Transitional Spring trends
It’s a question I get asked a lot - how to navigate the strange period between winter and spring which can jump from baltic to balmy and back to baltic again, in a matter of days! All the shops are beginning to fill with the new Spring/Summer collections tempting us with dresses and sandals and even, dare I say it, bikinis! I mean when the hell are we likely to be wearing bikinis again? Maybe in our dreams or at best, in our back gardens again like last year.
We all want to start wearing our spring wardrobes again if only to make us feel like brighter days are coming. The gloom of winter has been made even harder by lockdown. With nothing to look forward to, at least a bit of summer dressing might perk us up a bit!
The way I dress for this time of year is by introducing a touch of a spring trend into my winter wardrobe. So adding a spring colour top to jeans and chunky boots. Wearing a dress under a sleeveless knit. Or implementing one aspect of a trend into your daily wardrobe. Just a touch here and there will allow you to slowly introduce a bit of springtime dressing and as it gets warmer, you can add more elements in while taking out the winter clothing.
The ideas below are just a few of many S/S 21 trends. But there are so many options. Try a dress with socks and trainers. Add in the colours of the season under your winter coat or get your fave summer tees out and layer with a thin roll neck underneath.
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Trench
When I think of transitional outerwear, the trench immediately springs to mind. It’s the perfect transitional piece as it’s lightweight, perfect for layering and looks so darn cool! I think every high street store has a version of the trench if you want a classic look. But this season it’s all about levelling up your trench. This one from Palones below is the most perfect trench to add to your Spring wardrobe. Not only is it a perfect shape and the attention to detail is stunning. But it is also in the most beautiful spring colours. The colour blocking element brings a real modern take on the trench trend that will elevate every outfit from dresses to jeans and trainers! I’ve teamed it with the most worn items from lockdown - the sweatshirt and jogger set. This allows you to manoeuvre into Spring without taking those comforts away just yet. We’re still in lockdown after all!
Baseball Cap
I’ve been seeing so many street style pics of girls wearing baseball caps - and it’s not just with trainers and sweats - it can actually be quite grown up and looks so good. It’s an easy way to introduce a trend into a winter wardrobe plus, hides those bad hair days which lets be honest, are most days at the moment! Add a cap to jeans and heeled boots like the picture below, or add to an oversized suit and team with trainers or a slinky satin dress and a cosy cashmere cardigan - the options are endless!
Monochrome
You can’t go wrong with a monochrome outfit and this season it’s all about head to toe black and white. So easy to achieve. Mix white or black jeans with a plain or print top and give white boots or shoes a go. The monochrome look is a great way to experiment with colour blocking and you can go all out mixing the two colours or keep your outfit all black with just a hint of white in the accessories. Either way it’s sophisticated, classic and timeless.
Checks
Checks are going to be big this season, but think big, bold and beautiful. Mix your checks to add impact or if that’s too much, then opt for one piece that steals the show like these amazing Seventy + Mochi dungarees shown below. Oversized gingham check is a great choice and if you want to experiment with mixing prints then stick to the same colour tones and mix one big check with a smaller one so the prints don’t fight with each other.
Relaxed Tailoring
This year tailoring continues with loose easy to wear styles. Relaxed tailoring with flowy blouses in silks, linen and cottons and loose wide leg trousers. Team with boots now and leather slides or flip-flops in the summer. Wear with layered necklaces and a blazer or simple trench or even a relaxed cardigan. I like to keep the tones of the shirt and trousers similar for a classy simplistic look. Add a silk scarf tied round the head for a beautiful classic look reminiscent of the 1940s. Plus if someone would like to buy me these Louis Vuitton loafers, I wouldn’t say no!!!
Ultra baggy jeans
Jean styles are pretty constant and apart from the ultra low rise jeans from the Christina Aguliera era, anything goes really. But this year the ultra wide baggy jeans have made a big comeback and I am all here for it. My youth was spent in vintage Osh Gosh dungarees and baggy jeans with trainers and oversized tees, so this trend is definitely a bit of me. I’m going to dress them up with heeled boots and a simple tee during this transitional period and in the Spring i’ll wear with sandals and a pretty top like this lilac puff shoulder blouse from Mango below.
Stripes
Stripes are never out of fashion, but this year along with the checks, they’re big and bold and colourful. I love the idea of mixing the stripes but again, think about pairing a bold stripe with a thin stripe so as not to confuse the eye. You want the combination to compliment each other. If all out boldness isn’t for you, then maybe give a nod to the trend with a tote bag or keep it simple with a colourful Breton stripe tee or jumper or even a stripe silk scarf loosely knotted round the neck.
I hope these ideas have inspired you. As always, you probably have many items already in your wardrobe that you can experiment with, so it’s not always about buying new. Transitional dressing doesn’t have to be complicated, it’s just finding a way that incorporates the new spring wardrobe into your winter one, mixing and matching pieces that compliment and work together.
Have a great evening
Anna x
