Elevate Your Spring Wardrobe
When you have your spring wardrobe basics covered, it might be time to elevate it or add more variety. One way to do it is by adding different styles, patterns and colours.
Add new styles to your outerwear
If you already have a trench coat, a simple blazer, a quality denim jacket and a military overshirt, it’s time to add new styles to your rotation. Try a herringbone, houndstooth, or check-patterned sportscoat in wool or linen. Or maybe something more casual, like a Navy Field Jacket - an elevated version of a jungle jacket. To make a statement, go for a suede or leather jacket. On warmer days, when you need just a little extra protection, a padded vest is a great option. With vests, you have more room to experiment, so you can choose a brighter color like yellow or red. If you prefer to keep it simple and compatible with most of your wardrobe, stick with natural colors like navy, olive, brown, or tan.
Top row from left to right: Drake’s, Lavenham, Fortela, Buzz Rickson’s, Natalino
Bottom row from left to right: Poszetka, Valstar, Baracuta, The Anthology, Poszetka
Colourful Knitwear
If you prefer your jackets in simple, natural tones, you can add a little pop of color with knitwear. Spring is perfect for pastels like baby blue, light yellow, or pink, or you can stick with colors like red and green that also work well in winter. You can go with a crewneck or a knitted polo on colder days, or if you're not sure how warm it will get, choose a cardigan so you can wear it completely open if needed.
Top row from left to right: Drake’s, Rubato, Harley of Scotland, H.N.White
Bottom row from left to right: William Crabtree, Malloch’s, Jamieson’s of Shetland, Jamieson’s of Shetland
Spring Shirt Selection
On a sunny day, it can get very warm in spring, so work on layering. When it comes to shirts, you should have the basics covered: a quality white tee, an OCBD, and a clean polo. To add more variety, get a t-shirt in any color, but I would start with navy or grey. To make it more interesting, look for striped tees.
Your shirt collection should include simple white, blue, and striped shirts. If you're a very casual dresser, ecru might be a better option, as plain white can quickly look too serious. A chambray work shirt and a western denim shirt are also classic options to consider. They both work great with jeans, chinos, and even tailoring. With striped shirts, you can be more creative with colors, but blue stripes are the safest option to begin with. If you like to wear your casual shirts open, I suggest getting a nice ribbed tank top. It adds extra texture to your outfit and makes the whole look even more relaxed by showing a bit of your upper chest because of the lower neckline.
The same goes for polos, you should start simple with cream or navy. If you want to add more color to your outfit, go with pink, light yellow, baby blue, or green. If you want something more interesting than a plain polo, a rugby shirt might be the answer. The simple version usually has a contrasting collar, but if that’s not enough, look at striped versions. With those, you get plenty of options—you can go with a simple two-tone design or something with 4-5 different colors of stripes and a contrast collar. If you really want to make it pop, this is the way to do it.
Top row from left to right: Sunspel, Merz B. Schwanen, Buzz Rickson’s, Poszetka, Natalino, Rubato
Bottom row from left to right: Poszetka, John Smedley, Merz B. Schwanen, Fortela
Keep it simple with trousers
I would keep trouser rotation simple. It is easier to show more personality with a jacket, sweater or a shirt. Simple ecru, blue and indigo jeans, grey and navy trousers and khaki chinos. You can add olive or brown to have more variety.
Accessorise with neckwear
A bandana is a great way to add another pattern or a pop of color to your outfit. If you don’t want it to stand out too much, you can tuck it under your collar so only the edge peeks out, creating a minimal, more subtle contrast. You can also wear it in your jacket pocket or the back pocket of your trousers, letting it show just a bit.
Unpredictable spring weather requires good layering, so choose garments that will work well with your existing wardrobe and add a bit of color or texture. If you prefer to keep your wardrobe completely neutral, think about adding a colorful scarf or bandana, and you'll see how much of a change a little accessorizing can make.
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