You step out in the morning and it is chilly, so you wrap yourself in a jacket! By lunch, you are carrying your jacket around like extra luggage. By evening, you want it back. Welcome to transitional weather. For the unversed, transitional dressing is simply how you dress for these in-between months, when summer is over but winter has not fully arrived. It means building outfits from light layers you can add or take off as the temperature changes through the day. A heavy coat is too much, but a T-shirt alone won't do. Get it right and you stay comfortable all day, while getting more wear out of clothes from both seasons. It blocks the wind without the weight of wool. This season, designers cut it short. Balenciaga showed cropped leather jackets that stop at the waist, which look great with high-waisted trousers. A thin merino or cashmere sweater gives warmth without bulk. Wear it alone in the afternoon or under a jacket at night. A cotton button-down works on its own, under a sweater, or worn open like a light jacket. Prada and Miu Miu built much of their Fall/Winter 2026 collections around simple shirts in cotton poplin. Thicker than a shirt, lighter than a jacket. Throw it on when the air turns, tie it around your waist when it doesn't. Swap sandals for ankle boots or loafers. Closed shoes keep you warm, even if you're still wearing a skirt. Other ideas worth borrowing: Military jackets with rope-like buttons at Khaite, funnel-neck trench coats at Kallmeyer, sporty anoraks at Prada and short shearling jackets at Miu Miu. In the end, it is important to understand that transitional dressing is not about about buying more. It is about wearing what you already own in a smarter way. Start with a good trench, a thin knit and a pair of boots, dress for the coldest part of your day, and take a layer off when you need to. Senior Copy Editor at Times Network, Akanksha Arora covers Lifestyle, Culture and everything that falls under its big umbrella. When not writing, she ... View More