Lighten Up! Transition Your Wardrobe from Winter to Spring

While spring might seem distant, it’s actually only days away. It’s only a matter of time before you get to peel off the cold weather layers and give your style rut the boot. It’s that awkward time of year when the season is changing and you are unsure how to navigate yourself – or your outfits – through the ‘its not too cold, it’s not too hot’ kinda temps. Not to fret, you can take mainstays from your already-existing wardrobe, like tees and scarves, and give them a sartorial refresh with spring’s coolest trends and some smart styling adjustments. Ahead, we show you some of the key spring trends and staples – and how to pair each – so you can save your time and your mind.

Florals & Pastels
Not to our surprise, both florals and pastels are big for spring. The two girly trends might not be groundbreaking but they always put us in the mood for warmer days. If you aren’t into florals or pastels, spring is probably a hard time for you, sartorially speaking but it doesn’t have to be that way. Many designers have modernized florals and pastels into sleek and elegant springtime wear that we can all embrace, no matter our style. If you don’t want to take these trends to girly heights, toughen them up with a motorcycle jacket, a tee with with raw, unfinished edges, and a beanie if the weather calls for it.

Motorcycle jacket available at Zara, floral pants available at Aritzia, Mink Pink crop tee available at Today You Are Special, pastel bag available at Aldo, DKNYxOpening Ceremony beanie available at mytheresa.com, white slip-ons available at Vans, rings available at OAK + FORT.

Sporty/Chic Mix
When it comes to sporty/chic style, we are big fans. Vancouver is the best city to rock this ‘fashion meets function’ look. It’s an ongoing go-to in Vancouver and just happens to be on-trend far beyond our sporty city, thanks to the likes of DYNY, Tommy Hilfiger, Gucci, and many other designers. There’s just something appealing about the sartorial dichotomy between sporty and chic, and who doesn’t want to be comfy anyways? Pair cozy pants with a glitzy sandal and clutch to achieve this look. Add in an effortless tee and chambray shirt with a sporty watch – and off you go. This ensemble has just enough chic-factor for you to get away with wearing your favourite cozy pants and tees all the time. Game on!

Trouser/jogger available at Aritzia, chambray shirt available at Topshop, striped tee available at Club Monaco, watch available at Nouvelle Nouvelle, sunglasses available at Nasty Gal, oversized clutch available at Clare Vivier, jeweled ankle-strap flats available at J.Crew.

Spring Topper
Since we are still in the midst of rainy weather and spring is legit a little chilly, don’t drop the that outer layer just yet. You can however put your winter coat to rest and trade it in for a lightweight topper. Incorporate the colour of the season – light blue – or a similar pastel hue for an instant refresh. Buy a hooded jacket and top it off with a lightweight scarf. Given the mild temps in Vancouver, these garments will have their work cut out for them season after season, year after year.

Linen tee available at J.Crew, Cheap Monday jeans available at Nasty Gal, jacket available at Aritzia, scarf available at Club Monaco, metallic/striped flats available at Club Monaco, Matt & Nat wristlet available at Front and Company.

Pretty Skirts
Every now and then, mother nature graces us with some pretty fantastic weather. As most Vancouverites prove time and time again, they aren’t afraid to break out the bare legs and sandals as soon as the sun peeks out. They never let the in-between temps suck all the fun out of transitional dressing, and why should they? After all, when it comes to fashion, good things come to those who don’t wait!

Stripes, like the LBD, will never go out of style either. In fact, all kinds of stripes are on-trend for spring – bold, skinny, uneven, pastel, and even the head-to-toe variety. Exercise your fashion sensibility and pair this strong graphic pattern with another spring favourite – florals. Mixing prints is not an easy fashion feat, so be sure to mix bold patterns, and change the scale of the prints to achieve what we like to call ‘fashion math.’

Long-sleeve striped top available at Zara, floral printed skirt available at Top Shop, bag available at Woo To See You, sandals available at Zara, clear earrings available at Nasty Gal.