When it comes to clothes, I prefer quality over quantity. Invest in key pieces you can carry from season to season. This year, I am investing in a new pair of jeans and ballet flats that I know will be worn over and over again. Below you will find inspiration for your spring capsule wardrobe. Chicago has had a long and cold winter and a rainy start to spring. I am excited to jump into warm-weather clothes and enjoy dress and sandal season again.
Skinny jeans are headed out and straight jeans are the new trendy look when it comes to jeans. I recently purchased a pair of straight Hudson jeans that I LOVE. I had to get the length hemmed at my local dry cleaners. But it was a quick and easy alteration. I ordered the jeans online from Nordstrom. I needed them hemmed for Paris quickly or else I think Nordstrom could have done the alteration for me.
This is the one place I don’t splurge on when it comes to expensive t-shirts. If you have a favorite brand that you love, I would love to hear in the comments. I have been buying pocket t-shirts from Madewell each season. I buy just about every staple color and wash and repeat all Spring/Summer long. When the end of the year hits and it is time to retire them, there is usually a stain or tiny hole.
I love a white crisp shirt with a pair of jeans or a skirt. So I invested in one last year from J.Crew. I get mine dry cleaned in between wears to keep it crisp and white.
I wrote all about my Madewell sneakers here. The French love a good sneaker with jeans, skirts, or dresses.
This is another essential shoe for Spring/Summer. You can wear these with dresses, skirts, or shorts. There are a lot of different styles including flats, wedges, and ones that tie around your ankles.
My two favorite trenches are J.Crew which I own and Sézane. Make sure to size down in the J.Crew trench.
A blazer is a great layering piece over a t-shirt or button-down shirt. I styled it with a pair of jeans and sneakers below.
Saint James is the classic striped Breton shirt. You can also purchase a striped shirt at J. Crew or Madewell. I love my stripes and I always have a few in my closet. Sézane also has a great option. I wear this red one on repeat.
The Gaspard cardigan is my favorite year-round. In the fall or winter, it is great with jeans but in the spring you can wear it over a dress to keep warm. The pearl buttons can be worn on the front or back. The sweater runs a bit bigger than other Sézane pieces but I still wear my normal size S. I have it in pink and black and just added the blue.
I had someone ask me recently for a classic flat that was still dressy for summer. They didn’t want sneakers (that were too casual) which leads me to the ballet flat. I found the Demi ballet flat that I will be investing in this Spring in black leather. They look very similar to the French Repetto brand which I own but have a lot more support and a stronger sole for walking. Now that I have Henri, having a shoe that is easy to get on and off is a must.
When warm weather hits, I love throwing on a dress more than jeans or shorts. For my body type, I love a good wrap dress and I have two colors of the Nap Dress in black and white.
I have been going lighter when it comes to bags and my back feels so much better. I take Henri for regular walks so I need pockets in a jacket or a crossbody bag to keep a few essentials with me. Keys, hand sanitizer, a treat bag, and my phone are a must. The cross-body bags from Cuyana are my favorite. There are different styles and sizes but they all have a classic design and you will have them for years. All of my Cuyana bags have held up well.
I also love the Polène bag I purchased in Paris in October. I have the nano in black.
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