There is something special about early Spring fashions. Colours are happy, silhouettes are fresh, fabrics are crisp. And there is still a chill in the air, so styles are fairly warm, dressy and covered. Late Spring fashions tend to be less covered, a lot more casual, and not quite as crisp as retail gets ready for Summer.
These items, like the dresses from Anthropologie I shared last week, look and feel fresh after a Fall and Winter season of dark neutrals.
- J.Crew Maddie pant in bi-stretch wool: The fit and fabric are fantastic, and the colour is very happy. The fabric is thick, soft and non-scratch. Very comfortable, and well tailored, if not slightly fluid. The front seams down the sides of the style are slimming. The best part about the pants is that the front pocket linings do not show through to the front. They don't cling onto your thighs, which is quite genius. They are about half an inch longer on me than on the model, so regular length and fab with flats, pumps and booties. You might need to size down if you're very straight on the hips, bottom and thighs. Also available in petite and tall, and in many colours.
- Zara Bowling Bag With Metacrylate Handle: A vegan bag in a pretty light blue. It's not a beautifully made bag, but it's fun, fresh, affordable and on trend.
- Ann Taylor Faux Leather Piped Sweater: A gorgeous blue to wear with black bottoms. The subtle black piping down the sleeves amps up the style of the sweater.
- Trouvé Trouvé 'Evans' Leather Slip-On Sneaker (Women): A very comfortable slip-on sneaker that's a copy of last year's style from Miu Miu. Supportive, trendy and more refined than chunkier slip-on sneaker styles. The bone is as nice as the black.
- Fossil 'Sydney' Satchel: A versatile satchel that doubles up as a crossbody. A good size and well made. Works for business casual and casual. All three colours, cranberry, ink and cognac, look super fresh.
- Paul Green 'Vince' Flat: These Paul Green loafers have been a top pick before in ink and cognac because they are beautifully made, comfortable, and surprisingly supportive for a flat. The rounded toe is quite almond, and not stumpy at all. They work both for high and low volume feet. You might need to size down half a size if your feet are low volume like mine. They just brought out the style in white. Modern, crisp and refined.
I bought the loafers and the red trousers. I hadn’t planned to shop for Spring shoes in January, but since we’ll be visiting a much warmer climate in February, I’ll be able to wear the white loafers sooner than I thought. BONUS. And a pair of wool tomato red trousers — to replace the ones from Express that I passed on — has been on my shopping list for a while. I can wear them right away and for most of the year.