Wednesday, April 8, 2015

On Spring Transitions

Anne and Shea are running a spring style linkup every Tuesday this month so I thought this week's iteration would be a good opportunity to start to share a little bit about my spring capsule wardrobe.

This week's prompt is about spring transitions -- that is, how we're wearing items from our winter wardrobes in new ways for spring.

My spring capsule contains 17 items carried over from my winter capsule. Here they are:

black skirt leggings | gray skinny jeans | mid-wash skinny jeans
mid-wash bootcut jeans | black merino knit straight skirt | black jersey dress
gray tunic sweater | gray scoopneck layering sweater | ivory scoopneck layering sweater
ivory Aran cardi | gray shawl-collar cardi | ballet-pink cardi
camel shawl-collar cardi | gray tall boots | black ballet flats
black ankle boots | tan clogs

Here in Seattle, we tend to have mild, rainy winters followed by cool, wet springs. Or to put it another way, the weather...is really pretty much the same in spring as it is in winter. Okay, yes, I'm exaggerating a little bit (and this past winter was an unusually warm one, which is probably obscuring the seasonal difference in my mind). But in general, because of my lizard-bloodedness I'm likely to be wearing layers and warm sweaters on most days until...oh, the end of May or so.

In fact, that's one of the reasons the capsule wardrobe approach appeals to me. By varying my color palette during the cooler seasons, winking items in and out of my active wardrobe, I can create a sense of seasonal transition and variety even though I'm wearing pretty much the same outfit formulas for 9 or 10 months straight. So right now, rather than figuring out how to transition items from my winter wardrobe for warmer weather, I'm experimenting with putting items in a different context to make them feel new.

That's the theory anyway, and I have to say that so far I'm having fun playing with this. Here are a few examples:

First, my goes-with-just-about-everything Aran cardigan. In winter:

gray tall boots | gray skinny jeans | lavender cashmere tee | ivory Aran cardi
Russian silver earrings | abalone ring | photo-print scarf
And in spring, an almost identical formula, but feels like a different season to me:

gray tall boots | gray skinny jeans | eyelet-trim Breton tee
ivory Aran Cardi | voile infinity scarf
Here's another common Aran cardigan formula, this time with blue jeans and clogs. Winter version:

tan clogs | medium-wash skinny jeans | fuchsia layering sweater | ivory Aran cardi
agate ring | abalone ring | garnet earrings | teacup-print scarf
And the spring iteration:

red peep-toe clogs | medium-wash skinny jeans | Breton tee
ivory Aran cardi | ladybug socks :-) | coral ombre scarf

My black skirted leggings are a go-to weekend piece for me almost year-round. Here's how I wore them in winter:

black casual tall boots | black skirted leggings | fuchsia layering tee | burgundy long cardi
wedding rings necklace | pink pearl drop earrings | abalone ring
And here's how I'm wearing them in spring:

black ankle boots | black skirted leggings | gray scoopneck layering tee | navy argyle cardi
gray pearl earrings | green stone ring | silver salmon ring | coral ombre scarf
Finally, my black jersey dress remains a comfortable but presentable standby that I often turn to when I have work meetings outside the house. Here's how I wore it to meet with some editors back in January:

black dressy tall boots | black tights | black jersey dress | fair isle cardi
black/silver bangle | agate ring | blue stone earrings
And here's how I wore it to a conference just yesterday:

black ankle boots | black tights | black jersey dress
lavender cardi | butterfly hoop earrings | braided metal bracelet

6 comments:

  1. I love that you showed winter combinations, and how you used the same piece but changed it up for spring. I agree that changing your color palette a little and adding a few accessories can really change the look. I love that pretty bright pink scarf and the eyelet-trim breton tee!
    Thanks for linking up!

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    1. Thanks, Shea! The scarf and tee are two of my favorite pieces for spring. Glad you like them 'cause...I guess you'll see more of them under "spring essentials"!

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  2. Interesting to see your carry-overs versus what would be on my list - weather really makes a difference, doesn't it? But I love your point about varying the colors. As long as you don't get bored, how great to know your uniform and then be able to keep it fresh in this way.

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    1. Yes, it is nice to have a uniform figured out! It works for me because I like more of my wardrobe variety to come from playing with color rather than playing with silhouette. (I know others are different -- and I actually suspect that variety in silhouette better facilitates smaller capsule wardrobes, but oh well!) That said, there's a lot to be said for busting out of the uniform now and then and trying something new, so more on that when we get to "spring inspirations." :-)

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  3. I love capsule wardrobes, and I love seeing what other people do with them. Since I'm only a few miles south (Portland) I totally get what you're doing here. I have a very similar uniform for fall-spring (the months I work). Something on the bottom (or a dress), a layering piece, and a sweater/jacket. Have to say, though, that with the mild weather we've been having, I'm about done with my tall boots. Put them away for the season just this morning.

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    1. Yup, I knew a fellow PNW-er would get it! I hear you on taking advantage of the mild weather, too. I'm dipping into what I would normally consider "summer" clothes, given the usual briefness of the warm season around here it seems silly not to take advantage of these warm days.

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