Transitional Dressing Guide: The Pre-Fall Haul
In collaboration with Jenni Kayne.

Dressing for that transitional time between seasons is a perennial struggle for both fashion lovers and tolerators alike. Temperatures are either dropping or rising at an unpredictable clip, the palette of appropriate colors is confusing, and you're starting to get sick of the clothes that you've been wearing on repeat all season long. If you're looking for a one-stop shop for effortless pieces that you can layer with ease throughout the day, we suggest none other than our favorite California-cool brand, Jenni Kayne. The brand's entire collection has a palette of neutral and navy shades, making uniform dressing a breeze—and there are so many pieces that will work for late summer style moments and the entirety of the fall season.
Tops
If you're not sure how to start with your base layer, look no further. All of these tops are perfect either on their own, with a sweater draped across your shoulders, or layered under a cardigan— and it's also physically impossible for them to ever go out of style. Jenni Kayne's Cotton Basic Tee is the boxy fit that you've been looking for when in search of the perfect t-shirt, and this one is sure to stay in your rotation well past the pre-fall transition.
Outer Layers
Did you leave the house sweating and now you're shivering—or maybe vice versa? Enter: a dream blazer and two perfect cardigans of varying weight. The Boy Blazer is a dream when layered over the Cotton Basic Tee, and it comes in the perfect shade of khaki that some brands have a surprisingly hard time nailing. The Cashmere Cocoon Cardigan is a best-seller for a reason (the reason is that you're going to look incredibly elevated), and the Linen Boyfriend Cardigan is super versatile as a layering or standalone piece. Outer layer sorted!
Sweaters
I highly recommend checking out Jenni Kayne's full knitwear collection for yourself, as it is near impossible to narrow down our favorites to just a few. Jenni Kayne's sweaters are all created with quality in mind so that they can be worn season after season, and who doesn't want to be curled up in a piece coined the Cocoon Sweater?
Easy Dresses
These are the perfect dresses for the moments when both style and comfort are essential. Our favorite Kate Dress is back in a sweater iteration perfect for the change in seasons, and I can't even decide which colorway I need the most. We all know that leopard is a neutral, and the brand's signature best-selling slip dress pairs perfectly when layered with this ivory cardigan. Rounding out your transitional staples, how could you ever go wrong with a navy linen t-shirt dress? It's a must-have.
Bottom Half
I'm very much here for normalizing white jeans after Labor Day and am styling this pair of vintage white Re/Done jeans with a chunky ivory knit for a monochromatic look, but if you're fully opposed, these black and navy options are for you. Opt for the timeless navy trouser paired with a canvas slider for on-the-go days, and swap it for the classic black slip skirt with the heeled mule for a nighttime transition.
Shoes
I already know that I'm going to be living in the Shearling Moc Clog this fall, and with its cork sole that molds to your feet and intentional design as a slipper-feeling shoe that can actually be worn anywhere, I'm not seeing any reason why I wouldn't (unless it's to change into the Shearling-Lined Crossover Sandal, of course). For the moments when we are forced to put away the shearling, there is the heeled version of Jenni Kayne's signature mule. If the past few years have taught us anything, it's that we never need to wear anything higher than a kitten heel again if we don't want to, and you could easily get away with solely wearing a rotation of the above throughout the entire early fall season.
Photo: Courtesy of Jenni Kayne
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