Autumn Skeleton Wardrobe

It's nearly the end of Autumn, so before we descend into the winter chill and start pulling out coats and boots, I thought I would share my skeleton wardrobe (ie, all the clothes I possess) for that awkward shoulder season, where it is a little chilly, and you need layers, but not coats. Again, I don't have many individual pieces of clothing, but they cover all my stay-at-home mum needs, and make quite a lot of different outfits. My rule for buying clothes is always buy the first (and mostly the second) piece in a neutral, then your whole wardrobe always goes together. Eventually, by the third or fourth piece, I sometimes add colour, but clearly, not always.

First of all, the basic layer, long sleeve tops (well, actually, the first layer, here in Tasmania, is the singlets, shown here in the summer wardrobe, but I haven't shown them, because in winter, you don't ever see them, so they count as underwear). These tops go with every other piece I own. I wear the blacks with the skirts. The top on the right is more 'dressy', ruched and a bit fitted, with a lovely draped neck.

And the pants. There are four pairs, and yes, you can count, I'm wearing one pair. Last year I only had two pairs, a boot cut, and a skinny jean, but then the lovely Lucinda gifted me with two pairs, and doubled my pants collection. Even better, one of them is a soft black moleskin pair, so that gives me a whole different look. So exciting!

The two rib knit turtlenecks I wear with all the pants, and often with my snuggy padded vest, which hardly makes me feels like I am going snipe shooting at all...

I do have a number of cardigans, because a Tasmanian autumn is all about layers. Very chilly mornings and evenings, sunny afternoons. Yes, it is divine, and you should all move here right away.

Look! A colour that is not black! The cardi on the right is my favourite of all time: merino with pearl buttons. It must be about ten years old, and has a number of darns. At my grandpa's funeral recently, my brother, who was standing behind me, informed me that what I fondly believed to be invisible darning, actually isn't. Thanks hon! I need a new one.. but where is there another perfect black cardigan? The stripey sweater in the middle is a recent experiment. I am not keen on sweaters, but this is a thin one, and has so far been acceptable.

And look.. more cardies. My thoughts are that a cardigan can change the whole look of what you are wearing, and if you swap a couple of scarves around as well, you look like you have a lot more outfits than is actually the case. The black one is quite long, with a dippy-down front (technical term). I wear it with canvas sneakers for casual, or high heel ankle boots and a silk scarf for formal. The other cardi is a thicker, moss stitched number, which looks especially yummy with red shoes and my one red necklace.

Three jackets. The one on the left is a light linen, that I also wear in summer, and it goes with everything, including the skirts. The denim I only wear with the skirts, to avoid that awkward double denim thing.. and the middle jacket is a heavier drill that I wear all winter.

Here are the scarves that I wear with nearly everything. There is also a lighter grey, which is featured in the summer wardrobe... I think it may be in the washing basket..

Two posh frocks, from summer. I wear them all year round, with the lovely black cardigan in winter, and sometimes a pashmina as well with the dark green. Because really, I have never been to a very formal event in winter that isn't indoors and heated.

And shoes.. what can say? They are shoes..

But, oops, I just realised I forgot the skirts. I distinctly remember getting them out of the wardrobe and photographing them... but I must have deleted that one... Well, if you want to see the skirts, there are two, in the summer wardrobe, and in autumn I wear them with black footless tights and ballet flats.

Again, I have a pair of trackpants and tops for, you know running walking reasonably fast in (inflexible clothing rule - trackpants are only for exercising in. Or, at a stretch, picking up milk from the corner shop on the way to, or on the way home from, exercising. No other public outing of trackpants will be permitted). So excluding trackpants and pyjamas, and including shoes, scarves and tights, I have 34 pieces of clothing for autumn.

Things I would maybe add one day if they magically present themselves to my attention within about five minutes of walking into a shop - a classic trench coat. A white linen shirt. A thin charcoal V-neck sweater. Some formal black pants. One day they will come. Until then, I will get by with what I have.

Are there any autumn classics that you love that I don't have? What are your super versatile pieces that you can't live without?