It’s the time of year when you get out of bed in the morning, and you’re not sure if the weather will be hot, cold or anything in between. Although I love this season, when the last lingering days of summer slowly turn into fall, it can be difficult to pick out what to wear. 

This is why transition pieces are so important. In my opinion, the perfect transition piece is a quality item that you can see yourself wearing in many different outfits. You know these items are reliable, and you can count on the fact that they will look great with multiple combinations of clothing.

It is so important to have versatile pieces in our wardrobes. It takes time to curate a closet to perfection, but knowing you own a few pieces that will never fail is always relieving.

Although this new awareness towards buying quality pieces may just seem like a passing trend, it has brought my attention to how much I actually consume.  In an article for the Public Interest Research Group, Kathryn Horvath said the average American buys 53 clothing items per year as of 2022, and in order to keep on track with the Paris Climate agreement, we will need to decrease our purchasing habits by 90%. This habit of over consumption, commonly shown in TikTok hauls, needs to be denormalized, as it is truly hurting the planet. 

This is where the true importance of the transition piece lies. We need to find tried-and-true clothing items that ensure our wardrobes, bank accounts and environment won’t take the impact. Making quality investments in our clothing, and ensuring that these pieces are something we will wear all year round, is much more important than buying whatever is trending. 

In one of my classes, Sustainable Fashion Thinking, we were recently assigned a project where we need to record what we wear every day for two weeks, and to also take pictures of every single piece of clothing we brought with us to college. Just thinking about the assignment has made me realize just how much of a consumer I am. Buying clothes at the moment may make me feel better, but when it comes down to it, this seemingly harmless act hurts more than it helps. 

However, it isn’t too late to change this habit. Yes, I love clothes and I love going shopping, but I also love our environment and making sure we keep our planet safe from our spending habits. One of the ways where I can contribute positively is by starting to build up a wardrobe that doesn’t force me to continually make purchases. 

Some of my favorite pieces for this time of year that can work with almost everything include long skirts, jean shorts and light sweaters. Long skirts, especially ones made from denim or flowy material, have become my go to, as they are so comfortable but also allow me to feel put together and add a feminine vibe to my outfit. I just thrifted the cutest midi jean skirt from Sun in Leo in downtown Kent. I love it there, as it helps to make sustainability in fashion more accessible. 

Another one of my favorite pieces are jean shorts, or jorts, as I love to call them! I have the Abercrombie Curve Love Dad Shorts and they are the first pair of jean shorts that I am truly obsessed with. They fit me so well, and are such high quality. They were definitely an investment purchase, but I have found that I have gravitated towards them throughout the past few months as my default bottoms. 

In addition, I also love wearing light sweaters. I find that they bring a casual vibe but also being a step up from a crewneck. The ones that I look for are breathable enough that I can wear them comfortably towards the end of summer, but also keep me warm enough to wear them well into fall. I have been into a slightly oversized look with flowy sleeves! 

I often find myself gravitating towards a select few items in my wardrobe because I know they make me feel confident with myself and I am getting my wear out of them. While I wear these items in summer, I can continue to incorporate them into my outfits even as the weather gets colder.

Although I still love clothes, and I probably will always stop scrolling on TikTok to watch a clothing haul, I will always do my best to be mindful of my shopping habits. We can create a wardrobe that is easy on the environment—and our wallets—by making long-lasting decisions.  

Support Student Media

Hi! I’m Kayla Friedman, A Magazine’s editor-in-chief. My staff and I are committed to bringing you the most important and entertaining news from the realms of fashion, beauty and culture. We are full-time students and hard-working journalists. While we get support from the student media fee and earned revenue such as advertising, both of those continue to decline. Your generous gift of any amount will help enhance our student experience as we grow into working professionals. Please go here to donate to A Magazine.