Climate & Colours

Sisi

I always have this problem in Spring.I still need warm clothing (my Spring is cool) but I also would like to start wearing Spring colors. This combination seems to be very rare to find. Warm clothing is too often dark or neutral. Today I am wearing a mostly blue and navy outfit, the only touches of color I was able to add are a green patterned blouse (that I hate anyway) and a turquoise bracelet.
I'm not happy with this outfit, it does not scream "Spring".
Do you also struggle ? If you, like me, love Spring colors, do you find it difficult to find them in warm clothing? Or, if you love earthy colors, is it difficult for you to find them in lightweight clothing?

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9 hours ago

General

12 replies

Latest reply was from Carla

Star (Lise)

Veteran

SISI you look totally fab regardless of your outfit not signalling Spring. Actually it does to me because of the lighter weight jacket. I don't worry too much about Spring colours and rather put the emphasis on lighter weight fabrics. I really like your blouse and am wondering why you do not.

9 hours ago

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I wonder if you don’t feel great in the outfit simply because you “hate” the top! It looks nice to my eye, but a photo only tells part of the story.

I do turn to lighter colors this time of year. My burgundies and deep colors don’t seem as correct right now, so I wear my lighter, brighter items and layer a bit more. What few pastels I own (pale blues and greens) come out to play this time of year. And I find myself wearing and craving more white in my wardrobe!

9 hours ago

RobinF

Veteran

Maybe search for something like Carla's lavender trench coat? I agree lighter warm jackets are harder to find than dark ones.

9 hours ago

Sisi

Veteran

Thank you Star! The blouse was an "emergency purchase". I should have known that I do not like big prints and do not wear them.
Thank you Janet! Interesting observation, but I'm afraid the culprit are the black shoes. I miss so much an old pair of silvery white slipons that "springyfied" any outfit and that I wore to consumption.
Thank you RobinF - I would be happy to find a light-colored trench like Carla's .

8 hours ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Sisi, I'm with Janet. If you "hate the top" - you're not going to feel fab in the outfit. Ditto on preferring light shoes

Our Springs are cold too. I hear you.

To answer your question - I don't! I wear Spring and Summer colours all year round. I have warm wooly EVERYTHING in brights, pastels, and light neutrals (white, cream, tan, toffee). I look like Spring on a Winter snow day. To your point, the items have not been easy to find - you have to nab them as they come up. It has taken years to create my colourful all-season wardrobe. So I get that it's tricky

That said, getting silver or light neutral shoes and a light neutral topper is doable! Bag to match. White or off-white bottoms help too. Begin with those wardrobe essentials - and things will fall into place.

7 hours ago

The Cat

Veteran

Sisi, I can't say I struggle, but I well understand that you want to wear spring colours (so do I), and I agree that warm clothes are often in dark or neutral colours.

These are some of my strategies for including spring colours while spring is still cold:

I start by replacing several of my black and charcoal winter clothes with items in navy and light grey, neutrals which are more spring-like.

I wear scarves, hats and gloves in light and clear colours like pink, lilac, sky blue, periwinkle blue, light emerald green, and turquoise.--It is often easier to find accessories than e.g. outerwear or bottoms in these colours.

Footwear and bags in light colours also give me spring vibes.

A tank or tee in light wool under spring clothes helps to keep me warm.

I have found lightweight longsleeved round-neck pullovers (or V-necks, if you prefer them) to be versatile items year round, as they can be worn under or over other items as well as alone. They are often available in several colours, including spring colours.

Year round, I keep an eye out for affordable toppers in non-neutrals.

6 hours ago

Lisa

Veteran

I understand this struggle and when I lived in a colder climate I ran into the same issue. I was tired of darker colors by spring but needed the warmth. It took years to assemble sweaters in softer colors that I could wear in spring. I've found brands like JCrew and Gap often have warmer sweaters in many colors, so I'd pick up a winter colored sweater and a spring-ish colored sweater during winter shopping so I'd have something brighter when the seasons changed but the temperatures didn't yet.

I've also found white jeans (or ivory if you don't prefer white) work well to brighten up a darker colored sweater for a cold spring day.

5 hours ago

Sisi

Veteran

Angie - your colorful wardrobe is very inspirational to me. I admit I should put more effort in chasing actively what I want ... But you know how much I hate shopping . Thank you for the suggestions!
The Cat - thank you for suggesting to add colour with accessories. It never comes to my mind.
Lisa - thank you! Just this morning I was thinking I should get myself a pair of white jeans - light color but heavy fabric. The only white pants I own are very lightweight.

5 hours ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Dear Sisi, as I was typing, I thought about how much you don't enjoy shopping URGH!! Wish I could wave my magic wand, and shop fast for you.

4 hours ago

kkards

Veteran

Our springs can be both warm and cold in the same week. Sunday was 70f/21c, and Tuesday was 34f/1c. Pink puffer to the rescue. Need warm, but want lighter. I’ve also found that just switching to cotton sweaters, regardless of the color just puts me in the mindset of spring, they just feel less winter than wool, YMMV. And if I can, I stop wearing boots-sneakers or other flats with socks for the colder days, again just makes me feel lighter even if they are a dark color
all of the sweaters below are substantial but be use of the colors give a less winter more spring like feel, I would recommend looking for a white/cream heavy cotton sweater as a place to start. Also think about layers. This past week I wore a wool base layer long sleeve tee under a lightweight knit topper, so it looked to the outside world like spring, but inner me was warm and happy.

Athleta

Gap Downtown Parka

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Top Pick

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Polo Ralph Lauren Tie Dye Stripe Cotton Cable Sweater

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Top Pick

4 hours ago

Jenni NZ

Veteran

I don’t feel like I have this problem? I think it could be you Sisi who commented in one of my posts about possibly different quality of light in Northern versus Southern Hemispheres. (But it might have been Star). I wear similar colours in spring or autumn and just go by the temperature. I don’t find the light that different in the two seasons. Of course I might just be unobservant!
I’m sorry that you hate the top. It looks good on you!

2 hours ago

Carla

Veteran

Honestly, I don’t think many people go full-on colour fearlessly - no matter the season. Spring is in the air, and there is still a lot of black being worn out in the ‘real world’ of at least in my part of it! That said, I’ve been bolder with colour recently, and 2026 is a ‘no-buy black’ year for me.

I’ve washed and stored the puffers, but need sweaters under the spring coats. Wearing navy, red, black, rust coloured merino plus merlot and green cotton knit tops.

I have a lilac trench from 2020 that signals spring, and though I’ve worn my seafoam items all winter, they feel especially right on these cold but sunny early spring days. I just pulled out my pale blue scarf to pair with a pale blue beret.

Today I wore the same outfit I wore a week ago (column of navy). Under the cropped trench is a very heavy navy merino/cashmere blend sweater. Sunny day, but temps sat right on freezing (-1 to 1 degC)

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