (ironic, I know)! For sweaters and tees, the safe way to go is to make sure they’re long sleeved. While it’s still hot, you can totally roll up the sleeves like I did here but long sleeves say ‘fall’! Same goes for dresses. I love to wear white dresses in fall. As long as they’re long sleeved and not too thin, they’re perfect!

Fabrics & Materials.

To expand on the above, if you do have a piece that is white and short sleeved, then ask yourself is the fabric is a fall fabric. Linen, eyelet, and others like this are typically a spring and summer fabrics. But any t shirt material, polyester, or knit is PERFECT for white in the fall. I have a white sweater tank top that works super well this time of year. Along the same lines is a rule for shoes. I don’t own very many white shoes, but if you do, just look at the material and sheen. The same goes for open toed shoes. I’m wearing sandals here, but they’re suede and so they work really well with this look. I would stay away from shiny white or even white sandals in general, but now is a great time to bring your white sneakers out to play.

Like I said, don’t limit your personal style by following anyone else’s rules. Be YOU! These tips are just to help anyone that is a bit unsure! What is you’re favorite way to wear white in the fall?