Hi friends,
It’s been a little while since I last wrote anything, but spring has really been on my mind lately. Last weekend, I polled different outfits and styles that you all liked, and realized that we’re all looking for some inspiration on what to wear as we move into the warmer weather!
There’s so many things that go on during the spring: festive holidays, lots of pollen, and the most unpredictable weather you could ever ask for! In the midst of that, there’s a lot of trends and changing styles, and it can be a lot to keep up with and ultimately can make you discouraged about getting dressed every day when you don’t know what’s “in” or what works for you.
When that happens, I like to go back to the basics. A lot of people talk about capsule wardrobes, and I truly think they’re worth exploring as the foundation of your wardrobe for any particular season. This will change each season (maybe every month), but that’s how our wardrobe should work— it should move with us through our lives and help present our best selves every day!
You don’t need to purge anything from your closet or buy anything new (unless you want to), or stick to a color scheme to build a great foundation for your wardrobe, but I do think you need to have a vision. I’m not talking about building out a Pinterest board of idealistic pieces, but rather a vision for what you want your clothes to do for you.
If, like me, you work from home, you might have a vision of a ‘you’ who is wearing comfortable jogger sets that are dressed up with cute sneakers and chunky earrings because you sit criss-cross at your desk and pop out for a mid-day coffee and want to look relaxed and casual, or it could be that you’re in an office that doesn’t have a defined dress code and you want to feel like you can at least define your style when you show up to the office. Maybe it’s that you don’t really have anything specific to dress for, but you want to make getting dressed in the morning a “no brainer” with pieces that all go together.
As the tagline for this blog states, I strive to build a wardrobe that is simple, feminine, and functional. I wanted to create that in this foundations guide so that you could see how straightforward, staple pieces could become their own wardrobe when mixed together. I’ve started with some of the common, core pieces you might see in a capsule wardrobe (they’re considered timeless classics for a reason!), and I will add in some pops of color in another post so you can see how you might add that in too!
What I chose:
Tops:
– Denim Button Down — With the right weight, a chambray/denim button down can become the perfect layering piece. Wear it as a blouse, over another layer, belted at the waist, etc. There are endless possibilities! This one is a great price and a light-weight option.
– Tees (tan and white) — There’s something about a simple tee in every wardrobe that just works. You could easily swap this for something with more texture, but I think a classic crew neck will never steer you wrong.
– A vest — There’s nothing wrong with adding a trend into your basics. Vests are all the rage right now, but I think it’s a great option if you don’t like to wear, or can’t wear, tank tops in your day-to-day. This gives a little more coverage and dresses things up just slightly.
– A striped 3/4 sweater tee — A Breton will always be a recommended item from me; I love stripes, I love how versatile they are, and they always make me think of spring!
Dresses/Skirt:
– A black midi scoop neck — If you don’t like black for spring, that’s an easy swap to navy or white. I think either would be a great option, but a dress like this can become a wardrobe hero in its versatility— you can layer it and accessorize it in so many ways.
– A cream midi skirt — Personally, I love a cream midi skirt. It plays to the brightness of spring and it pairs well with the earthier tones in this capsule. Pair it with florals for a pop, or a spring solid color too!
Bottoms:
– Light wash kick-out denim — nothing beats a good pair of jeans. I like a little flare to mine, but a straight leg jean is universally flattering.
Layers:
– Navy Blazer — we all know spring doesn’t mean it will instantaneously be warm. Include a wool blazer to keep warm on chilly mornings! This one is selling fast!
– Tan Blazer — Here you could sub in a linen or lighter weight blazer for an extra layer without overheating on those warmer spring days!
Shoes:
– Mules — a spring staple. Mules are a great option for sunny spring days and pair well with jeans, skirts, and dresses. I love these!
– White Sneakers — the effortless way to dress down an outfit, add a comfortable pair of sneakers! I suggest white or light tan (maybe with an accent color) to keep things neutral and versatile.
– Cap-toe flats — Between these next two, you could probably wear just one pair (that is, if you were trying to keep the number of items in a foundation to a minimum), but I think it’s fun to be able to switch it up! These are an excellent Chanel dupe!
– Black flats — Just like a navy blazer, it’s not quite warm enough to ditch black, so I’d keep black flats around until the weather warms up a bit more. I’d swap for a brown flat around May. These are a great option if you want classic, and Chanel-inspired without the price tag.
Accessories:
– Straw bag — the perfect sunny day tote. These totes are so effortlessly chic! I got this Sezane one last October before they relaunched it. I’ve linked it here!
– Longchamp bag — the perfect bag for work and play. I carry my whole life in one of these sometimes.
– Bucket bag — a great in-between bag, especially when you need something you can wear cross-body. I love this one from Sezane— it’s been a great warm-weather companion.
– Silk scarf — I love adding a silk scarf to outfits, even if I’m tying it on my handbag. It makes a look feel “finished.”
– Brown belt — Add an extra layer, belt a dress, etc. This one is a classic, but I like this one for a sustainable option as well.
I will be completely honest in that I don’t have all of these pieces (a lot of them I do have, as I suspect you do after reading and looking for guidance on making daily dressing simpler), and it can’t be daunting thinking about how you will utilize what you do have … but that’s the whole purpose of us building out a foundation of pieces, because how else will we know how or what we want to add into our closets if we’re not mindful of what we’re already wearing?
I can’t wait to hear what you think of this guide! If you’re on the hunt for anything in particular to add to your spring wardrobe, let me know— I’m happy to help you hunt!
xx
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