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Mirror, Mirror: Summer fashion transition: White'll work

Summer may be on its way out, but you should let your summer whites - especially the flimsy cotton frocks, skinny jeans, and warm-weather-only pumps - hang around.

Blazing a trail White blazers are a perfect way to amp up roomy gray slacks, leather trousers, navy jewel-toned sheaths, or our favorite, the dressy sweatpant. Throwing a white jacket over a printed jumpsuit, as pictured here, results in an unexpected mix of stripes and prints, which is trendy and easy-to-wear - a great combination.Striped tuxedo jacket, Each X Other, $902, at Knit Wit; Warby jumpsuit, ellelauri, $145, at ellelauri; black slingbacks, Loeffler Randall, $295, at Peter Kate; gold necklace, $49, faux yellow diamond necklace, $48, both ellelauri at ellelauri. (MICHAEL WIRTZ / Staff Photographer)
Blazing a trail White blazers are a perfect way to amp up roomy gray slacks, leather trousers, navy jewel-toned sheaths, or our favorite, the dressy sweatpant. Throwing a white jacket over a printed jumpsuit, as pictured here, results in an unexpected mix of stripes and prints, which is trendy and easy-to-wear - a great combination.Striped tuxedo jacket, Each X Other, $902, at Knit Wit; Warby jumpsuit, ellelauri, $145, at ellelauri; black slingbacks, Loeffler Randall, $295, at Peter Kate; gold necklace, $49, faux yellow diamond necklace, $48, both ellelauri at ellelauri. (MICHAEL WIRTZ / Staff Photographer)Read more
    by By Elizabeth Wellington, Inquirer Fashion Writer | Columnist
    Published 

Summer may be on its way out, but you should let your summer whites - especially the flimsy cotton frocks, skinny jeans, and warm-weather-only pumps - hang around.

White's power move to the brisk weather makes complete fashion sense at a time when the stylish ignore staid style rules. No white after Labor Day? Yeah, whatev.

Also, today's trendsetters are happiest when mixing the silky with the furry, the striped with the printed, and the zippered moto with the floral and flowy. No wonder summer whites are itching to break out of their beachfront jail.

"Everybody is wearing whites into fall," said Liz Rymar, owner and creative director of Center City-based brand and store ellelauri. "It's yet another way people are able to experiment. We are selling so many textured and tweed items this year, presenting them with the whites we sold in summer months."

Extending the shelf life of our hotter-than-July wardrobe may also help us cope with this year's Sept. 1 arrival of Labor Day.

So hold on to your bright whites during the summer-to-fall transition. The summer hue's favorite cold-weather cousin, ecru - also known as winter white - will be on the style scene soon enough.

215-854-2704

@ewellingtonphl

CREDITS

Hair and makeup: Rebeca Cannavo and Patty Kohler of Suede Salon and Spa, The Promenade, 500 Route 73, Marlton, 856-985-0700.

Clothing: ellelauri, The Shops at Liberty Place, 1625 Chestnut St., 267-639-6145; Knit Wit, 1729 Chestnut St., 215-564-4760; Old Navy, www.oldnavy.com; Peter Kate, 3830 Kennett Pike, Greenville, Del., 302-656-7463.

Model: Jamie Hoagland