After months of dreary weather and dark mornings, it’s natural to be excited about spring’s arrival. However, as much as we're enjoying the start of the new season, adjusting your wardrobe to accommodate the unpredictable forecasts in March, April and May can be tricky. But, there’s more to assembling your spring outfits than you might think; There's a whole host of new trends to consider, and it's important to get the balance of being warm but not swamped under thick layers just right.
So, I am here to help you streamline this process by presenting you with the pieces my knowledgeable colleagues and I consider to be the most versatile and classic spring fashion items you can own. Essentials, go-tos, wardrobe fail-safes—whatever you want to call them, these 12 timeless spring pieces will be the unshakable foundations of any capsule wardrobe for the season ahead.
You can throw practically any of the below items together, and you’re guaranteed they’ll work seamlessly together. They’ll also pair well with statement pieces in your wardrobe, helping you to carve a more elevated-looking aesthetic in the process. So which classic spring fashion items would I recommend? Scroll on to see all 12.
1. LIGHTWEIGHT BLAZER
Style Notes: After opting for woollen textures for winter, one of the first spring style switches I make is transitioning to a lighterweight blazer. If linen feels too summery for you, consider another fluid material.
SHOP BLAZERS:
I’m considering investing in this versatile hue.
A staple for any wardrobe.
2. SQUARE SCARF
Style Notes: Although the square scarf is having a moment, I think it’s one of the most classic accessories you can wear any time of the year. For spring, fashion types are wearing theirs loosely around their necks with thin knitwear (more on that later).
SHOP SCARVES:
This will go with every outfit.
This has gone straight onto my wish list.
3. STRAIGHT-LEG JEANS
Style Notes: While you can absolutely have fun with your denim, it always pays to have a pair of classic straight-leg jeans at your disposal. They’ll work best to offset bright and statement separates like Smyth’s chic electric blue blouse above.
SHOP JEANS:
Our editors have professed their love for this specific pair of M&S jeans over and over.
A slightly slouchier silhouette will earn you extra cool points.
4. OVERSIZED SHIRT
Style Notes: Shirts are a year-round staple, but I think they look their chicest in spring, worn with either ankle boots or loafers, tucked nonchalantly into jeans. Leave the collar unbuttoned for a relaxed feel.
SHOP SHIRTS:
The oversized pocket further elevates this crisp shirt.
H&M always has a great selection of essentials.
5. WOVEN TOTE
Style Notes: As the brighter days begin to roll in, I tend to find that the black leather handbag I’ve been carting around all winter feels too stark against the lighter shades I seem to favour. To rectify this, I’ll be changing it up with a woven tote bag—the sort influencers dig out each spring.
SHOP TOTES:
Dragon Diffusion is a brand to bookmark for 2024.
The White Company's bags are especially chic this season.
6. NEUTRAL TRENCH
Style Notes: It’s still too soon to go out sans coat, but you can absolutely start thinking about trading in your woollen wonders for something lighter—and there's really no other choice than a trench coat.
SHOP TRENCH COATS:
Lighter shades of stone will work better with cooler colour palettes of grey, navy, and black.
This trench is by no means cheap but it genuinely looks designer.
7. FLORAL DRESS
Style Notes: We all know the quote from The Devil Wears Prada, but florals are and will always remain integral to the spring aesthetic, and it doesn’t get more classic than a floral dress.
SHOP DRESSES:
I can’t stop thinking about this beautiful dress.
Reformation's dresses are always a hit.
8. THIN KNIT
Style Notes: Don’t get me wrong—I have a huge soft spot for chunky cable knits and fluffy cardigans, but by the time spring kicks into gear, I’m more than ready to wave goodbye to them until autumn. Instead, once temperatures start to rise, I start donning thin (most likely ribbed) knitwear.
SHOP KNITWEAR:
I’m still really into knitwear with polo collars.
A beautiful cardigan is just the ideal layering piece for spring.
9. TAILORED TROUSERS
Style Notes: I’ve never been much of a trouser person, but this spring, it’s hard to ignore just how chic the tailored pairs on offer look. With more options than ever before, perhaps 2024 is the year I finally embrace them for myself after admiring them from afar for so long. When I do, I want to wear them exactly like Grace Ghanem.
SHOP TROUSERS:
One of the very best pairs of tailored trousers on the high street.
I have visions of wearing these with a racer vest and rectangular sunglasses.
10. MINIMALISTIC LOAFERS
Style Notes: We live in Britain, where boots remain a solid footwear solution year round. Still, when I get fatigued of my pairs—something I suspect is imminent—loafers become my go-to. Less flimsy than other flats, they have a practical feel to them but also look inherently classic.
SHOP LOAFERS:
The loafer that ignited the fashion world’s obsession with the shoe all those years ago.
Some of the best the high street has to offer.
11. SLIP SKIRT
Style Notes: Slip skirts might have started out as a trend, but after years of staying on the style agenda, they’re now a wardrobe classic. Come spring, I like to experiment with brighter hues, but I typically gravitate towards neutral versions of this modern staple.
SHOP SKIRTS:
This ankle grazer will work hard for you all year round.
This is sitting in my basket as we speak.
12. BRETON TOP
Style Notes: I know it’s borderline cliché, but I’m here for anything that makes my outfits feel more French. This is probably why my drawers are populated with Breton-stripe tops. Tucked into jeans or worn with the above slip skirts, they’re a spring-style staple I’ll never be without.
SHOP TOPS:
Relaxed shoulders loan themselves to the casual Breton stripe.
You know you're in safe hands buying your Breton from a French brand like Sézane.
This story was originally published at an earlier date and has since been updated.
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