It is cold, rainy, grey, icy, or snowy in most of the northern hemisphere, with many more months of the same weather to follow. Spring is not on the horizon, and shopping for warm weather wardrobe items seems far, far away. It seems ridiculous to be thinking about Spring and Summer when all you want to do is wrap up and stay dry. But it isn’t. Retail is better at aligning its merchandise with the weather, but you still need to purchase some items far in advance. 

1. Hunt for Swimwear in February

It’s best to begin the swimwear hunt in February, with collections peaking in March and April. By the time you decide you need a new bathing costume in July and August, the assortment is picked over and the sizes are gone, especially when you like to wear swimwear tops in bra sizes.

One of my style goals for 2018 is to put together a Modern Retro swimwear capsule for our coastal holiday in Italy at the end of June. I want to have the pick of the crop, enjoy the process, and not have to settle. So I started looking at swimwear options in the first week of January, and have already bought a fabulous cover-up by Seafolly. Now I can take my time with the cozzie and be picky, patient and practical.

2. Start Looking for White Jeans Now

If they’re on your shopping list, start looking for white jeans now. Fresh merchandise comes through from January to April. After that, stock levels deplete rapidly, especially when you need petite, tall or plus sizes in silhouettes that aren’t high-rise body-con skinnies. I’m in the market for one more pair of white jeans, and I’ve started looking already.

3. Get Spring and Summer Jackets and Raincoats By April

Retail buyers tend to put jackets and raincoats in their assortments at the start of the new retail season, which means January to April. Start looking for a warm weather raincoat now, and make sure your lightweight Spring and Summer jackets are sorted by April. Most of us are wearing Winter coats till then, but the Spring and Summer versions will be scarce by the time you want them at the end of April or May.

4. Get Covered Warm Weather Clothing Soon

Spring and Summer collections are hitting retailers earlier and earlier. They used to surface mid to end Feb, but with the unstoppable movement to online shopping, transitional Spring collections are available from as early as the first week of January.

Spring and Summer collections become skimpier, lighter, breezier and more casual the further along we are in the season. If you prefer a warm weather look that is dressier, more covered, sleeved, longer, and made of substantial fabrics, shop early in the season. The retail industry thinks we’re on vacation by the time May, June and July roll around and supply us with shorts, tees, sleeveless casual tops, skimpy dresses, and little else.

5. Look for Dresses Throughout the Year

Suitable dresses are hard to find, especially when you set out to look for them for a specific event. Usually, you’ll find the right dress when you’re NOT looking for it. I learned this the hard way. I now have a new dress shopping strategy: I am ALWAYS on the hunt for dresses. In-season, off-season, full price, on sale, across all sorts of retailers, and when I travel. You never know when you’re going to bump into a fabulous dress.  I can relax into the process of adding dresses to my wardrobe, I don’t settle, and I have the perfect dress on hand when I need it.

A fortnight ago, I bumped into TWO fabulous and reasonably priced Topshop dresses that are perfect for Summer. I bought them right away, in the beginning of January with ice on the ground. They’re hibernating until it’s warm enough to wear them, which will be at least four months. That’s fine by me. No more vacation dress stress.

A green initiative from J.Crew, a new creative director for Céline, more size-inclusive clothing at Target, and other news from the fashion trenches this month.

• Target is adding another, size-inclusive, clothing collection to its roster: Universal Thread sizes will run from 00 to 26W.
• J.Crew is teaming up with Blue Jeans Go Green — an organization that recycles old denim into housing insulation for communities in need — to collect customers’ gently used jeans in stores and offer them a discount in return.
• Here’s a first look at J.W. Anderson’s Spring 2018 collection for Uniqlo.
• Uniqlo is also partnering with Finnish design company Marimekko for a special collection that will hit stores on March, 29th.
• Hedi Slimane has been named the new creative director of Céline.
• The H&M Group is launching a new affordable luxury brand: Nyden.
• L’Oreal has created a thumbnail-sized UV sensor to help you monitor your sun exposure.
• Madewell and J.Crew have expanded their jeans collections to include up to a size 35.

Fun Fashion Fact

American fashion designer Tina Leser was part of a generation of pioneering sportswear designers and became known for her international style. In her collections she, for example, used Hawaiian palaka fabric and Guatemalan handwoven cloth. During the 1950s she designed cropped and harem pants before any other designers. And it is said she was also the first designer to make dresses from cashmere.

This week’s ensemble features tonal olive from head to toe, or almost head to toe. It’s a new-for-me vibe that I thoroughly enjoyed wearing last week when I met Sally and Audi in person for the first time.

Here are the exact items that I wore from my wardrobe to create the outfit:

I combined an olive midi sweater dress with a roomy olive parka, which I kept open and oversized. The olives are different but work together. I finished off the look with sheer black hosiery, tailored cream booties that pick up the cream in my hair and the faux fur collar, citron bag, and playful pom-pom. The cream accents and pop of citron add a crispness to the outfit, which feels more my style.

It isn’t essential to add cream or a pop of colour to the palette. Keep it earthy and warm if that’s more your thing. There are many ways to combine the olives. Use patterns, solids, pattern mix, and throw in some metallic. Any metal is fab. Try NOT to accent the outfit with black.

The ensemble on the far left approximates my own outfit by pairing an olive dress and topper. The other two outfits combine tonal olive separates with an olive pattern. The patterns can be introduced through the scarf, shoes, skirt or top. Finish off the outfit with neutral footwear, a bit of jewellery, watch and eyewear as desired.

Of course, this isn’t going to work if you don’t like or wear olive. But if you do, go tonal and see what happens.

Bras are no longer a style prerequisite, but wearing a supportive bra can make your clothes look better, smoothing out the silhouette and accentuating the female form in a sculptural way. Personally, I’m also more physically comfortable wearing one. 

Bra fittings are tedious, and finding the perfect bra can be difficult. Sometimes you need to settle for a bra that is almost dead right just because you can’t find exactly what you’re looking for, or your size is in short supply. But don’t give up. Fits and fabric technology improve over time so you’ll eventually find what you need.

Here are some facts about bras and bra fittings that bear repeating:

1. Bras Are Expensive For Good Reason

I’ve visited bra factories in Cape Town, Paris and Hong Kong, and it’s an absolute eye-opener. Bras are highly complex items made of many, many intricate pieces that are hard to sew together because they are small, delicate and stretchy. Skilled labour comes at a price.

2. Many Women Wear The Incorrect Bra Size

Most women go too wide in the band and too small in the cup. For example, they’re in a 36B, when they should be in a 32D. Most of a bra’s support comes from the band, so that needs to be snug, structured, sufficiently broad, and in the right position on your back so that it does not create “back muffin top”.

Also, don’t assume that you are an A-cup when you are small in the bust. Chances are high that you need a larger cup size and a smaller width in the band. Get a professional bra fitting and make sure you’re wearing the correct size bra.

3. Cup Size Increases With Band Size

The cup size is not the same across sizes. It increases as the band width increases. So the cup size on a 38D is larger than the cup size on a 30D. That’s why a person who wears a 30D looks like she has a regular size bust, while the person with a 38D looks like she has a larger bust.

4. Bra Sizes Are Not Created Equally

Like clothing, bras in the same size across various brands can fit very differently. Some fits run wide, while others run narrow. Some cups offer more coverage than others. Some silhouettes enhance the size of the bust, while others minimize. Since we carry the bulk of our breast tissue differently, this is GREAT news because it gives us a greater variety of fit.

5. Bras Can Be Altered To Fit

Bras, like clothing items, can be altered to fit more perfectly against the body. Women who have had breast surgery can have bras altered or made to fit their new bodies.

6. Fit Bras With Clothing

Before you commit to a new bra, try it with your tops. Make sure you like the shape, texture and feel when you wear clothes. Are they creating the smooth look that you want them to? If you wear a camisole often, make sure you fit your cami over the bra too.

7. Buy Bras Online When You Are An Uncommon Size

You can buy almost any bra size online, so that’s your best bet when you’re an uncommon size. You’ll also find a larger assortment of colours and silhouettes in your size online.

8. Buy Bras That You Can Return After Wear

This is especially important when you have a larger bust and find it hard to find a comfortable bra. Things feel great in the dressing room, but aren’t so great when you wear the bra longer. Rubbing, digging, sliding off, and creeping up is not so fab. The option of returning a worn bra so that you can find something more suitable is handy.

Generally, you’ll need at least six everyday bras across a range of colours that work for your skin tone and wardrobe. You’ll need sports bras if you work out, and perhaps a few special bras for a particular cut of clothing or for occasions.

I LOVE bras because wearing wonderful underwear boosts my body image and makes me feel better in my outfit. I would have a larger assortment if my size was more common, but feel fortunate to have found perfect bras from Simone Perele. I like them lacy and pretty, with no exceptions.

These are my current favourtites:

Don’t forget about your bra capsule. It needs regular replenishment, and an update in size, style and fit when you gain or lose weight. Make 2018 the year for getting wonderful bras and feeling fabulous in them. It makes a visual and emotional difference.