Styling Summer Classics for Autumn 'The Linen Blazer' : Over 40 Style

Hey lovelies,

Hope you are all well,

It's that time of year where we sigh that summer is coming to an end, and celebrate the return of Autumn fashion! Much as I'm a summer baby and adore the heat, sunshine and outdoor life of summer, I actually prefer Autumn dressing when classic blazers, trousers and knits come into their own. 

This year I found my shopping habits changed drastically. I'm much more of an in-store shopper, preferring to see an item, feel the fabric and try it on. If you know me from instagram then you know how much I love a changing room selfie! But then came lockdown and all the clothing stores in the UK suddenly closed. I stopped buying and instead, like many people, spent some time decluttering and assessing my wardrobe, aiming to streamline it and concentrate on those versatile pieces that I love. 

And I've found that with less items in my wardrobe I haven't felt overwhelmed by the sheer amount of clothes crammed in there. I've been able to come up with new and varied ways to style much loved pieces.

So over summer I found myself reaching for a classic linen blazer from H&M, and I want to show you how this versatile item, which many of us will have already have, can be styled into next season transitioning from late summer days into autumn. I've made a little styling video to show 4 ways I'm taking this classic piece into the new season. 

 Outfit 1: Late Summer Shorts

Let's start with my most summery of the outfits featured here, shorts styled for later summer and early autumn. 

Tailored paperbag shorts have been my go-to style for shorts this year and they team perfectly with a blazer. These shorts are from H&M in a lyocell fabric which is a perfect match for the natural feel of linen, teamed with rustic natural feel of the knitted cami top. I have chosen tonal colours for this neutral outfit of ivory, beige and rich brown. For warmer dry days I would team with tan leather sliders, but for cooler days this outfit works perfectly with the stark white of a classic pair of trainers.
 

Outfit 2: Workwear 

For an office appropriate outfit I've teamed the linen blazer with a classic all black outfit of wide leg culottes from H&M and a black string strap vest. 
 
The blazer adds a layer of warmth whilst still looking elegant and chic, perfect for air conditioned offices where it can be cool but not cold enough for winter knits. I've echoed the woven fabric of the backless loafers with a black woven bag, which has been a hero piece this year, despite me thinking a black basket bag wouldn't get much use. In a simple outfit I like to let textures do the talking and the woven fabric adds a layer of interest to a monochrome outfit. 
 

Outfit 3: Blush Dress

For my third outfit I wanted to find a way of extending the wear of a summer dress. 
 
This gorgeous blush dress is perfect for dinner, but as the evenings get cooler a linen blazer is great for throwing over the shoulders without being too heavy and overpowering the gentle pink tones of the dress. Consider layering a linen blazer over your lighter coloured dresses as a way of adding a layer of warmth. I teamed the dress with nude sandals to elongate my legs and a navy clutch bag to avoid being too matchy matchy.
 

Outfit 4 - Boho Autumn Vibes

Oh how much do I love this outfit? It has all the 70's style that I love and I can just see Lauren Hutton or Faye Dunaway rocking this look in a movie. 
 
It was a surprise pairing while I was looking for a jacket to add to this H&M sleeveless polo neck and it teams fabulously with mid wash wide leg jeans. Pair with tan platforms and a fringed suede bag, surely nothing screams autumn more than suede fringing?! The warm tones and natural texture of brown suede echo the autumn leaves. On rainy days I would swap the platform sandals for leopard loafers and the suede bag for a tan leather bag.
 

I hope you've enjoyed reading this post lovelies and I've given you some ideas for styling summer pieces into autumn, and to getting the most out of those classic pieces in our wardrobes. Comment below if you'd like me to do further posts on how to wear one piece numerous ways.

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