With This Clever Styling Move, You Can Wear Your Summer Dresses for Longer

When contemplating your autumn dressing plan of action, you'll have undoubtedly looked at layering (think roll-necks, cosy coats and tights). But you might not have considered throwing a dress over trousers. Spotted on the A/W 19 runways of Molly Goddard, A.W.A.K.E and Burberry, designers have enjoyed playing around with the traditional tenets of layering and experimented with more offbeat pairings fashioned from everyday basics.

While it might've started on the catwalks, this is a trend you can easily re-create at home with pieces you already have in your wardrobe. Furthermore, it's a great way to add mileage to your summer dress collection—and anything that gives us more bang for our buck is a good thing in our books. No, it's not the easiest styling trick in the world, but trust us—once you've got the basics down, you'll be trying out new pairings every week.

So what are the easiest ways to re-create this look? Firstly, you need to keep proportions in mind: For example, shorter girls might like to steer clear of midi or maxi dresses, and instead stick to tunics and minis (see Megan and Monikh below). Also, heeled boots are a great option for those who are nervous about being swamped in too much fabric. If you do decide to go for a longer style (such as a shirtdress), we recommend leaving half of the buttons undone, or even belting the dress to create more shape.

If you fancy giving this trend a try, scroll down to see how fashion girls are making it work this season and shop their outfits.

Style Notes: Knitted co-ords are having a moment this season and are an easy way to work the dress-over-trousers look. Make like Megan and layer a jumper minidress over a pair of colour-match woollen trousers.

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Style Notes: As always, black-on-black is a simple way to achieve chic, polished styling. We're so into the oversized proportions of this shirt dress, which is balanced out by the texture of the trousers. Update for winter with black heeled boots. 

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Style Notes: A tunic dress might not be the first thing you reach for when you're looking to re-create this trend, but it's actually a great option for petite girls, as it doesn't swamp the body as much as a maxi or midi dress. Style with platform shoes for extra elevation.

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Style Notes: This showgoer proves that ice cream shades aren't just for summer. If you're bored of all the browns and beiges, try a pastel-pink shirtdress layered over colour-clashing trousers. We also like how she has left the bottom half of her dress unbuttoned to help lengthen the legs. 

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Style Notes: This look isn't for the faint-hearted, but if you balance it correctly, it can be seriously impactful. Olivia Palermo makes a good case for suede over leather, although we'll be re-creating this look with a looser-fit dress and possibly a pair of heeled boots for a smarter finish.

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Up Next: Trust Us—You'll Be Wearing These 5 Jumper Trends All Through Winter