Autumn Wardrobe Essentials- Yumetenbo

Wow, two posts in one week. I'd better slow down before I get dizzy. lol.

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Before I knew it, Summer was done and dusted. Not going to lie, I am genuinely sad that its over, and also a little worried I'll be suffering the 'Winter Blues' this year. Summer being over normally makes me upset, but this year I fear will be a bit harder. I'm already wishing for hot days on the beach!

Pretty much me on March 1st:

But, Adelaide Autumn's aren't terrible. My hometown is full of native trees and scrub, so when Autumn/Winter hits its just a change in sunlight and rainy weather- sometimes it happens so fast its a shock to the system. But in the city there are enough non-native trees that they show the change gradually; leaves turn orange, red, yellow and gently drift off to carpet the roads and sidewalks. Its terribly romantic.
This helps ease everyone into the idea of Winter. Kind of like eating a chocolate every day from December 1^st to Christmas. Because of this, I decided it was time to ease myself into the idea of cold, rainy nights and crisp, chilly days. The best way? Updating my wardrobe essentials!

As for personal taste and choice: go nuts. I'm doing my own wardrobe essentials list in the colours/styles that I love because its what I know best ;D Unfortunately leaving it late this year, I only caught the tail-end of the Winter range from Japan. Now stores are moving into Spring/Summer in the Northern Hemisphere, but if you look around you can nab some great bargains, or things that a perfectly multi-seasonal. I prefer to buy from Japan for many reasons, but mainly because they LIKE colour! I've checked a few popular Aussie web stores for winter ideas and I'm afraid most of it looks dark and dreary. Great for Mode style, but not for my tastes! I try to steer away from too much black when buying from Japan because of this- its easy to find in local stores!- but its a useful addition to any wardrobe; black tights/shoes/coats/dresses can be worn in so many different ways for different looks.

A web store I always check first is Yumetenbo. They have sexy, hime/romantic, work ware and accessories (and clothing for kids too!) at a reasonable price. So I decided to sort through all their things for a good Autumn wardrobe essential list! The best thing is, its possible to buy directly from them through Rakuten, so if you see anything you like in my list jump on there!
http://www.rakuten.ne.jp/gold/dreamv/

Autumn Wardrobe Essentials Update:

Simple/Classic

Statement

Coats: One simple (I'd recommend black or cream) and one in a style/shape/colour you love. The simple one in a plain colour can be layered over anything, left open or done up. The other one can be a statement! Wear done up or open with a plain dress/outfit beneath.

1 or 2 Jackets: make it a blazer or bomber jacket, as these are pretty easy to match with anything- over dresses, shirts, t-shirts, etc.

3-4 oversized cardigans and sweaters in cream and pastels. These go with everything! Over a dress, top, AS a top, they keep you warm and add an extra touch to a layered outfit. Try to go with thick, warm pieces as this is their best purpose (besides looking cute!). Oversized sweaters look really cute with a faux-collar or collar-necklace!

Dresses: Like any season, a dress will never go out of style. For me, even my short summer dresses can be worn in colder weather. Pair a floral t-shirt dress with an oversized sweater or cardigan, some warm skin-coloured tights and don't forget the lovely Liz-Lisa style skirt/shorts to wear underneath in case of windy days!

 Over-the knee in flats and heels

Short boots in flats and heels
Short boots are 'in' for Winter in the Southern hemisphere, but I still love OK boots. Stock up on two different styles of both (they dont have to be expensive! Look on Taobao), or just throw some OK socks on with the short boots! Luckily here in South Australia it doesn't snow, but rainy days still take the fun out of wearing cute shoes- so be sure to spray them with special water-proof coating to protect them!

Tights and Leggings: black, cream, skin coloured, lacy, tattooed, etc. Tights will be your best friend if you want to wear dresses every day! My best advice for really cold days? Layer them! It works and is extra warm! If you don't mind paying a little bit more, you can get the 'thermal' tights/leggings which actually heat you up 2 or 3 degrees, but as far as I was aware they only come in black at the moment. Lace or printed tights liven up a black dress/jacket.

A pair of jeans: still not completely happy with wearing pants, but a good pair of skinny-legged jeans are super simple and warm. I'd personally go with a navy/dark blue, but I do love the pastel coloured ones too! (My thighs look twice the size in the lighter coloured ones though, blegh) Pair with some cropped boots or cute flats, an oversized sweater and a fluffy warm hat for casual-cute.

1-2 pairs of 'skorts': The handy skirt-short combination which Liz-Lisa is very fond of are an awesome multi-seasonal buy and great for layering under dresses that might be a bit short/breezy for winter. They are also very warm! They are cute on their own with some tights, paired with an oversized sweater over a shirt and some boots. I'd recommend getting them in plain colours to start of with- cream or pink, as they are easy to match under dresses or with a colourful top.

Accessories: Again some things that can be worn year after year! Hats and scarfs in both plain colours, patterned, fur, etc, can be combined with anything in your closet! I found myself wearing a fluffy white scarf almost every day through last winter- it went with everything I wore. It doesn't get so cold here that we need gloves, but its possible to find some cute cream/black pairs in shops closer to Winter-time that work well with oversized cardigans/jeans outfits.


Other thoughts:

Layer layer layer. I love the way Japanese gyarus can make an outfit look so well thought out just by adding an extra piece to an outfit. This is why sweaters, cardigans, tights, socks, shirts, singlets, can all be worn in so many different ways! It takes practice, I think, and its something I am still trying to get 'comfortable' with (by which I mean happy with the way I do it! Lol!) but I know with time I'll like what I put together :P Which means that anyone can get good at it!

The popular colour of Japan's Spring is currently mint. This means that a lot of mint things sell out fast online! Statement pieces in mint are great for Mode style

I personally try to make sure my wardrobe can be mixed with mermaid/ocean things. My statement pieces are often sea-inspired, be it a t-shirt, jewelry, dress, etc. So I try to get things that work with ocean colours- mint, blue, cream, coral. Although I still throw in pink because I love it, and having these array of soft colours really says 'me' when I add it with my mermaid pieces. This makes my style really personal.

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Well, I hoped that this cluster-filled post may have been helpful! :D I find its good to write lists of things you need for seasons, and things you might no longer need in your wardrobe.
Hopefully this Autumn will be full of good outfits and great shopping! hehe!

Thanks for Reading!
XOXOXOX