How to Look Infinitely Cooler Each Spring—Without Spending Any Money
It might be chilly in the morning, but we're edging ever closer to spring, and we'll be damned if we spend a minute more in sombre winter coats and tired woollen scarves. There's our big shakedown of the S/S 19 trends you can mull over for high-fashion inspiration, but we're aware that before such advanced outfit stages, a few practical micro-tweaks can be made so you feel up to speed. From the achievable level of bare-leg exposure (we don't think anyone is ready for full thigh in this weather) to the simple coat switch you can employ for instant warmer-weather power, we've worked out the seven easy moves a girl can make to shift into gear right now. Many of these swaps include pieces you'll have languishing at the back of your wardrobe. Just in case, I've added a few shopping options, but feel free to peruse your own rails for the easiest updates.
Keep reading to see what you should put on hold until next winter and what you should wear instead.
Store Away: Winter Hats
Start Wearing: Headbands and Hair Clips
Style Notes: Nothing says "new season" quite like a small accessorising update or two. Headbands have replaced warmer headgear as the fashion set's top outfit topper for early 2019, with velvet and satin padded styles proving to be the leader of the pretty pack.
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Style Notes: This year's statement earrings are basically hair clips—the more barrettes the better.
Store Away: Tights
Start Wearing: Long Hemlines and Boots
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Style Notes: If waving goodbye to 60 deniers seems daunting, take a two-step approach to ease in: A below-the-knee skirt and closed-toe shoes or boots will still feel on the sensible side of spring.
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Style Notes: Opt for a light skirt and boots. This is a combination that can be easily tweaked well into the summer.
Store Away: Heavy Outerwear
Start Wearing: Spring Jackets
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Style Notes: Wave buh-bye to navy, black or grey outerwear, and instantly upgrade any look into spring territory with the simple swap of jacket you can still layer under. Ada's tan safari jacket is a complete winner—it will still keep you warm with a roll-neck on underneath, but it screams 2019.
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Style Notes: Oversized menswear-style blazers have been trending during fashion week. We'd recommend picking up a vintage style for the best and most cost-effective route into the look.
Store Away: Gloomy Colours
Start Wearing: Bright or Light Hues
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Style Notes: The beige tones of your trench coat will always lend itself well to light colours and punchy pastels.
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Style Notes: One of the boldest spring moves you can make is to wear a single colour head-to-toe. We were sceptical about purple to begin with, but this is rather beguiling.
Store Away: Dark Jeans
Start Wearing: Neutral Denim
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Style Notes: With khaki chinos and neutral denim taking up two important sports in the trouser trend leaderboard this season, we urge you to put indigo jeans aside for a moment and try out something different, like a full beige-on-beige look.
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Style Notes: Basically take whatever you would have worn with your regular jeans and swap in for white, cream or ecru.
Store Away: Chunky Knits
Start Wearing: Slim Layering Tops
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Style Notes: Super-fine jersey or mesh layering turtlenecks have become a secret weapon for the fashion set.
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Style Notes: As well as thin mesh tops, we've also seen a sharp rise in neon roll-necks recently.
Store Away: Black Ankle Boots
Start Wearing: White Shoes
Style Notes: We love black ankle boots, we really do. But when you've been wearing them day in and day out, it's nice to know that some more exhilarating options do exist in the footwear world. Swapping in last year's white shoes are boots will instantly do the trick.
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Style Notes: Peeking out from pastel workwear layers, worn to weddings or taken on holiday, white shoes will see you right.
This post was originally published at an earlier date and has since been updated.