Cold Spring strategies

Sal

It's been a really cold spring here - windy and chilly!!

What do other people do when you are over your winter wardrobe - but spring and summer clothes are just too cold to wear.

It's 13-16 C (55-60 F) for context. It would normally be more like 18-20 C at this time of the year.

2 years ago

Inspiration

23 replies

Latest reply was from Helena

Joy

Veteran

I save some pastel sweaters to wear in the spring. My strategy is winter clothes in spring colors. We usually have winter until June so it is tempting to beak out the spring woolies earlier but I think of those long cold spring days and wait. I also wear yellow and aqua and mint scarves, flower motifs and pretend that spring flowers are just under the snow. Lights and brights rule.

2 years ago

Joy

Veteran

This comes out in March so gets plenty of wear until May or June. Booties get a workout, especially white or off white tan or dove grey. I ban black and dark neutrals, being sick of them anyway.

2 years ago

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Ha! I have the opposite problem - I am ready to break out my jackets but it is still 28-31C around here. No real solution, except layering and shifting the colors if possible.

2 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

I have a longish suede coat in navy expressly for spring. It doesn’t see that much wear in a year but is *critical* in spring. Warm but doesn’t have the visual weight of one of my beloved puffies. Not that I ever totally abandon my puffies: I also have ‘sweater weight’ puffies.

2 years ago

Sally

Veteran

I have given up and resorted to wearing my jackets again until at least the cool weather subsides.

2 years ago

Anonymous

By the time spring comes I am tired of tights. I still wear boots with dresses and skirts but sans tights. And keep my feet happy with socks

2 years ago

Sal

Veteran

Good strategies Joy. In some years I have done a late winter update/refresh which can make all the difference. This time last year we were under restrictions and it's been relatively warm springs for the last three or four.

Last year these blouses got good wear in spring but this year they aren't warm enough....My denim jacket is coming into it's own!!

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2 years ago

Bonnie

Veteran

That is a big difference in temp. I live where it is 55 - 70F and windy or foggy most of the year so I have to honor the seasons with color changes. We rarely get temp. over 70F but yesterday it was 95F. We may have a dozen hot days over 80F each year so have to be prepared for that, too. I like your blouses and they should work for summer.

2 years ago

Bijou

Veteran

I use colour, this is a typical cold spring outfit for me to be warm and enjoy the new season.

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2 years ago

Joy

Veteran

Transitional weather in Spring and Fall is a challenge. Before moving here (Colorado) I did not own anything with sleeves except winter sweaters. That quickly changed when I realized transitional times were my major season rather than summer. It all
depends on your seasons at least some years. I have way more hot summer clothes than I can wear here. I had divided summer into Hot Spring, Mid-Summer and Hot Autumn to avoid boredom. Because of Global Warming, I have kept most of my hot weather items hoping some would wear out. Instead I had to create a transitional wardrobe. It meant stocking up on toppers for sleeveless tops and other tops with sleeves. Each year varies on the amount I need be transitional. For example Spring goes on forever with snow and heavy frost in May most years.

2 years ago

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Yes it’s blinking freezing isn’t it?!
I am so totally bored with my winter wardrobe but cannot cope if I am cold. At least my studded Oxfords have had heaps of wear and also this thrifted soft wool blazer ( $15 for it including matching skirt which doesn’t fit me but fits my university student daughter) has ended up with 13 wears already.

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2 years ago

Star

Veteran

Coloured cotton knits for cool Spring for me, and lighter jackets. Denim is not warm enough for our cool Spring though, so I have a lighter weight bomber jacket and a short trench.

2 years ago

Sisi

Veteran

Cold Spring indeed! I run cold therefore when Winter seems to last forever here (and it often happens) I continue to wear my Winter clothes even if I am sick of them. Finding warm clothes in Spring colours would be a solution but it is not always easy.

2 years ago

Anonymous

Cold spring is definitely problematic with my dark autumn coloring! Plus it's often raining in the early spring before it properly warms up. I have some light colored coats- camel long coat, beige puffer, and copper raincoat; cognac and brown snake booties; and a sweaters in camel and beige snake print. My new flowy print pants should be good too.

Normally though I: 1. Decide I hate my whole wardrobe 2. Go into the shops/ look online and hate those things more 3. Gripe on YLF

In the past I'd ...1. Same as above 2. Buy a bunch of innapropriate things (brights, navy, light colors that weren't right) 3. Hate those things by May

2 years ago

unfrumped

Veteran

I do some if the things Joy listed, but our cold spring doesn’t last too long, so I have to try not to overdo on items just for that- like cashmere or other warm sweaters in my more spring- summer colors, unless I will wear them some of the time in deep winter also. Plus, the transitional seasons usually call for layering or even changing clothes during the day( since I’m home a lot.)

I’m trying to find more creative ways to mix things up for seasonal “ feelings” - I have blouses I love but are too chilly with even a slight drop in temp, but may work with an underlayer. In reverse, I want to wear my leather jackets more in fall but need to try them over some SS T’s instead of LS’s.
One issue I have with chilly transitions even wearing jackets is that my “ front” gets cold because I seldom button blazers & jackets- so I need to wear my cami’s/ tanks more with a shirts/ blouse & light jacket, so less sleeve bulk but warmer front.
I still have a lot of scarves - hard to get rid of since they don’t seem so big, and I chose them because of how they brought outfits together, but I’m looking at how to use them more for that bit of pep for simple errands and such. I have some summer- weight scarves in some luscious colors and now that not working all day in air- conditioning, I never wear scarves in warmer weather. But am thinking of how they may work with cold spring or, if looking at new scarves ( haha- only if get rid of some), keep in mind what is the purpose, for outfit creation and bridging colors or seasons.
The other thing is I’m re- thinking some of my neutrals and how they can be re- mixed for this type of seasonal refresh. Angie has had some very good posts on combo’s like black, blue and white or earth tones with brights, really quite a few posts on unexpected color combinations that allows mixing up different weight ( warmth) garments. So that can help when I’m trying to be able to wear each item more times throughout year & take up less room for seasonal storage.

2 years ago

RobinF

Veteran

Ugh, yes transitional weather is the toughest for me to dress for. I agree that brighter colors help for spring, and layers. And just trying to be patient (which is the hardest!)

2 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

It's Winter here till June!! We have very cold Springs. Colder than yours, Sal.

I WRAP UP with:

Spring coats and knitwear is brights and pastels
Warm bright and pastel scarves
Light and bright boots and hi-tops
White jeans
KNEE HIGHS!!!

I stop wearing burgundy.

I wear a lot of white with navy.

No more faux fur.

2 years ago

Sal

Veteran

Thanks for the good ideas! I think saving a couple of winter things to wear from August- October is a good idea- not wearing them til late in the season. White jeans would have helped but I cut mine into shorts.

It’s not especially cold - it’s just colder than expected as Jenni and Sally are finding too. I think it may chagrin soon though!!

2 years ago

nemosmom

Veteran

Same as Joy - I have a small capsule of knits, toppers, and scarves in lighter colors that I can layer with. Our spring can stay winter-like until June when suddenly it’s rainy and 80. The brighter colors help my mood

ETA: after adding finds, I realize my capsule is just lighter greens with pops of yellow and orange :/

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2 years ago

cat2

Veteran

My solution is to keep a few lightweight pieces in Fall colors for Hot Fall and a few sweaters in Spring colors and a cream colored scarf and mitten set for Cool or Cold Spring. Spring colors for me are the linden green and the light grey blue that are in my palette, not actual pastels.

2 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Oh, Sal, I sympathize! We had a really frigid spring on our end, too, and it was awfully hard to dress for it. Back in Ontario, where cold spring is basically all there is, LOL, I had a "spring colour" capsule in cashmere (pale blue sweater, orchid sweater) and I tended to manage it that way as best I could.

I haven't really figured it out for my (our) current climate, I confess. I ended up wearing my darker winter things longer than I might have liked. I guess I need to work on that. Cashmere does not work for me in this climate except on the rare true winter day. I need merino in brighter, lighter tones.

One thing I did do was pull out my white jeans. Like Angie, I tried to put the burgundy away. I wear or try to wear my lighter coloured coats (still need more of these -- you CANNOT own too many coats in this climate, I've decided!).

2 years ago

Sal

Veteran

Thanks Suz! Yes white jeans probably have had a fair bit of spring wear in the past. I think I wore my denim so much through winter that I feel sick of them.

Yes moving adds a challenge - coastal weather is so different to inland.

2 years ago

Helena

Veteran

Sal, it sounds like you are having a Canadian spring!

Like others, my solution is warm pieces in springy colours (pink mostly for me, as you can see in my Finds below) ... and this means I do have a few pieces in my wardrobe that only get worn for a couple of weeks in cold spring, but it's well worth it for the mood boost!

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Acid-Wash Shaker-Stitch Button-Front Cardigan Sweater for Women

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2 years ago

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