Friends, hear me, it is NOT Fall. Do not let your favorite stores fool you with the lies that their “Fall collection” has landed. It hasn’t. If you, like me, have a budget you stick to when it comes to shopping for clothing, you don’t want to fall prey to overspending on clothes that don’t serve you. Stocking up on your Fall wardrobe in late August tends to do just that. I’m sharing my late Summer, early Fall moodboard and the five pieces you can purchase to make the most of your wardrobe until it’s time for the real workhorses to come out in a couple months.

A Light Knit— especially in a Poppy shade.

The best of knitwear still won’t hit stores for a few months but there are some incredible sweaters out right now. I’m most obsessed with a poppy shade and it tends to be the color of the season, but a knit paired with white shorts might just be my favorite outfit for this time of year. A light cardigan over a white dress is another fool-proof Jill staple.

A Crisp Non-White Button Down.

Of course a white button down is a staple all year round, but it’s time to trade out your linen white version and open up your wardrobe to a different take. Think taupe, brown, camel, black, army green…the world is your oyster. These can be paired with shorts on hotter days and jeans or trousers on breezier days.

Updated Ballet Flats

Listen. I’ve shared time and time again that most ballet flats make my feet look like a baked potato but that simply can’t stop me. I’ve been a Birkenstock girl since middle school and love me a sneaker but sometimes a ballet flat just makes an outfit look that much cooler and sweeter. It’s just the unexpected choice. Late summer, ballet flats pair perfectly with dresses but they also add something extra to a tee and jeans moment.

A Simple Trouser.

You know how trouser obsessed I am. This is the time to invest in a pair that is a bit heavier so think cotton and wool rather than linen and silk. Cargo style trousers are super in right now and while they’re not my personal style, I love the idea of pairing them with a simple fitted tee until it cools down.

A Staple Stripe.

Again, few things are more me than a stripe year round but I like looking for an updated stripe at the start of every season. Here are a few striped staples that can hold you over until Fall is truly here. The heavier knits can be worn with shorts or wrapped over your shoulders in a dress. (Let’s be honest, though, our AC is pumping so high that I can get away with wearing a full blown snowsuit every day.)