If you’ve been around PMT you know I am ALL ABOUT a versatile closet! Pieces that you can wear multiple ways makes for a streamline closet and easy dressing. Sometimes versatility means being able to wear pieces for different activities, like for a casual setting or a night out. I show you that often in the One Piece Many Ways remix posts. Other times, versatility means being able to wear something in different seasons, and that’s exactly what we’re talking about today!
As the weather turns from winter to spring, (and if that’s not happening for you yet, hang in there!) I want to share a few tips for how to make clothes change seasons. They help me get more use out of pieces, and I want to help you do the same! I’ll share all the tips at once and then walk through several examples illustrating them in action.
The three main things I focus on to style pieces for different seasons are 1) colors, 2) textures, and 3) shoes. In the winter, I wear heavier textures and usually darker colors. In the spring I focus on lighter colors and, when it warms up a bit, lighter textures.
Tip #1: In cooler or drearier weather, pair the item with a darker color palette and/or heavier-looking materials.
Tip #2: In springy weather, pair the item with lighter colors and lighter textures.
Tip #3: Wear heavier footwear in the winter, like boots and booties with heavier materials. In springy weather, if you can, go for sneakers and flats.
Now, you CAN wear whatever colors you want in any season. If you want to wear bright colors in the winter and darker colors in the spring, go for it! I do both once in a while because sometimes you’ve gotta change it up! If that’s the case, you can still make an item change seasons with the textures you pair it with and the footwear. Those things go a long way!
SIZING INFO: I’m 5’6″ and usually S/M or 6 in clothes, 8.5 to 9 in shoes.
Example 1: Striped Tee
A striped tee is one of my closet staples, and I’ve shown like a thousand ways to wear it over the years. 😜 (See striped tee outfits HERE.) Here’s one example of using the three tips above to style it for winter and spring.
In this first outfit, it’s styled for winter with a black cardigan, black jeans, and mustard scarf. I’ve got sneakers here, not boots or booties, but oh well. Note that in addition to the cardigan being a darker color, it’s also very thick. The scarf has a thick, heavy texture as well. Styling items for different seasons is not just about the color palette. Textures also add a lot to how an outfit feels!
Shop the Look:
Tee: H&M (similar, similar, similar)
Cardigan: Nordstrom (similar, similar, similar)
Jeans: Nordstrom (exact–wearing size 6)
Sneakers: Zappos (exact–wearing size 9)
Backpack: Lily Jade (similar, similar)
Scarf: c/o Conversation Pieces (similar, similar)
Now let’s see it in a spring look:
I kept the black jeans, but we shed the heavy cardigan for a light wash denim jacket and switched the dark sneakers for white slip-on sneakers. The colors, textures, and shoes transform it into a spring-appropriate look!
This denim jacket, BTW, is EXTREMELY comfortable. It’s so dang expensive, but it’s the most comfortable denim jacket I’ve tried. Super lightweight and very stretchy. Only downside is it doesn’t have pockets. But, it’s very fitted and flattering and crazy comfy! See it HERE in 4 washes. I’m wearing size M in Sweet.
Shop the Look:
Tee: H&M (similar, similar, similar)
Jacket: Nordstrom (exact–wearing size M in color Sweet)
Jeans: Nordstrom (exact–wearing size 6)
Sneakers: Zappos (similar, similar, similar)
Bag: Nordstrom (exact)
Earrings: c/o Nickel & Suede (exact–wearing size M)
Example 2: White Top
Here’s an example with another closet staple of mine, the All In Favor white tunic. (See all my outfits with it HERE.) I had so many options to choose from for this example, but I decided to go with ones that use the exact same cardigan to see how other textures, colors, and shoes play into things.
The winter outfit is a bundled up look with a thick blanket scarf and riding boots. The riding boots are beautiful for fall and winter, but they give off a heavy vibe (and are probably too warm) for spring. I topped it off with an oatmeal cardigan. You can check out other winter looks with this top in the archives.
Shop the Look:
Top: Nordstrom (exact–wearing size M)
Cardigan: Nordstrom (similar, similar, similar)
Leggings: Nordstrom (exact–wearing size M)
Boots: Nordstrom (similar, similar)
Bag: Nordstrom (similar, similar, similar)
Earrings: c/o Nickel & Suede (exact–wearing size M)
Scarf: Nordstrom (similar, similar)
Now, the spring look:
I used the same oatmeal cardigan from the winter look. But, the bottom half now uses medium wash distressed jeans for a brighter overall vibe, topped off with light colored loafers. And, the thick blanket scarf is gone! If a scarf is still needed for a cooler spring day, I’d switch it to a lighter weight gauzy scarf in brighter colors and spring prints.
Pretty fun to see how textures, colors, and shoes can change things, right?
Shop the Look:
Top: Nordstrom (exact–wearing size M)
Cardigan: Nordstrom (similar, similar, similar)
Jeans: Old Navy (similar, similar, similar)
Shoes: c/o Macy’s (similar, similar)
Bag: Nordstrom (similar, similar, similar)
Earrings: c/o Nickel & Suede (exact–wearing size M)
Necklace: c/o Dear Mushka (exact)
Example 3: Leggings
Let’s do leggings! Because leggings are black, which is in the “dark colors” category, I wanted to show you how to take dark pieces and create springy looks as well.
Here’s a winter outfit with leggings that I’ve shown plenty of times. It has a tunic sweater with a thicker texture. Then, I layered it up with more dark colors using the black vest and black Hunter boots. (You can swap the Hunters for tall black suede boots, too.)
These are the Zella leggings I talk about all the time. They’re thick, not see through at all, have flattering compression to hold everything together, and have a high, wide waistband that flattens a tummy and keeps the leggings up. See them HERE. I wear size M.
Shop the Look:
Sweater: c/o Nordstrom (similar, similar, similar)
Vest: J.Crew Factory (similar, similar)
Leggings: Nordstrom (exact–wearing size M)
Boots: Amazon (exact–wearing size 8)
Bag: c/o Sole Society (similar, similar)
Earrings: c/o Nickel & Suede (exact–wearing size M)
Necklace: c/o Dear Mushka (exact)
Here’s a spring look:
It utilizes the same tips, throwing on a lighter colored sweatshirt and lighter colored shoes. The sweatshirt is still plenty thick, but the color palette compensates for that, turning it into a springy outfit with leggings.
I have these sneakers in 3 colors, and they’re SOOO comfy. They have a memory foam footbed! I’ve got them in black (seen in the very first outfit pic of this post), grey, and this blush pink. Love this one for spring! See them HERE. I wear size 9.
Shop the Look:
Sweatshirt: JCPenney (exact–wearing size S)
Leggings: Nordstrom (exact–wearing size M)
Sneakers: Zappos (exact–wearing size 9 in Particle Beige)
Bag: Nordstrom (similar, similar, similar)
Earrings: c/o Nickel & Suede (exact–wearing size M)
Here’s another spring look with the leggings:
This is from a couple years ago when I was pregnant with Ella! (Not my current pregnancy, though I will look like that soon!) Take a bright colored tee and pair it with lighter colored sneakers for springy vibes. Since my t-shirt isn’t long enough to cover my rear, I tied a denim jacket around my waist. Easy trick whenever you need a little more coverage at the rear but don’t actually need to wear the layer!
Shop the Look:
Tee: Nordstrom (similar, similar, similar)
Jacket: Nordstrom (exact–wearing size M in color Sweet)
Leggings: Nordstrom (exact–wearing size M)
Bag: Nordstrom (similar, similar, similar)
Shoes: Kohl’s (similar)
Earrings: c/o Nickel & Suede (similar–I wear size M)
Example 4: Printed Blouse
For our last example, let’s do a printed piece. This one has a darker background, but regardless of whether the top has a lighter or darker background, you can winterize it with darker colors and heavier textures or make it springy with lighter color just the same.
This “winter” look works better for a milder winter day or for fall, and actually with the colors and pieces, it could even work for a colder spring day. But, the textures are a little heavy, and I want to show you what a difference lighter textures and different shoes can make. I also wanted to include an example that didn’t utilize dark colors. We can transform this top into an even springier look though. I’ll show two examples!
Shop the Look:
Top: Amazon (exact–wearing size 6 in Navy Vine Leaf Print)
Cardigan: Nordstrom (similar, similar, similar)
Jeans: Nordstrom (exact–wearing size 4)
Shoes: Nordstrom (similar, similar)
Bag: Nordstrom (exact)
Earrings: c/o Nickel & Suede (exact–wearing size M)
Necklace: c/o Dear Mushka (exact)
Here’s one:
I shed the layers and went for lightweight paper bag waist pants in a pastel blue. Paired with nude pumps, this look is spring-ready!
These pants are very, very stretchy and very inexpensive at around $20-$25ish average depending on size and color. Though, be warned–they don’t feel like luxurious fabric. They feel appropriate for the price, but stretchy and easy to wear because of that! They come in 13 colors! Find them HERE. I wear size S.
Shop the Look:
Top: Amazon (exact–wearing size 6 in Navy Vine Leaf Print)
Pants: Amazon (exact–wearing size S in Blue)
Shoes: Target (similar, similar, similar)
Earrings: c/o Nickel & Suede (exact–wearing size M)
Here’s another spring example:
This time, I lightened up the palette even more with white jeans. Then, I added yellow flats and yellow earrings for some fun pops of color!
The yellow flats from Amazon are some of my spring staple shoes. They’re very inexpensive at around $27 but feel WAY better than comparably priced flats from Old Navy and Target. The latter feel like cardboard on my feet, but these Amazon ones have a soft, flexible upper that has NOT done that weird cardboard-crease that cheaper shoes tend to do. They run slightly wide, so if you have super narrow feet these may not work for you. I wear size 9. They come in yellow, red, taupe (all of which I own), black, navy, and leopard print. See them HERE.
The yellow leather knit earrings by Nickel & Suede are also some of my spring and summer favorites. I am SO glad they’re back! They’re made of leather, so they’re extremely lightweight. You get a statement earring without the pain or annoyance that comes with big, heavier earrings. Nickel & Suede is the earring brand I’ve been exclusively wearing for the last…what is it now, 3 years? If you’ve ever seen a pair of earrings on me in the last 3 years, it’s been Nickel & Suede! They are expensive, but the quality is superior. See all Nickel & Suede earrings HERE.
Shop the Look:
Top: Amazon (exact–wearing size 6 in Navy Vine Leaf Print)
Jacket: Nordstrom (exact–wearing size M in color Sweet)
Jeans: LOFT (similar, similar, similar)
Shoes: Amazon (exact–wearing size 9)
Bag: J.Crew Factory (exact)
Earrings: c/o Nickel & Suede (exact–wearing size M)
Necklace: Nordstrom (similar, similar, similar)
Again, you can wear whatever colors you want in any seasons, but paying attention to colors, materials and textures, and shoes are the easiest ways to change up your clothes for different seasons! Happy remixing!
