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Trench coats, leather jackets, waxed parkas, and denim blousons. Few things more exciting to someone living somewhere without transition seasons. For the last few years, I was lucky to split my time between London and Northern Spain. Spring over there is eight months long and just as I acquired transitional wardrobe staples that felt completely justified (e.g. my first Barbour jacket!), I found out I was going back to London full time. An eight-month-long winter, a four-week-long summer, and three weeks of rain on either end. My Barbour might just about make a once or twice a year appearance.
What Spring?
The first step towards building a transitional wardrobe is acknowledging how much of a need you have for it. Cost per wear and all; there’s no point buying things to wear them two weeks a year. However tempting they may be.
I discussed this with close friends who live on a different continent and asked them to share the seasonal split of their yearly clothing budget. My friend Mary lives in Sydney, Australia. She says: “My wardrobe is very trans-seasonal. I would say it’s 40% Spring, 40% Winter, and 20% Summer. The core of my Summer wardrobe is dresses, shorts, and linen basics. My Spring wardrobe is made up of the layers that I wear over them to make them suited to the corporate environment I work in (e.g. blazers worn over dresses and long shorts). Acquiring a very good trench was key. I chose one that was at the top end of my budget and with the climate where I live, it was an excellent investment. I also own and wear a lot of jeans. It never gets very cold so big coats aren’t essential. Instead, I invest in good cashmere sweaters which, paired with jeans and a light jacket, are warm enough for the chilliest days of the year”. My friend Junel who lives in New Hampshire tells me her wardrobe split is 60% Winter and 40% Summer: “I spend on clothes that can easily be layered. I live somewhere that is cold and humid most of the year including Spring and Autumn, so my wardrobe for these two seasons and Winter melt into one. In Winter, I wear my T-shirts under knitted cardigans and the same dresses I wear in Summer but with wool tights, boots, and chunky sweaters. When shopping I’m really conscious of layering and getting as much wear as possible during the four seasons. For example, I’ll steer clear of a dress with puffy sleeves as anything thrown over it looks awkward. I also prioritise breathable fabrics”.
I always shop in Spring, but never really for Spring. This time of year, I’m actually shopping for next winter. I take inventory of what I found myself needing when getting dressed over the last few months (I seem to never have enough good sweaters, chic ones to go out for dinner and more casual ones for every day). The discounts on winter pieces start now and will only be getting deeper over the next few months. I just acquired a shearling coat that was on my wishlist for four years and found discounted by 50%.
Whether you expect a short or long Spring, this newsletter shares suggestions for shopping wisely by selecting trans-seasonal transitional pieces that will cure your winter blues and also work hard for your wardrobe.
Sandals That Look Good in the City
If you missed last week’s letter,
mentioned that the first thing she does when days get warmer is free up her feet. I love the idea of keeping my cosy knits and favourite jeans and swap my loafers for sandals. The key here is getting a pair that suits an urban environment as well as a coastal one. Sandals that are a little more elevated, chunkier, or have a more substantial sole will have more seasonal longevity. You can start wearing them now, take them on holiday to match with linen shorts and sundresses, and wear them well into Autumn when you are back in the city. The bold ones amongst us might even prolong this by choosing a pair that looks good when worn with socks.Trench Coats You Can Layer
A classic beige trench coat is part of every ‘wardrobe essentials’ list, but unless you’re new here you know I stand against that. Not everybody needs one. What I do like is that there are now many options on the market to suit different aesthetics and silhouettes (as someone who’s on the shorter side, I would opt for one with minimal detailing). If you’re going to acquire a trench coat, I suggest thinking about what you will be able to layer under or over it to add warmth when the weather gets chilly again. This should inform your choice when deciding which style and fit to go for. (For more guidance on how to layer and add dimension or interest to warm weather outfits read this). Try one of these trench coats: