Transitional dressing
As winter gradually begins to relinquish its icy grip and the first whispers of spring float through the air, dressing appropriately for the day ahead can need a little thought, and layering. That said, this transitional season can be a great time to extend the wear of your winter wardrobe and pull forward some of your spring favourites with just a few clever styling tweaks. Here are our five tips to help you navigate this sartorial shift with effortless style:
1. Embrace the Power of Layering
Transitional dressing is fundamentally all about clever layering in natural, breathable fabrics so you stay warm, but comfortable. To maintain a sleek, elegant silhouette without bulky layers, start with a lightweight base such as a silk or merino (Falke, Wolford and Patra are great options). Undetectable under dresses, they are great for those cold starts. Adding a fine-knit cashmere cardigan or tank over a dress can also help keep you toasty until the temperature starts to rise. To finish your look, opt for a tailored blazer or trench on warmer days, or a wool coat for frostier mornings. When layering, look to keep to a tonal colour palette but mix textures for styling interest.
2. Incorporate Spring Hues Into Your Winter Wardrobe
Winter wardrobes often lean towards darker, richer jewel shades, while spring tends to lighten its palette with pastels and brighter hues. As the days draw out, start by weaving in softer, muted florals, or more uplifting, vibrant accents to signal the seasonal shift. Taking our navy and boucle Ahana styles as an example, instead of pairing them with winter tights and boots, look to switch up your accessories to lighter cream leathers and suedes, or tonal baby blues as a seamless way to bridge the gap between winter’s depth and spring’s lightness.
3. Play with Transitional Fabrics
The fabrics of your transitional wardrobe are critical during this in-between season. Think lightweight merinos, cotton corduroy and luxurious silks. These materials offer the perfect combination of warmth and breathability, allowing you to stay comfortable regardless of the weather. Our houndstooth check comes in two scales this season, our finer Ahana Houndstooth Check Dress and our maxi Sawyer Houndstooth Coat. Both are great for spring as a trans-seasonal woven; we love them worn now with a luxe cream leather boot and the Sawyer coat’s detachable scarf means it can worn all the way through till spring. Cotton corduroys are also great for this time of year; tactile and warm to touch, the organic cotton also means they are lightweight and breathable, perfect for warmer days. Pair our Nalini Midi Dress with ballet flats, or light-toned ankle boots with a crisp trench for a timeless spring look.
4. Style with Separates
For the ultimate in versatility, focus on the separates in your wardrobe. A statement blouse, such as our Bonnie Jacquard style, that was worn to formal events over Christmas can now be layered with a knit and paired with smarter indigo denims to get even more wear out of it. A silk skirt - like our versatile monochrome Arabella polka dot midi skirt - is a great texture to balance out a chunkier knit now, or a finer cashmere in spring. Stick with a neutral palette, or pair it with a spring bright for a burst of seasonal colour.
5. Accessorise Thoughtfully
Accessories are the unsung heroes of transitional dressing. It may be time to say goodbye to your knitted scarves and hats, but now is the time to play with changing out your accessories for lighter tones and materials. A silk neckerchief, sunglasses, a structured bag and spring footwear, including loafers, ballet flats and ankle boots, are all options to instantly update a winter look to feel lighter and brighter.
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