I find it a bit funny that I’m writing about spring fashion when there’s what looks to be a blizzard outside my window! After seeing all my favorite Instagrammers post about the snow that hit Brighton and other parts of Europe this week, I finally got a little taste of my own here in Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, these photos were shot taken only a few weeks ago when it was near 70°F outside!
And so it would seem we’ve entered that awkward winter-to-spring transition period (at least up here in the north), when we’re spending fewer days in winter coats, yet we’re not quite ready to pull out our boxes of spring and summer clothes. We’ll maybe get a few days of spring-like weather, but then it’s back to cold to freezing temps the rest of the time.
Whenever one of those warmer days comes along, I always like to take the opportunity to dress a bit more ‘springy’- meaning a bit lighter in both color and fabrics – while still staying comfy. It’s when I’ll turn to these three essentials, i.e. my transition pieces that I never box up, but instead keep within arms reach all season long…
Lightweight Knits
Lightweight knits are the perfect pieces to grab when you want to feel all the comforts of a soft, warm sweater, only without the bulk and heaviness of a thicker, chunkier knit. On a nice warm day, I also like to go for lighter tones to help brighten up my look a bit – blush, ivory, and creams are my personal favorites because they pair well with just about everything. And even though it may be too early to wear tees and tanks, I like to bare just a little skin with cropped and off the shoulder styles, loose breezy dolmans, and open knits.
Ankle-Length & Cropped Pants
For me, I find ankle-length and cropped pants to be the perfect transition pieces from the colder to warmer weather. In the fall and winter, they work well paired with ankle boots, and especially tucked in under knee-high or over the knee boots, while in the spring and summer, they work with everything from heels to sneakers to sandals, and feel warm and comfy but still let a little breeze hit your ankle. On especially warm days, I like to pull out those edgy, destroyed jeans that bare a little extra skin and also keep you cool.
Nude & Blush Close-Toed Shoes
While it’s a bit early to pull out the sandals and open-toe shoes, I find these more ‘exposed’ closed-toe style of shoes to be the perfect in-between – even better if they’re a lighter tone, which will help brighten up any outfit you pair them with. Just like the cropped pants, they cover you where you need warmth (gotta keep the toes warm!), but also expose a little more skin then our winter shoes normally do – whether they be boots or a more standard heel.
I actually just recently purchased these you see here from ASOS (my first spring purchase of the year), and while at first I was hesitant to order them since I wasn’t sure about the quality of ASOS’s own brand of shoes, I was more than surprised when I put them on! Not only are they super cute with a sort of vintage feel, they’re also the perfect height, which allows for hours of wear without causing my feet to hurt. And thankfully the material is easy to clean too (my one worry with all light-colored shoes)!
And of course, a few hints of shimmer…
Int the winter, I tend spend more time focusing on how to cover up and stay warm with chunky knits that I can pull up over my palms, to high neck and turtleneck sweaters that cover up every last inch on my top half. That leaves necklaces, bracelets, and even earrings out of the picture most days (earrings especially, for fear that I might forget I’m wearing them, and then later have them get caught on my sweater, causing some real damage!).
But when it’s a bit warmer and I shed the heavy layers, I tend to spend a little extra time picking out accents that will actually get seen – like layered bracelets and cuffs and necklace, paired with rings and earrings. While I’m not one to wear very bright and bold statement pieces, I do love little touches of rose or yellow gold (which complement blush and ivory tones beautifully!). Some of my favorite pieces, including the ones shown here, I picked up from Gorjana. And for cooler-toned looks, I’ll reach for my favorite silver pieces from Kendra Scott – another one of my favorite jewelry designers.
What are some of your favorite winter-to-spring transition pieces?
