Are those the first rays of spring I see creeping over the horizon?
Here in the UK, the winter months can feel never ending. It's quite usual for the cold, damp grey skies to last well into April, so it always feels a bit premature to declare that a new season is here!
And yet, the evenings are getting a bit lighter, the frosts are mostly gone, and we’ve started to think about emerging from the thickest of our layers and transitioning our clothing from winter to spring.
I'm far from a minimalist, even though I find the concept appealing, but over the years I have slowly gotten to the point where I know my own style well - what I'm comfortable in, what looks good and what I'll reach for again and again.
That's helped me to tame my magpie tendencies and focus on buying less and higher quality. It's better for the planet, it's better for my wallet and it's definitely better for the stuffed rails in my dressing room!
These are the pieces I've added to my wardrobe recently to make up my spring edit. Everything is simple, classic and neutral and can be easily dressed up or down.
Le Pliage Neo medium tote bag 'Noir' | Longchamp
If there's one thing I know, it's that I'm a huge Le Pliage girl. This tote is an absolute classic for so many reasons. First off, it's the last word in classic chic simplicity.
The nylon finish with leather detailing is supremely practical, lightweight and hard wearing, but still smart. It's roomy and works well for almost any situation - from the office, to days out, to the beach or as a travel bag.
Like most Le Pliage fans, I have several already. A classic dark blue tote with tan leather details, a grey 'Le Club' version with bright yellow accents, a large expandable weekend bag in khaki, and a couple of the small backpacks - one in black with tan leather and a 'Le Club' version in sky blue. These bags have never let me down. I've had them for years and use them time and again. So it wasn't hard to decide to add the Le Pliage Neo to my collection, in the Noir colourway and a medium size.
I love the sleek, all black finish on this model, and it also features a sturdy cross body strap that makes it even more practical. This will be an ideal companion for my upcoming travel plans and my everyday adventures. In my opinion it's hard to find a more versatile bag.
Leather button detail sneakers | Longchamp
When I was browsing the Longchamp site for my new bag, I also discovered their latest trainer collection.
These beauties called my name for all the same reasons as their bags - simplicity and sophistication. Last summer I wore my Veja trainers to death. Their clean and classic finish went with any outfit. The problem was that the canvas material got dirty quite quickly. So I wanted to upgrade my kicks to a leather pair that could be cared for more easily - and these looked ideal.
I love the little textured leather panels with gold press stud details that recall the iconic design of the bags. The clean silhouette means they'll work with everything from dresses to jeans and everything in between.
Leopard print satin bias-cut midi skirt | Asos Design
I've been patiently hunting down this skirt for a long time! I've owned a version of it for quite a few years, and it's become one of the hardest working items in my wardrobe. For office days, seeing friends, nights out…there's so many ways to style it up, and it seems to work for all occasions. But the version I own is now getting tattered from overuse!
So I went hunting for a replacement, but just couldn't find the one until I saw this. The length, the smaller pattern, the lighter gold colour and the bias cut…it looked perfect. Unfortunately it's been out of stock in my size for months.
Finally, I got my hands on it, and because it's a replacement for something I've worn and loved, I already know that it's the ideal purchase for my transitional wardrobe.
Monochrome silk twill scarf | Toteme
Another versatile item to add as we move into spring is a scarf in a lighter fabric. It brings a little pattern to a plain outfit and a touch of extra cosiness without being too warm and bulky when we get into warmer temperatures.
The silk twill fabric makes this perfect for the seasonal transition, and I love to travel with a lightweight large scarf like this as it can be tied into a halterneck top or a sarong-style skirt as needed.
High-waisted tan trousers | Zara
Over the past decade at least, I’ve lived pretty much exclusively in skinny or straight jeans and trousers, so switching over to wider trousers has been a bit of a change!
They look really elegant, but it's all about proportions - you need a more fitted top half to balance the silhouette. Because I’ve lived in slimmer trousers for such a long time. I’m having to learn a new way now that trends have changed.
This pair of trousers are so smart, and they’d look great with a black bodysuit or a slim white shirt.
Cropped black tweed jacket | Zara
Another item I’ve been seeking for a while. I kept seeing these shorter, boxier cropped jackets everywhere and I knew they’d pair well with wider trousers and mom jeans.
I love the heritage vibe of the black tweed, especially when it's contrasted with something very relaxed and casual underneath or something a bit edgier, like patent leather trousers.
A lighter jacket as we move into warmer weather is a must, and this will be perfect for going out to dinner.
Soft felt coatigan | Zara
Swaddled up in multiple layers while the weather has been super cold, I’ve longed for the day it gets warm enough to actually have proper outfits again.
I’ve been living in thermal leggings and my huge Hunter puffer coat for what feels like years at this point, so it's exciting to think about choosing outer layers on something other than the basis of how warm they are.
This soft, unstructured felted wool coat is a perfect mid-weight. The pretty sand colour makes it different from other coats I own (and I do own far too many really…). This just says ‘spring’ to me with the lighter shade and softer finish.
Easy fit mom jeans | United Colors of Benetton
In the transition away from skinnies, I started with a French girl style straight leg to ease myself into it - and now here I am, arriving at a full-blown mom jean. Check me out, being all on point and shit.
In this battle, I have loved and lost. I’ve tried many a promising-looking mom jean, only to have it fall flat. The trouble is, mom jeans don’t tend to look so good when you actually are a mom, with the child-bearing hips and mummy tummy to prove it, like me. Every pair I tried seemed to make me look too wide and sloppy, even though I saw my friends wearing them looking great.
Now this pair have come along and changed my life - wide enough in the leg to look current but they don’t make me feel too bulky. Wearing them with a cropped jumper has worked really well, and I also can’t wait to pair them with a lace bralet and my new tweed jacket for an evening outfit!
I actually didn’t realise that Benetton were still going - until I stumbled across them online. And after this success, I’ll definitely be revisiting for more denim staples as these fit so nicely.
Full Control vegan leather leggings | Commando
For all I said about making the move to wider leg trousers, I still have a place in my heart and my wardrobe for my trusty leather leggings. You’ll prize them out of my cold, dead hands Gen Z.
They’re super comfy, look good and are actually surprisingly practical - when you have two small sticky children and a bouncy dog, ‘wipe clean’ becomes a real asset! It’s no lie to say I’ve absolutely lived in a pair of leather skinnies from Topshop pretty much all winter, to the point where they have literally started to come apart, so I knew it was something I wanted to upgrade and replace.
These seamless leggings come from one of my favourite new brands. Commando make bodysuits, leggings and sort of elevated basics. The Full Control line have compression technology to hold everything in, which is always a plus, and the vegan leather is nicely done and isn’t too shiny and fake-looking.
A complete style staple done right.
'Syrah' black silk wrap dress | All Saints
You can never go wrong with black dresses, blazers or white shirts, so I won’t hesitate to add another to my collection. I have quite a few from All Saints, who remain one of my favourite clothing brands for their combination of elegance and alternative style.
This is in a beautiful, flowing fabric and I love the wrap style which is very figure-flattering. The midi length makes it super versatile, and there’s an interesting neckline. This dress looked like perfect simple elegance and the ideal addition to my wardrobe.
Other black dresses from All Saints have been in firm rotation in my wardrobe - I have a long-sleeved one that gets trotted out at every formal occasion and a black silk mini dress that’s a regular favourite, so I know this will be a much-loved piece.
Long smoky quartz pendant necklace | House of Jupiter @Etsy
When it comes to jewellery, I absolutely love rough cut crystals. They have a natural beauty that speaks to me, and although I’m not sure I fully buy into them affecting your energy or mental state, it certainly can’t hurt - all good vibes are welcome here!
In particular, I’ve had a few pieces featuring smoky quartz as I love the look of it. I have a shorter, horizontal bar necklace with smoky quartz that I wear a lot, so I thought I’d add another, longer cylindrical piece that I can layer up with it, or with plainer chains or use on it's own when I need a necklace with a bit of length.
'Lily' small grained leather shoulder bag | Mulberry
It’s a big ticket purchase, but it felt time to add this beauty to my bag collection.
I’ve had a few bags from the British label over the years, and they’re all still going strong and looking fantastic. I still love the styles and use them regularly, so I’d consider them a great buy. I have a black mini-leopard spot Alexa that I bought years ago with my first ever bonus, a small Darwin shoulder bag that S bought me when I was 19, a taupe Lily in the medium size that I’ve had for about eight years, and a dark brown Bayswater that was my Christmas present from S six years ago.
Mulberry was my first ever proper high-end purchase, and they still hold a special magic for me. I’ve never fallen out of love with their designs, in all this time. So I know these bags stand the test of time.
I use my medium, taupe coloured Lily all the time, but I’ve wanted a smaller one in black for a while. I really like the fact this bag can either be worn cross-body, with the strap doubled up as a shoulder bag or tucked in to make a clutch.
The style is timeless and goes with all sorts of outfits, from more casual get ups to evening wear. I don’t think this is the end of my Mulberry love affair!
D-Frame acetate sunglasses | Saint Laurent
Over the past year, I’ve had several sunglass mishaps. I lost a pair, I had a pair break on me. Somehow I’ve ended up without a single classic black framed pair and my collection felt very depleted. It was time to add a new style for the move into spring.
Not many sunglass shapes suit my face, so I’m always really careful what I buy. I know that a squarer shape that are slightly wider on the top are most flattering for me, so when I was looking for something timeless in a plain black that would go with any outfit, I thought of these.
Last year, I was desperate for a pair of flat top sunglasses and I purchased the Saint Laurent ‘Havana’ style with the thicker top frame, in a tortoiseshell design with polarised lenses. They’re quite statement, so I wanted the more classic, less shouty version. Hopefully these won’t get sat on or left behind somewhere and I can enjoy them for years to come!
Those pieces make me really happy - I feel like my approach to buying is a lot more mature than in seasons past. It's not that I never make mistakes, or buy things I don’t like and forget to return, or just completely misjudge something - but by and large, I feel like I know my own style and what works in my wardrobe so much more these days.
I’ve stopped fighting the leather skinnies, tailored coats and leopard print, well, everything and just accepted them as part of my style DNA. And where I have added a piece it's in a much slower and more considered way. Most of these pieces are either upgraded versions of things I have worn into the ground, or items that I know will fit seamlessly into my existing wardrobe.
I’m confident that these lovely new items will see me all the way through to summer and beyond.
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