Transitional Wardrobe Staples and Essentials

Fall is one of the hardest seasons to dress for! It’s all about having the right layers and materials to make sure you stay cool during the day and warm in the evenings. Because autumn weather is so unpredictable, I want to help you plan for the seasons with transitional wardrobe staples and essentials that every fashion girlie should own. 

If you’re new around here, it’s my ultimate goal to help you design the perfect ‘Classic’ capsule wardrobe filled with gorgeous pieces that last a lifetime. Avoid outfit fatigue, fall in love with your personal style, and shop sustainably with my Classic Capsule Wardrobe Guide. Download today. 

If you’ve never built a capsule wardrobe before, that’s OK! A capsule wardrobe is a curated collection of items that all match. They’re designed to help you create an endless supply of outfits with fewer pieces, helping you pack lighter, shop less, and reduce your impact on our planet. 

My blog is full of capsule wardrobes for every occasion, but today I’m going to focus on specific wardrobe staples that help you start to craft a capsule wardrobe. 

Transitional Wardrobe Staples & Essentials

When shopping for transitional wardrobe staples, you’ll probably want to include things like: 

• Trench Coat
• Denim Jacket
• Leather Jacket
• Lightweight Knit
• Cardigan
• Button-Down Shirt
• Blouses
• Classic Blue Jeans
• Black Jeans
• Wide-Leg Trousers
• Tank
• T-Shirt
• Lightweight Scarf
• Midi Dress
• Maxi Dress
• Midi Skirt
• Maxi Skirt
• Booties
• Loafers
• Sneakers
• Tights
• Crossbody Bag

Today I’m going to share my favorite picks for each of these items. If you want to shop for any of the items that I recommend in this post, simply click on the image. You can also click from the list above to shop most of the pieces that I’ll share in more detail throughout this guide.  

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you shop for any of the products I recommend, I might make a small commission (at no additional cost to you!) Thank you for supporting my blog! I only recommend products that I know and love. 

Now let’s dive into my transitional wardrobe staples and essentials as the weather turns from summer into fall!

Jackets & Tops

As I said before, layers are essential for transitional seasons. As the year goes from summer into fall, it’s normal for the days to be really warm while the nights are quite cool. You’ll want to make sure that you have a jacket with you at all times. Fall weather can be unpredictable with lots of wind and rain, so hopefully this guide helps you plan and stay stylish all year. 

They are such a classic look, it’s always the first place I start when helping someone develop their capsule wardrobe. 

Perfect for transitional seasons, trench coats are great for layering, staying warm on chilly evenings and even being water resistant for rainy days. Hobbs London has designed the perfect trench coat. I’ve owned mine for years and absolutely love it.

This is a lightweight denim jacket which makes it great for autumn when the weather isn’t quite freezing yet. They’re also another great item for layering. You can easily pair it with a sweater underneath, a scarf, or a bigger coat over the top. A denim jacket is another classic piece that won’t go out of style anytime soon. 

All Saints is a gorgeous brand so it’s no wonder they’ve designed my favorite leather jacket of all time. Add a bit of punk rock to your day with this stylish biker jacket. Just like a denim jacket, I think every woman should own a leather jacket.

Talk about great items for layering. I love this sweater from Banana Republic – a brand that makes luxury style affordable. This sweater is buttery soft and comes in a variety of gorgeous colors. Trust me, you’ll want to own more than one of these lightweight sweaters.

With 49% Marino Wool, the everyday cardigan will keep your temperature regulated, no matter the weather. I love styling this long cardigan with wide-leg trousers or jeans for a relaxed, yet stylish look. 

hat’s how Calvin Klein describes this top. For me, it falls into the category of must-have items for every woman – no matter your style. The reason I love this button-down so much as a transitional wardrobe staple is because it honestly goes well with everything in this capsule. 

You can style it with a denim jacket or leather jacket for a completely different look. Pair it with trousers, jeans or tucked into a skirt. You can wear it on its own or over a tank top. A classic white button-down is so versatile.

It’s easily one of my favorite fashion finds of this year. I can’t wait to style this blouse in my own wardrobe – and I know that it’ll look incredible paired with everything in this transitional wardrobe capsule. If you only shop one thing I’ve recommended today, I hope it’s this beautiful blouse! 

Henley is softer than soft and one of my favorite tops. It’s another one that I could definitely own in every color. When it comes to simple tees, Levi’s knows what we want, I love picking up basics from them.

You can’t go wrong with a few simple tops and tees in your closet. And if you feel like they aren’t ‘fancy’ enough, remember the point of creating a capsule wardrobe is to reduce outfit fatigue and mix and match. Simple tees like the Sloane tee are perfect for mixing and matching your wardrobe. 

That’s why I’m all about the layering. For those early fall days when the afternoon is still hot out, make sure to have a few classic tank tops that you can wear for layering. 

These tops and jackets are a go-to in my wardrobe. They’re items that I wear all the time and recommend to everyone. When it comes to putting together the perfect transitional wardrobe, these pieces are essential. Now I’m going to jump into trousers and jeans. 

Jeans & Trousers

I’m going to keep it simple with the bottoms I’m recommending as transitional wardrobe-essentials. I’m not including any shorts, because you’ll already have shorts from summer that you can occasionally wear when the weather permits – but as we move into colder months, there’s no reason to recommend buying any new shorts for the couple of warm days left. 

Instead, I’m focused on classic jeans and trousers. I want to continue helping you develop a transitional wardrobe with items that I classify as ‘must-haves.’

Without question. I love the high rise, boot cut style and the color of these jeans is gorgeous. I’m already desperate to style them with that lace top from above.

I love the skinny jeans-to-flare jeans that are so in style right now. This is another pair of denim that actually fits tall women as well. It’s not easy to find jeans as a tall woman, so when I do – I can’t wait to share them!

hese are the longer version of their best-selling Pursuit Trousers and they’re the ultimate transitional wardrobe staple. You can get them in a variety of colors, but in an effort to create a classic capsule wardrobe, I have to recommend black. 

Dresses & Skirts

For a transitional season like summer to fall, I want to make sure I include some dresses and skirts that layer well. This is usually the time of year when I put away my flowy and bright sundresses and instead pull out my classic midi and maxi lengths. For my transitional wardrobe staples, I’m going to be sharing two dresses and two skirts that I love for this time of year. 

As you can probably tell, I avoid a lot of colors when designing a capsule wardrobe because I want to give you pieces that mix and match well. Normally I like to share one of two pieces with color to mix things up – this dress is great for that.

Khloé Kardashian co-founded Good America to create styles with all women’s body types in mind. She nailed it with this maxi dress. The color is perfect for fall as well. 

I love them as a transitional wardrobe essential because they look so cute with sweaters. You can wear it with a tank top and layered with a sweater for the perfect fall look. Because they’re so neutral and stylish, you can also pair them with a denim jacket or leather jacket for a very different look. 

This skirt is perfect for fall days in the office. It’s a classic style that you can dress up or down depending on the environment and it can take you from work to after-work drinks with the addition of the right shoes and jacket. 

Shoes & Accessories

Last up is always my favorite part of any capsule wardrobe… the shoes and accessories! When you’re designing a capsule wardrobe with a limited number of items, sometimes the best thing you can do is accessorize. Your shoes, purse, and jewelry can go a long way to make each outfit unique. Plus, who doesn’t love shopping for shoes and purses? 

While most girlies are pairing their booties with a pair of leggings and an oversized sweater this fall, you’re elevating a classic look with these pointed-toe heels. This bootie is sleek, slender and so stylish. 

They’re just the right amount of quiet luxury while still providing you with the comfort that goes with everything you own. I am in love with the simple, yet elegant style of these shoes. 

This season has the reputation of being cold and wet, and the right pair of sneakers can be worn to work, to get drinks with the girls, or around town. You just have to know how to style them. These Adidas are the OG sneakers that are perfect for your capsule wardrobe.

I wanted to pick a bag that you could use as your main purse all season long and I think this DeMellier shoulder bag is the perfect choice. The simple gold details of this purse elevate it while still keeping it quiet luxury and stylish for everyday use. I’m a big handbag girlie and there’s a reason I always come back to DeMellier – it’s a classic. 

You’ll never go wrong getting a really good pair of tights. They’re always going to come in handy when styling for unpredictable fall weather.

I keep going on about how this season is the season of layers – so having a lightweight scarf is ideal. You can throw this in your purse or tote bag when the weather is too warm, but you always know you’ll have something with you to protect from the evening chill. 

This guide will help you start to craft your perfect transitional wardrobe and overall classic capsule wardrobe. It’s full of my transitional wardrobe essentials that will help you mix and match stylish outfits all season long. Thank you for shopping my recommendations, it’s always my ultimate goal to help you define your personal style and develop your perfect capsule wardrobe.

For more outfit inspiration and capsule wardrobes, follow me on Pinterest @basiarestrepo. And if you want daily outfit inspiration, the latest trends, and personal updates, make sure to follow me on Instagram @stylewithbasia. 

Before you go, make sure to download my cheatsheet to create your classic wardrobe. You can steal that guide for free here.