Issue 50 - 6th September

Morning First name,

 

With the shift from August to September, it seems like everyone is suddenly thinking about autumn fashion and how to transition those lovely summer outfits into the cooler months. For those of you who joined the membership in April, your first seasonal transition can feel a bit overwhelming. You’ve just gotten the hang of Joyfully dressing for summer and now the seasons change, and it’s time to think about autumn!

 

The good news is that dressing for colder weather actually offers even more opportunities to dress joyfully. With more layers, there are more chances to play with colour, texture, and interesting details in your outfits. It's something to embrace not feel worried about! 

 

And don’t forget the magic of a great coat! A bright coat in your color season can work wonders—instantly adding fun and style to your look. It's amazing to know you can toss it on, feel confident, and know it pairs perfectly with so much in your wardrobe.

 

It feels like autumn might finally be on its way after that last burst of sunshine! With that in mind, I thought it would be helpful to look at a few small swaps we can make to our summer wardrobes to make them more ‘autumn-appropriate.’

 

The key is not to overthink it or stress too much—most of our summer outfits can be easily tweaked and transformed into something cosier for the cooler months.

 

One thing I find useful to remember is that autumn weather isn’t too different from spring. We often feel the need to pack away sandals, strappy dresses, and shorts as soon as autumn hits, thinking we need to transition straight to winter. But just like you ease into your summer wardrobe in spring, you can do the same in autumn, keeping those summer pieces in rotation for a bit longer.

 

I've drawn some inspiration from the fabulous outfits you shared during last month’s #joyfulchallenge and will show how a few simple changes can help you get even more wear out of your favorite clothes.

 

Debra put together this colourful outfit, with a patterned top and coloured shorts. You can easily adapt a summer outfit like this for the autumn. Simply replace the shorts with a pair of jeans or trousers, and swap those sandals for closed-toe shoes. For a more casual vibe, trainers are perfect, but boots or flats can elevate the look beautifully! Whilst the weather is still dry and (reasonably nice) you can even still wear these with sandals. 

I loved this dress that Loren shared, the blue and white pattern is so bold, instead of packing away such a lovely dress you can keep getting wear out of your summer dresses by layering them with jumpers and cardigans and then popping them with trainers, shoes or boots. 

The midi denim skirt has taken the group by storm, it feels like everyone has one or wants one, here Kate Ann is styling hers with a tee and crossbody bag.  They can be worn well into winter, by changing the top you pair them with and putting on a pair of boots. 

 

I loved this beautiful skirt that Louise shared, it seems a shame not to use it over the winter so you can literally just wear this as is, but put it on with a cardigan and boots. You can wear thermals or tights under the skirt as well when it starts to get really cold! 

Laura shared this dungaree dress outfit, and this look would work just as well with a standard pair of dungarees. Swap the t-shirt for a blouse, which adds a bit off contrast to the denim. Clogs are really on trend at the moment, the original Birkenstock version is £££ but I've noticed quite a few cropping up on the high street, they are great for when the weather isn't too chilly, but sandals feel like a bit of a stretch. 

Take an outfit you have loved wearing over the summer, you can even make it easy on yourself and use one from the summer challenge and style it up Autumn. 

 

If you haven't got much time, just style up one outfit, want a bit more of a challenge see if your can use the same base outfit to create more than one outfit. 

 

Share in the group using the hashtag #weeklyspark and tell us what changes you have made. 

 

Kate Ann asked “What’s the best colour denim for each colour season and how to spot the right one when shopping online?”

 

I’ve seen this question come up a few times in the group, so I thought I’d answer it this week.

Denim is generally considered a neutral in most of our wardrobes and across colour seasons.

 

While the color of what you wear on your lower half matters less than what you wear on your top half, you still want something that will mix and match effortlessly with everything in your wardrobe.

 

When I’m shopping for jeans, I keep the colour season in mind. So, as a reminder:

Thought to be clear, I don’t tend to stress too much about the exact colour of my jeans, and I LOVE the look of a classic denim, so that is what I tend to wear. As long as they fit generally within that seasonal theme and complement the rest of my wardrobe I'm happy with them. 

However, I actually think there are two bigger factors to consider when it comes to jeans:

 

How the colour makes you feel about your body – For instance, as a triangle shape, I feel uncomfortable in light-wash jeans. Even if I were a summer or spring, I’d still steer clear of those tones and lean toward more neutral-coloured jeans that make me feel more confident.

 

Casual vs. Formal – Lighter-colored jeans tend to have a more casual feel, while darker jeans are often associated with a more polished, dressier look. So if you’re aiming for something a bit more formal, darker denim might be the way to go, regardless of your season. 

I know it's easy to miss items in the Facebook group, so I'm going to start highlighting conversations that I think might be of interest. 

 

 

I've started a new blog post series, where I showcase a member each week and the amazing transformation they have had. This week (and for the first ever one) was Nichola, and her journey from haphazard colour love, reluctant autumn, to the lovely colourful version we see in the group. You can read it here.

 

Also apparently some of you didn't know I had a blog - it's quite sparse and mainly has links to my Instagram outfits, but you can take a peak here. 

 

Cath posted a lovely navy dress she had bought from Nobody's Child and asked for some advice about how to jazz up the outfit. Everyone came up with some great suggestions. 

 

Sal posted reminding everyone that it was #secondhandseptember and loads of you agreed to join in! Make sure you share anything you buy this month in the group as part of the challenge. 

 

😍 Loved it! | 😕 Could be better….