Spring Wardrobe Refresh
With spring almost upon us, it’s time to tuck up your warm winter woollies and embrace your lighter, brighter pieces. But there’s no need to completely overhaul your entire wardrobe or go on a major spring shopping spree. With a few tweaks and updates, you can easily brighten up your winter wardrobe so it feels fresh and sprightly. Read on for our top spring wardrobe hacks, to help you effortlessly bridge the seasonal gap.
Spring clean your wardrobe
Image source: Martha Stewart
There’s no time like the start of spring to spruce up and deep clean your wardrobes and cupboards. Take everything out first (and we mean everything), then give these spaces a thorough hoover and wipe down, using the crevice tool on your vacuum cleaner when targeting the corners and edges. This is super important if you want to keep moths off your wintry pieces while they’re in storage (moths love lurking in dusty corners). Be sure to air these spaces regularly and keep them as well-ventilated as possible, to prevent the build-up of warm, damp or musty conditions throughout the rainiest season.
Sort out your wardrobe
Image source: Fed + Fit
If you’ve given your wardrobe a spring clean, it makes sense to declutter it too before putting your items away again (check out our article for the full details). Firstly look at and assess the condition of each item individually. Then sort into piles: KEEP (items you’ll continue to wear at least 30 times); REPAIR (items which need some TLC); STORE (items you’ll set aside depending on the season); GIVE (items you’ll donate or sell). Organise the items you’re keeping in helpful categories (style, colour, occasion, season), and make sure they remain visible, so that you don’t fall into the rabbit hole rummage trap again, and store out-of-season items in vacuum bags or airtight containers.
Store pieces with care
Stash your heavier outerwear, jumpers and cardigans towards the back of your wardrobe until next season, if you know you won’t wear them in the spring.
~ For coats made of natural materials, such as down, wool, leather and suede, hang them on sturdy wooden hangers (like these natural ones from Ikea), to help them retain their shape and remain wrinkle-free. Store them somewhere dry, dark, clean and cool (around 18ºC), to prevent moisture build-up, mould, and damage from sunlight.
~ If you’re tight on hanging space, you can pop nylon coats and fleeces in plastic containers, then tuck them away in a drawer or under your bed away from heat and light.
Puffer coats made from polyfill, as opposed to down feathers, can also be squished down to half their size and stored in vacuum storage bags (we love this one from Lakeland).
~ For jumpers and cardigans made from natural delicates fibres like wool or cashmere, pop them in an airtight container, and regularly spritz with some of our Cedarwood, Amber & Iris finishing spray to keep moths at bay (the cedar acts as a natural moth repellent) and infuse your pieces with long-lasting freshness. Be sure to avoid cardboard boxes, which larvae will simply chew through, and avoid letting cedarwood blocks or chips come into direct contact with your clothes (as these can transfer oil onto the fabrics and stain them).
Restyle your winter staples
Image source: Apartment Therapy
You can refresh your winter wardrobe with simple swaps and effective layering. The trick is knowing what to carry into the start of the spring season, and what to pair with what.
~ Knee-high boots + floaty dress. Pair a floaty spring dress with a cosy cardigan and tall knee-high leather boots at the start of the season, then swap the boots with trainers, and the cardigan with a classic denim jacket, once the weather warms up.
~ Neutrals + denim. When it comes to spring-coloured neutrals, lighten up wintry shades of grey and black with hues of biscuit, tan, ivory, cream and even white. Match a more lightweight, neutral-coloured jumper with everyday jeans or a denim skirt to effortlessly transition to spring, then swap the jumper for a classic shirt made of thick cotton (such as one of With Nothing Underneath’s brushed cotton boyfriend shirts) or pair your chunky winter knits with chalky white denim for a super fresh winter-meet-spring look.
~ Winter favourites + spring colours. Pair winter favourites like suede loafers with a lightweight trench coat in spring colours like blush pink or cherry red, or freshen up a more wintry all-black ensemble with versatile accessories like a brightly-coloured scarf.
~ Wool hoodie + spring staples. Layer a warm wool knitwear hoodie (we love Sheep Inc.’s merino wool thermo-regulating ones) over a slip dress or floaty midi dress to keep warm and cosy at the start of the season, then swap the hoodie for a versatile polo neck jumper paired with a shirt and blazer to merge style with comfortable practicality.
~ Mix unexpected fabrics together. For a contemporary and temperature-savvy twist, try combining fabrics and styles which wouldn’t usually cross seasons, like chiffon with wool, silk with tweed, or leather with cotton, mixing wintrier opaques and knitwear with lighter springlike pieces such as a cotton blouse or cool linen dress.
~ Swap florals for spots. If classic spring florals aren’t your thing, but you’re in need of a patterned piece to liven up your winter wardrobe, consider polka dots instead: they’re the perfect transitional print. For example, match a light and playful dotty dress (such as KITRI’s gorgeous new Lotta Polka Dot Shirt Dress) with wintry opaques and boots. You can then swap the boots for trainers or loafers. For something more subtle, pair playful patterned accessories, like a floral-print handbag, with more neutral-coloured staples.
Now you know how to refresh your wardrobe so you can step into spring with confidence.
Cover image by Trending US
