Ahhhh can you feel it in the air? That intense heat. That humidity. That late August oppression. Doesn’t it put you in the mood for fall?!
Sarcasm aside, we are now edging closer and closer to September, and even though the fall equinox is exactly a month from today, let’s face it: fall in its true form remains a pipe dream for most of us in the Northern Hemisphere.
But as I explored last weekend, that doesn’t mean we’re not already surrounded by new fall collections, outfit ideas and tempting links, all of which are only fueling our appetites for the season ahead—even if we’re not quite ready for it.
And yes, it’s far too warm to don any real fall clothes anytime soon. Our favorite knits, jackets—even denim—still feel largely out of reach. We’re starting to wrap our brains around the whole proposition, but we ain’t there yet!
So what’s a girl who’s craving a shift in mood & season to do when Mother Nature won’t cooperate?
For me, it starts with color.
This late summer period always prompts my craving for a visual change, primarily through color & mood. The bright, crisp tones of early summer start to feel a little too…bright and crisp for my fall-leaning eye. I’ve been noticing myself drawn to the warmer, richer, and slightly burnished: ochre walls, citrine and amber gems, saffron pottery, and marigold bunches that look almost orange in the late-afternoon sun. The mood is shifting, and I’m ready for that change.
WARM WEATHER GIVING WAY TO WARM TONES. CITRINE NECKLACE // CACHEPOT VASE
Thankfully, color is one of the few tools we have at our disposal this time of year that can actually satisfy that craving. We can’t do a ton yet with textures, layers or materiality—that all comes later, when the temps actually dip. But we can bring those richer, fall-like colors into what we’re already wearing. Sure, it’s like eating SnackWells instead of a decadent Entenmann’s…but it’s better than no dessert at all, right? (Don’t answer that…I know, I know—we want the cake.)
Now sure, you can switch to darker colors, easy peasy: chocolate brown (which I’ve been wearing all summer anyways, so joke’s on me), forest green, burgundy—all rich colors that will make you feel in the spirit of fall before it actually arrives. But I keep coming back to those burnished shades of yellow. Marigold, ochre, saffron, mustard—whatever you want to call it—works extra hard this time of year. The shade’s cheeriness belongs squarely in summer, but its richness and complexity feel made for fall. And it presents just as appropriately in the late summer sun as it does in the early fall light. In this way, marigold and its sister shades can easily serve as our golden ticket from summer to fall.
Thankfully for us, designers seem to agree. From The Row to Ossou to FFORME and even the “new” Sezane launching tomorrow, brands have embraced marigold and its sister shades lately, playing into its versatility, depth and lightness.
This golden ticket to fall dressing is also the perfect antidote to our fall shopping hunger pangs. If you’re like me, you’re done shopping for summer this late in the game. But you’re not quite ready to begin buying sweaters and boots, either. Marigold steps in to fix that. Whether you’re buying The Row’s Kate sweatshirt like I have and pairing it with shorts now, or snagging this Ossou halter to wear solo in August and layered come October, wearing marigold pieces right now feels like a low-risk operation; a piece that can work now, later and everywhere in between.
AS EASY AS A TEE
MARIGOLD TEE // NOW: BEADED NECKLACE // BERMUDA SHORTS // STRAW POUCH // SUEDE SANDALS // LATER: SUEDE JACKET // CORDS // BAG // LEATHER BALLET FLATS
A tee is a low-risk place to start. It can be worn solo or layered, is a relatively easy way for most to pull off the color, and keeps the silhouette clean & simple so marigold can do its thing. I prefer ones with a bit of structure, so the tee has some gravitas and still feels substantial come fall, when we start moving away from tissue-like textures.
A SMATTERING OF SORTS
MARIGOLD EARRINGS, CLUTCH, AND SANDALS // NOW: BUTTON-DOWN // JACQUARD SKIRT // LATER: TAFFETA WINDBREAKER // PATTERNED SKIRT
Sometimes, we don’t want to go all in. We want to embrace a color more as a smattering than a statement. Marigold works especially well this way: woven through a print or dispersed through accessories, it adds richness without screaming “it’s still summer!” or “it’s almost fall!” The trick is letting everything around it set the seasonal tone. Silk & cotton keep it squarely in summer, while taffeta and Lycra start to shift the mood toward fall. Satin, suede and moonstone can do a little of both.
DON’T SWEAT IT
MARIGOLD SWEATER. NOW: HAT*// TANK // DRAWSTRING SHORTS // FISHNET TOTE* // JELLY FLIPS // LATER: TROMPE L’ŒIL SCARF // TURTLENECK // JEANS // PINKY RING // BOOTIES
As you know, I never travel anywhere—not even the grocery store—without an extra layer—no matter the weather. A marigold sweater is the perfect tie-around-your-shoulders or waist piece that will not only come in handy in freezing a/c, but also add a bit of richness to even the most classic summer look—even if paired with the most casual of graphic tees* and shorts. And in the fall, it’s right at home with turtlenecks, jeans, boots and all the textures.
MICRODOSE VS FULL DOSE
MARIGOLD BELT. NOW: TEE // JEANS // BANGLES // MAKEUP BAG // REMILIA HAIR MASK* // BONJOUT BALM* // SANDALS // LATER: LEATHER JACKET // SHIRT // JEANS // HANDBAG // PUMPS
I get it—yellow is not for everyone. But marigold works in mysterious ways, in that thanks to its richness, it can deliver a lot of impact in even the smallest doses (even for all the non-yellow wearers). Whether you opt for a simple dash of the color via a suede belt, citrine earrings or a silky scarf, or go all in with a head-to-toe monochrome look, your dose of marigold can be dialed up or down to match the mood of the season.
LIQUID GOLD
MARIGOLD SILK PANTS // NOW: SUNNIES // POLO SWEATER TEE // MOISSANITE RING // LEOPARD BAG // CAYLA GRAY SLUMBER* // SUEDE FLIPPIES // LATER: KNIT TEE // RESIN EARRINGS // SASH SCARF // FISH CLUTCH // ORABELLA JASMINE BLUES* // SANDALS
There’s something about marigold when executed in a silky, slinky fabrication that takes the color to another level. The fluidity and movement give it an almost liquid-gold quality that feels particularly rich this time of year. These pull-ons are dreamy, but I also love the idea of a liquid-like skirt or dress…give ‘em something to talk about when you leave the room.
PEEK-A-BOO
MARIGOLD BRA & UNDIES. NOW: EARRINGS // LACE TOP // PANTS // SATIN BAG // SUEDE SLIDES // LATER: LEATHER JACKET // CITRINE DROPLET NECKLACE // SHEER SHIRT // PANTS // PUMPS
For the marigold-shy, a peek is all you need. A bra strap peeking out of a summery top or a under a sheer button-down both do the trick. It’s about adding that flash of warmth to an otherwise minimal, monochrome look. Jewelry can accomplish much of the same—a glint of citrine or amber gives you just enough color without asking for much commitment.
MARIGOLD AT WORK—AND PLAY
I’ve found myself reaching for the shade as an accent in an otherwise quite simple look as of late; sorta like an antidote to the doldrums of summer dressing where I feel like I’ve exhausted the creativity in my wardrobe and I’m just reverting to the basics. Marigold makes these basics feel…well, less basic.
RUNNING OUT THE DOOR TO RUN ERRANDS. SWEATSHIRT // OLD PACT MUSCLE TEE (COMP) // SHORTS // FLATS*
Mainly an excuse to wear my new Fall 2026 The Row sweatshirt—even in 93F temps. Despite my initial reservations about buying a sweatshirt in late July, it’s become one of my go-to late summer pieces. I grab it as I’m heading out the door to throw on, tie-on, and or even use as an extra layer in frigid a/c.
FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL DROP OFF. SET // SWEATSHIRT // FLIPPIES
These old Doen shoes have always felt a little precious to me thanks to the peep-toe and satin, but dumbing them down with a cotton tee and shorts feels like the right move for late August.
MUSTARD ON THE SIDE. TEE // SHORTS // OLD DOEN SANDALS (COMP) // (also, s/o to this hair serum* that’s made my hair so lush in the crazy dry heat we’re having)
We got home from the pool last weekend and I had exactly one hour to run to Trader Joe’s, so no time to change out of this Eres swimsuit. Instead, I improvised. (And yes, I bought marigolds there.)
LOVE A SWIMSUIT AS BODYSUIT. OLD ERES SWIMSUIT (COMP) // OLD LABO.ART PANTS (COMP) // OLD LABO.ART JACKET (COMP) // NECKLACE
And finally…Friday night. A glass of wine. A slight chill in the air. They call it mellow yellow for a reason.
CHEERS TO THE FREAKIN’ WEEKEND. 💛
Thank you for reading—until next week xx
AFN discount codes for brands linked above: AtPresent (SOGOLE15) // Cuup (CPSOGOLE20) // Nomasei (SOGOLE10)
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This is yummy. I love that color 💛
I am not 100% sure if my latest purchase is exactly marigold, but to me it does exactly what you describe here. It’s such a good addition to a minimalist wardrobe — I LOOOOVE the the row styling — works so good with grey and ecru!