Before Falling for Bargains, Be Seasonable

If you’re like most people, you enjoy finding a bargain while shopping. At department and discount stores now, you’ll find that the greatest markdowns are on fall and winter clothing--corduroy, thick sweaters, flannels--things you’re supposed to stick into a closet or drawer and forget about until the leaves turn.

But sometimes that deal is so good that you don’t want to keep your newfound treasure in the dark till fall. You’d like to wear that wool sweater in May, but how can you do that without some odd looks and a lot of perspiration?

“If it’s wool, it should be a very lightweight wool,” says Laura Downing of Laura Downing in Laguna Beach. “You don’t want to be wearing a heavy sweater, even if it’s cotton, in spring or summer.”

Look for “eight-month fabrics,” which are wools that aren’t as heavy as winter weights. “They work in spring, summer, fall and much of the winter in Southern California,” says John Shaw of Alex Sebastian in Costa Mesa. “As long as you’re comfortable with the weight of the fabric you’re wearing, it should be fine.”

You can “summerize” some fall and winter clothing by mixing with lighter clothes. “Say you’ve got a great medium-weight wool blazer,” Downing says. “You can make it look a little ‘springy’ by matching it with a T-shirt or by wearing it with jeans or khakis. Don’t mix wool with wool, since that looks too heavy.”

You may be tempted to mix wool with linen, but be careful. “There’s such a contrast between those two; it’s more difficult to blend them,” Downing says.

Corduroy jackets, shirts and pants may be designed for cooler weather, but they’re more easily transferred to spring and summer wear. “In lighter colors like cream and tan, even though the fabric is a little heavy, corduroy seems to get a lot of use year-round,” Downing says.

Colors can be a problem for fall items worn in May. Those deep navies and hunter greens appear just a little too dark at this time of year.

“Because of our climate, we have lots of sunny warm days in fall and winter, so many retailers carry their fall season clothing in lighter shades,” says clothing designer Blaine Keil of Mission Viejo. “Look for the light gray cashmere sweater or the yellow flannel shirt. These are what you can wear on a cool spring day or near the beach when it’s cloudy.”