Shifting Style: How to Embrace Transitional Layers

While we love the styling opportunities autumn presents, dressing for this season can be downright annoying. We've all been in that situation where we've left the house in the morning dressed for the cold weather, and by lunchtime, we're narrowly avoiding sweating through our clothes.

If there's one thing this stresses, it's the importance of having key transitional layers within our wardrobe. Designed for those in-between weather days, transitional layers can truly make or break one's wardrobe, so we're here to guide you through what you'll need this season to make sure you're looking and feeling your best.

As the name might suggest, these are transitional pieces designed to be easily taken off or repurposed as the weather changes throughout the day. Think knits, sweats, shell jackets, gilets and overshirts.

While you might be thinking you don't want to splurge and you'll wait for the cold weather, these pieces all tend to work as great under-layers during the winter, so needless to say, you'll get your money's worth out of them.

Given the ever-changing ebb and flow of fashion trends, what's actually considered stylish when it comes to transitional layers will vary somewhat from season to season, so allow us to highlight what's best and currently still on trend.

Just in case you've been living under a rock for the last few years, shell jackets are firmly still on trend, and it doesn't look like they're going anywhere soon. Spurred on by the post-pandemic gorpcore revival, a good shell jacket will not only elevate your outfit but will also protect you against the elements.

At the higher end of the scale, brands such as Arc'teryx and 66°North have rightfully cemented themselves as industry leaders, given their use of quality materials and fabrics. Often sporting GORE-TEX finishes and technical construction, these pieces are truly some of the best options if you've got some spare cash to throw at them.

For more of a budget approach, you can't go wrong with the likes of UNIQLO, Patagonia and The North Face. Catering to a larger market, these brands have refined their offerings to produce an array of stylish lightweight jackets to see you through to the depths of winter.

As the classic autumnal staple, knitwear pieces are already having yet another moment this season. While knitted sweats will always have an uplift this time of the year, it's also worth considering the classic sweater vest. Off the back of the prep revival trend, sweater vests are firmly back in style this season and are surprisingly easier to style than most would think.

At the higher end of the scale, brands such as Stüssy and Represent are currently putting out some of the best-knitted options on the market. Often characterised by bold logos and colours, you can't go wrong with these brands if you have the cash to part with.

For more affordable options, the likes of MKI, Fear of God ESSENTIALS, and even Nike have continued to bolster their knitted offerings this season, delivering some of the best in reasonably priced threads.

This kind of goes without saying, but you cannot go wrong with your classic cotton hoodie or sweatshirt. We don't need to explain exactly how valuable these pieces are as you've likely already got an assortment, so we'll just suggest some newer pieces if you're after an update.

If you're looking to make some quality outfit pairings and embrace the subtleties within styling, you can't really go wrong with Cole Buxton's blanks. As part of the brand's warm-up range, you'll find contemporary box-fitted hoodies and sweats in a number of hues, perfect for layering looks.

If your budget doesn't stretch that far, on the other end of the scale, Colourful Standard is worth looking at. Again, working with blank canvases, Colourful Standard produces high-quality sweats for a fraction of the price you'll find them for elsewhere.

Overshirts, or shackets to some, are one of the most versatile pieces to have in your wardrobe during the autumn and winter seasons. Able to be worn both open and buttoned or zipped up, overshirts present an ample offering of styling options, making them perfect for everyone's wardrobe rotation.

If you have cash to spend, the likes of Stone Island and C.P. Company reign supreme when it comes to the overshirt game. Characterised by their distinctive logo emblems, these pieces are often some of the best on the market and will guarantee you're the envy of your friends.

For a more budget approach, you simply cannot go wrong with any of UNIQLO's offerings. Whether it's from the UNIQLO U range or the regular mainline selection, UNIQLO's overshirts are often heavyweight in their construction and embrace seasonal trends better than most.

For more similar to this, check out Fleece Season: your guide to looking cold and staying warm.