047. Transitioning Your Wardrobe To Spring
Part 1
Happy Sunday everyone!
I have received many requests for Spring-themed content, specifically transitioning from winter, and I have been working on a newsletter that will include outfit formulas, shopping recommendations, and how to approach the change of season mindfully. I also asked my favourite style writers to share how they prepare their wardrobe for Spring and they shared such great advice that it deserved its own newsletter.
I’ve had an interesting week. My respect for parents continues to grow as I got a taste of sciatica that left me screaming in pain for the better part of the week after I carried my perfect godson around for a mere couple of hours last weekend. My laptop is still being held by the powers that be after an incident involving a Stanley cup. That’ll serve me well for buying a Stanley cup in the first place. I’m at the end of my tether, working from my phone and borrowed laptops after hours. If you saw me crying at the Apple store in Covent Garden this week, no you didn’t. Hopefully this is the week I get it back (laptop + sanity) and I will return next week with a vengeance.
In today’s letter, you’re hearing from the people whose work I most like to read. I cannot recommend enough that you check them out and subscribe. Each brings a different perspective on style and the industry. Moving into a new season isn’t just about shedding layers and I also asked a jewelry expert and a fragrance expert to share what they do differently when days get brighter. I hope you enjoy learning from them as much as I did.
I hope you have a great week, and I’ll talk to you next Sunday.
L x
1. “Transitioning Into Spring Starts With Liberating My Feet”
writes . She is a phenomenal stylist who shares shopping guides, her tips for putting together outfits, and insights into her (phenomenal) wardrobe. I thoroughly enjoyed her recent newsletter about styling ‘non-colors’.Transitioning into spring starts with liberating my feet! At the first opportunity, I’ll wear a typical winter outfit - like a wool sweater and trousers - but slip on a pair of slides or slingbacks. Moving from a full-coverage boot to an open shoe changes the feel of the outfit. As the weather warms, I move onto bare(r) legs (eg via a midi skirt) with something “winter” on top to keep with the transition feel. Eventually I move to lighter weight fabrics on top and bottom, and, who knows, maybe by summer I’ll make it all the way to the no-pant look? (Doubtful!)
2. “Spring Combinations: Sweater + Shorts, Jeans + T-Shirt, Long Sleeves Cropped Blouse + Trousers”
writes and shares the best vintage and deco finds and her colourful outfits are endorphin-inducing. For more Spring inspiration, read her recent piece on vintage shopping for Spring outfits.There are only so many weeks during the year when you can comfortably walk around outside in just a sweater with shorts, or jeans and a T-shirt, or a long-sleeved cropped blouse with trousers. For me, these rarefied combinations feel like the most triumphant expressions of transitional weather style, so I always make a mental note to make sure I scratch the itch to wear them as soon as a shoulder season approaches.
3. “My Jewelry Adjusts To The Increasing Exposure Of Skin”
writes . Her newsletter is a recent discovery and I have loved coming across new brands and learning more about jewelry through her. Her essay on the beauty of collecting (jewelry) really resonated with me.As the seasons shift, my jewelry subtly adjusts to complement the increasing exposure of skin and the transition to a more casual summer aesthetic. This transition prompts a preference for longer chain lengths, organic shapes, and '90s-style cord necklaces featuring eye-catching pendants. Although beads aren't typically my preference, I've recently found myself drawn to irregularly shaped pearls, as well as beaded turquoise and carnelian, along with opal and quartz. As the weather warms, bracelets become more layered and stacked, while statement bangles become a staple in rotation as more skin becomes visible. My earrings also transition to longer drops, accentuating the exposed neck and collarbone.
4. “It’s All About Layering And Fresh New Colours”
writes and puts together the sharpest shopping edits. She fine-combs the high-street to find the best quality more affordable pieces. Don’t miss her must-haves for Spring.In the UK Spring can be so unpredictable weather wise, that it’s about having key pieces to hand. As much as I'm ready for tee-shirts and loafers without socks, I always make sure I have a great trenchcoat, a cashmere crewneck and a colourful sock to add to my outfit. It’s all about layering, making it feel fresh with new colours after the neutrals I tend to stick to in winter and looking for some joy from new accessories. I tend to stick to a uniform of blazer, wide legs trousers or jeans and a tee, until it’s summer.
5. “It’s A Great Time For Denim, Sheer Textures, and Lighter Colours”
writes . I can’t get enough of her astute styling observations and heartfelt essays. Start with this letter where she explains why investment dressing is a sham.I used to live in Boston and I used to LIVE for those first signs of spring. That first crocus! But we’d still get a blizzard in April in Boston! Clothes that made me feel like a transition was happening were essential. Things like light colored wool coats. (Something like this would be on my list if I still lived there.) Also, trenches with linings or big enough arms that you can layer sweater under if the weather isn't cooperating. Like this isn’t cheap but it’s an independent female owned business and the coats are beautifully made and waterproof! Creating a “no [opaque] tights” rule – moving sheers, sheer textured, or semi sheers and again, looking to play with color. It’s a great time for denim - not just jeans but on top and in skirts and dresses. This piece would be so good to layer now and keep wearing solo when it warms up. Transitioning doesn’t really exist in Miami. But it’s not obsolete! We spend the winters trying to fake a seasonal change with dark colors, so now I am ready to lighten up. I am forever in loafers and oxfords, now I’m looking for something light and maybe even perforated. This linen Miu Miu x Church’s is something I’ve “visited” quite a few times!
6. “Jeans With White Tees, Mary Janes With Bare Ankles, And Lightweight Blazers”
writes , which features my favourite content recommendations and beauty edits. I have become more creative with my makeup thanks to Sarah. Recently, I particularly appreciated her makeup ideas for when you are pale AF.As a year-round denim enthusiast, transitioning to a warmer season usually means less heavier-textured sweaters, socks, and outerwear to welcoming jeans paired with white tees (always searching for the perfect one!), Mary Janes with bare ankles, and lightweight blazers for cool nights. Spring always has me thinking ahead to summer, which just so happens to be my least favorite time of the year due to the heat and humidity. However, there is one silver lining. Dresses! I can’t wait to add a few more breezy, printed dresses to my collection.
7. “I Lean Into What I Can Smell In The Air”
writes . You know about my newfound fascination with the world of fragrance. I was looking for a newsletter that would help me navigate the fragrance market and Alice’s does just that. Check out her ultimate affordable fragrance shopping list.I like to switch up my fragrances a bit like my seasonal coat collection: once those brighter mornings and longer days start coming, I am DONE with the Big Coats, the suffocating puffers and overbearing faux furs, and I'm craving the lightness of denim and an airy trench to fling over anything. Likewise with my perfumes, those cooler, more crisp textures and flavours feel so much more comfortable as the days get kinder and gentler. I lean into what's growing around me and what I can smell in the air: cotton-clean magnolia, cool talcum-powder iris, crunchy greens, and maybe a golden, honeyed and pollen-soft mimosa. They're the scent ingredients that work so well at the moment. If you're craving a clean-slate scent, take that list with you to a good perfumery (If you’re in the UK, Alice recommends Liberty's new Fragrance Lounge, Harvey Nichols nationwide, Les Senteurs in London Belgravia, or Fortnum's) and see what they have that might appeal.
Further Related Reading
Catch up on these previous Every Body Gets Dressed newsletters you may have missed:
Great round up!! I love that you included fragrance as a part of the transition... And thank you for including me! I am incredibly flattered, especially considering that I only recently started this newsletter, and to be in such esteemed company is truly an honor.What an incredible community!
You know how an award shows everyone says it’s just an honor to be in the same category as…? OK, I realize I am a dramatic person, but I must say it’s an honor to be in the same category as these fabulous writers! Including you! Thank you for going to so many compelling sources and getting us this great information. Change is the stuff of life. Any excuse to shove myself out of a rut is good. I’m so thrilled to have all these ideas!