Thomas StewartWe live our lives according to the seasons. Just by looking at food, fashion, even entertainment, we know that this statement is true. But it’s the control the seasons have over fashion that we’re interested in and it is arguably the factor that is most affected. Two of the four seasons are straightforward. In winter we have to wear coats, hats and scarves. Summer, its shorts, t-shirts and sunglasses. But what do we wear in the pesky, less straightforward seasons? Spring, for example, is the season that’s drawing close. Spring where it still rains as the sun shines. Spring where it can be cold and yet warm. So what do we wear during spring? Well, we’re here to tell you.
We have to look at our winter clothes and think how do we use our styles, our choices affectively as we head into the new season. A perfect example of this is our coat. The coat that we’ve cherished through the winter, that’s kept us warm and stylish, may now have to be abandoned. It’s too warm to wear a coat but it’s too cold not to wear one. So how do we incorporate? We wear a jacket. We’ve taken our stylistic influences from the winter and channelled them into the spring season. A jacket is a less intense version of a coat – it’s lighter and – depending on your use – can be both smart and casual.
In addition to incorporating, you can also evolve. I use this phrase in the sense of taking what you wear in winter and evolving it into your spring usage. The scarf is a perfect example of this. In winter, we use the scarf to keep us warm but in spring it can be used as the main feature of our outfit. If you wear a white shirt you could add a red scarf and bring a different kind of feel to what you’re wearing. By doing this, you’ve taken a need (for winter) and made it a stylistic option (for spring).
These options aren’t limited. There’s a misguided sense when it comes to putting outfits together for spring but this is only because we haven’t seen what’s right in front of us. To extend our scarf idea we could do the same with hats or gloves. We can model the essentials of winter into simple options for spring. If we look at it this way then all of the items we wore in winter are waiting to be transformed for spring. From coats to scarves, hats to gloves, even jumpers we can do this.
With jumpers, for example, you don’t change what you wear it with; you change how you wear it. Rolling up for the sleeves of a jumper changes how you want to be perceived and shows that you’ve adapted to the seasonal surroundings. Need more proof? Look below at the three looks created, each taking the ideas discussed and – as you will soon have to do – transforming them:
Look One
This look highlights what we were talking about when we discussed evolving the scarf. Here, the scarf is used in a smart outfit but brings a new flavour of style to the look. The Liberty London scarf – my new obsession at the moment – adds your own personal stamp on a seemingly generic outfit. As well as this, you’ve taken the essence of a scarf, the basics being to stay warm, and fused it into a spring friendly look.
Look Two
Here we have the jacket. An arguably simple look but one that shows the transition from winter to spring. The jacket – accompanied with the jeans and shoes – is a smart-casual look, showing that the jacket can be used in many different ways. If you wanted to swop the jeans for trousers, for example, the jacket still stands and you have a smart look. The jacket is versatile, that’s why we take it from the coat and use it in spring.
Look Three
Of course, we wouldn’t be wearing bobble hats in spring but with beanies you’ve added a feature to an outfit. Much like jackets, beanies can be worn in smart and casual situations. This look is much more casual and shows that the beanie and the cardigan complement each other well. As well as practical, it’s stylish – which you know we’re all about – and it is a key example of incorporating winter looks into spring.
Conclusion
Feel a bit more prepared for spring? I hope you do. Sitting down and thinking about what’s head – in terms of the seasons – is crucial and, most importantly, fun. As you know, we’re all about putting outfits together and enjoying putting them together. So what outfits have you got ahead of you? How do you feel about the idea of incorporating winter to spring via fashion? Let us know in the comments!