Spring?

Patience

I always struggle with the transition of season and knowing when it's appropriate to wear what. My solution is to make little rules. This year I decided to hold off on wearing spring-y items till the beginning of March. That is no linen and no cotton fabrication jackets, vests or skirts (not including denim) until next week. I do allow for the brighter colors earlier and I probably won't wear many sandals until May. Having said this, it's going to be over 80 today and tomorrow. (It will go back and forth getting cooler and warmer until April/May.) Obviously the transition will involve wearing both fall and spring items and gradually wearing fewer fall items. But I never quite know when the spring only appropriate items are okay. Even though spring actually starts in a month, it feels like spring here. (The redbuds are blooming!) How do you decide?

17 years ago

Dressing

12 replies

Latest reply was from Sarah

Tanya

Veteran

As long as the weather is appropriate ( and it sounds that it is) I would go ahead and wear the spring items. I actually have the opposite problem, when it is officially spring yet still very cold. My solution is to wear winter weight clothes in spring colors. So maybe you can do the opposite - wear summer weight clothes in more winter-y colors till you are comfortable breaking out your whites and brights?

17 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I'm with Tanya. Wear those spring items right now if it’s hot, Patience. No need for rules. I’ll be in boots for many more months. But I’ll wear my cream boots more than my black boots because I feel more Spring-like in them. (It snowed again last night. I hope we get on that flight tonight).

17 years ago

Sarah

(website)

Veteran

I heard about your snow, Angie! My mom told me this morning and I pouted because it's going to be in the 80s here today (as Patience said).
So is it okay to pull out white jeans?
It's so frustrating living in an area that doesn't really have four seasons. It's been really challenging fashion-wise for me. And as Patience said, the weather will fluctuate for a few weeks or months until it settles into just plain hot.

17 years ago

Anonymous

When the rose buds are blooming it is spring where you are. Go for it.

17 years ago

Maya

Veteran

The arrival of spring does not follow any rules, so neither should your wardrobe. For me it would be the opposite: Spring equinox usually happens long before it gets warm here. It would be illogical/uncomfortable for me to break out the ballet flats and clams in the snow just because it hits a certain month, just as it would be silly for you to be wearing boots when it's 80 degrees.

Today and tomorrow it's going to be in the low-mid 50's. Hope you brought a lightweight jacket, Angie.

17 years ago

Patience

Veteran

Thanks, everyone. I think my plan will work. I can assure you that I have not been wearing boots this week, but I just can't bring myself to wear white jeans or a cotton jacket in February. Maybe I'm just being silly, but it also helps to extend the use of fall clothing. March on the other hand feels more reasonable to break these things out and put away the black boots for good (unless we get a cold snap).

17 years ago

shiny

Veteran

This is interesting to me because DH and I have a free pair of domestic plane tickets to use up this spring, and we were thinking Austin. (You are in Austin, right?) I've never been there and it sounds like our sort of city. If we decide to go, you know I'll be asking YLF Austinites for recommendations on what to pack.

The way I look at it is that if you went to Florida or the Carribean or heck to Australia in February, you wouldn't think twice about wearing summer clothing, right? So if it's 80 degrees, then by all means wear summery clothing.

With that said, I will say that lately - even if the weather here is highly variable and one day it snows and next day it rains and today it's about 48 degrees - I have not been as motivated to wear winter colors. I don't know if this is that spring is near, or if I'm just in the mood for neutrals instead of all jewel tones I've been wearing all winter. I am finding myself opting for black, white, taupe, red and grey lately. They are seasonless colors, if you think about it.

17 years ago

Nicole

Veteran

For me, I think it's more about wanting to change my choices. Our winters are so long, that by February, I'm sick of all my winter stuff. I can't wait to wear my summer pieces--because it's like going out and buying a whole new wardrobe, without spending any money.

I say wear what you are comfortable wearing...both physically and emotionally.

17 years ago

Anonymous

I'm with Tanya; I try to wear spring colors in winter weight fabrics around this time of year since I need a mental "perk." Like Nicole I get bored with my winter things and need to jazz them up a bit! I like to wear springy colored tops and layer them with winter jackets and sweaters so I get more use out of my clothing.

I also got to see a bit of snow this morning in OR! Big wet fluffy flakes were a lovely morning treat. I'm glad it wasn't snowing in Seattle yesterday - I was on a small plane from Anchorage and had to use the outdoor gates - brrr! It seemed colder than Alaska with the humidity! I was lucky enough to get on and off my flights during dry spells in the weather last night.

17 years ago

Mattie

Active Member

I think I just heard the seeds of a YLF Get Together in Austin being planted. I'm just up the way in Waco. Whose in? Angie, have you ever been to Texas?

17 years ago

Patience

Veteran

We have a little bit more winter than Florida and the Caribbean. Nicole brings up a good point that wearing winter items as long as possible is more about variety for the year. By the end of the summer we are sick of wearing summer clothing and want to do the fall colors in lighter weights. So I think holding out till March is my way of getting the variety.

I also realize that I'm very susceptible to the marketing. Right now I am just salivating at all of the spring colors in stores. It's the fashion equivalent of having a sweet tooth-- I just want to buy it all!

Shiny, I hope you visit Austin. I'd love to give all sorts of recommendations and meet you for shopping if you're interested although the shopping here is probably not as good as Boston. I'd recommend packing for your summer and bring along a lightweight jacket for evenings and just in case.

17 years ago

Sarah

(website)

Veteran

Hey Mattie, my in-laws are in Waco (I'm in Austin). Small world. Shiny, if you do come that would be so fun. I'm sure you'd love Austin. It's a great city. And San Antonio is fun too, and it's just down the road.
Yesterday I was miserably hot in 84 degree weather. Today is supposed to be even warmer - thankfully I'm prepared.
I'm wearing a b/w print skirt with black sandals and a bright orange sleeveless top. The black and white skirt seems to be a seasonless piece so I don't feel too springy, but I'll definitely stay cool.

17 years ago

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