Spring Musings
the vibe for the coming season, for me personally
Hello my friends,
Spring? Sprung! I often say that my favourite season is always the next one. I find myself more excited for the transitional time between than I am for the actual season itself, and this particular shift from Winter into Spring is my favourite of all. The return of the light, the warmth, the new growth, the blossoms, it all feels very tender and hopeful, and that’s exactly what I need more of these days. The anticipation of warmer weather has me feeling inspired and excited to hang with my clothes and bring to life the ideas that have been steeping over the last few months.
If these ideas feel familiar to you- it’s because many of them are! I never start from scratch with my seasonal inspiration and many of the images on my moodboards and the ideas on my lists are recycled from seasons past. The first place I look when I’m thinking about how I want to express my style in a new season is my musings from the previous year. I prune what no longer feels relevant, and bring in anything that has caught my eye. For me the most interesting thing about seasonal inspirations is how they interact with the bigger story already playing out in my wardrobe. My goal is to connect style, sustainability, and storytelling, and allowing my ideas to grow roots and ripen over time feels much more aligned than starting fresh each season. There are images in this Spring collection that have been kicking around my Pinterest for more than 5 years, and they still feel just as inspiring this season as they did when I first came across them.
See the whole moodboard here
This season I’m thinking about sculptural silhouettes, sporty styling references, shine in unexpected places, asymmetry, and simple but impactful accessories. I’m connecting to two of my perennial muses- Carrie Bradshaw and Georgia O’Keeffe- by leaning into individuality and my style signatures. I want to cultivate a sense of ease and refinement without sacrificing the sense of humour that is so integral to my personal style. I’ll be reconnecting with my Personal Style Themes, and dedicating time to intentional wardrobe exploration. I want to make more clothes than I buy this year, and I want to challenge myself to push at the edges of my comfort zone with styling.
My keywords for the season are: Nostalgic- Sculptural- Easy- Playful
As usual I’ve included my moodboard, some key imagery, and a peek at the ideas speaking to me this season. There is also a deeper dive video coming to Youtube next week. As always, I’ve broken down my inspiration into colour, texture, and silhouette, and I encourage everyone to try this method for any inspiration that crosses your desk.
Colour- I’m still so happy with my Baseline palette that I updated in the Fall, but I wanted to tweak my wildcards for Spring. My Winter wildcard colours were pale pink, oxblood, teal, and turquoise (read more about them here). I got lots of wear out of teal and turquoise, so they’ve both been moved back into my Baseline, but I never managed to bring pink and oxblood into the mix. I’m not feeling as excited by oxblood for Spring, so it’ll be going on the back burner. I’m still fascinated by pale pink, so I’ll keep it on board as a wildcard for the season. There are also two specific shades of blue that are calling to me- dutch blue, something soft and a bit dusty, and also indigo, something a bit lighter and more twilight-y than navy, with a hint of purple.
Texture- I’m talking unexpected metallics, sequins and paillettes like a smattering of fish scales, swishy nylon ripstop, freaky feathers, as well as transitional classics like crispy cotton poplin, busted denim, and the frayed cuffs and collars of vintage loopback terry sweats- all of it crinkled and wrinkled and unafraid of a sudden Spring shower. This is still an area of my wardrobe that I’m looking to add depth to, and I’ll be keeping my eyes peeled for textures that catch my eye at the thrift. I know for certain that I want to DIY a feather brooch, and I’m hunting for the perfect iridescent linen fabric to make a pair of slouchy and shiny pants.
Silhouette- I feel like I’ve been saying this for the better part of a year, but I’m really craving some new shapes in my wardrobe. I’m curious about manipulating the silhouettes of pieces I already own- there’s a lot that can be done with a carefully placed safety pin (or brooch!) and a button up shirt- and also making and acquiring pieces that will bring some variety into my collection. I’m dreaming of an easy breezy sculptural top that can elevate my sporty shorts and jeans.
Honourable mention- Harlequin!
My obsession with this pattern has been building steadily for the last few years, ever since I stumbled upon Remy’s (@archivecraft) diamond patchwork pants in 2021. I am notoriously averse to prints/patterns in my wardrobe (with the exception of stripes obviously), but there is something so fun and nostalgic about this pattern, and I think I’m finally ready to give in to the pull of dressing a bit like a court jester.
As always, this is not intended as a trend report or list of recommendations- just a peek at the ideas swirling around in my mind as we shift into Spring (here in the Northern Hemisphere). I hope this letter can inspire you to investigate your own interests as the seasons change instead of feeling the pressure to buy a whole new wardrobe. Breaking down your inspiration into colour/texture/silhouette will help you to better understand why you like that outfit/item/idea, which will help you to make more informed choices when bringing in new pieces. I would LOVE to hear what’s catching your eye this season, leave a comment if you please!
BITS/BOBS/ETC.
I’m available for Indyx Lookbooks! Here’s a look at my styling process!
Spring wishlist coming soon to Youtube- and maybe here as well?
Thanks so much for reading my friends, I’ll be back soon with more sustainable + attainable style for you.
Carrie Bradshaw x Georgia O’Keeffe is a god tier combo. Consider me inspired!
inspired again!