Spring Wardrobe Favorite Building Blocks

A couple of times in the fall I posted some of my personal staples for the season, and as I was browsing online I saw a lot of what I’d consider personal spring staples in stores.  Today I rounded them up along with the links to all the ways I’ve worn mine!
I plan to do a follow up post with other favorites that maybe aren’t building blocks but more add-ons to make my spring wardrobe more interesting.  Also, I did not include shoes today because I also want to do another follow up post with my basic spring footwear.  There were so many of my favorites back in stock that it called for a separate post!
Anyway, below are two types of links: 1) Links to purchase the items below and additional options, and 2) Links to my past posts wearing my version of these to give you some inspiration.
Most pieces are H&M, Old Navy, and LOFT with a couple others sprinkled in.
Striped Tee (short sleeve): Option 1 (exact)  |  Option 2   
A few years ago I really, really did not understand what the big deal was with stripes.  I started with an $8 one from Target just to try, and now I see the light!  It’s as comfy as your plain favorite tee but makes outfits way more interesting with way less work.  Throw an accessory over it with some well-fitting jeans, and all of a sudden you’re put together.  It also makes a great base for any completer piece on top: a cargo jacket, leather jacket, cardigan, blazer, vest, denim jacket–you name it!
(I have wayyyyy more outfits back in the archives with striped tees, but unfortunately I haven’t labeled the posts that far back so they won’t show up in the links above.  You can search for even more in the Facebook outfit galleries from past years.)

Striped Tee (long sleeve): Option 1 (exact)  |  Option 2
Sometimes for spring I appreciate a longer sleeved version.  Like, if I want to wear shorts one day but it’s a little breezy for shorts and a short-sleeved top, it’s nice to have a longer sleeved version in your arsenal.


Lace or crochet tee: Option 1 (exact)  |  Option 2  |  Option 3 (crochet)
outfit ideas 1  |  outfit ideas 2 (tank top)
This is another piece I had no idea I’d wear so much.  I’ve said a billion times before that I always felt like lace was too girly or delicate, but then I realized there are a lot of different patterns of lace, plus there are crochet pieces that have a similar feel to lace but are more on the boho side.  


Spotted Top: Option 1 (exact)  |  Option 2  |  Option 3
outfit ideas 1 (short sleeve)  |  outfit ideas 2 (long sleeve)  |  outfit ideas 3 
I have all sorts of spotted tops, and I’m trying to refrain from getting too many!  Similar to the striped tops, a spotted or polka dot pattern is interesting enough to stand alone but also doesn’t need to be the central focus all the time which makes it great for mixing and matching!  Again, add a simple necklace or a statement one with plain or colored bottoms of any type and you’ve got a perfectly springy outfit.  Or combine it with any completer piece for cooler spring weather.  So easy!

Cargo Jacket: Option 1 (exact)
This is one of my favorite completer pieces because it has a little more character than cardigans.  They’re usually neutral, either khaki, olive, or sometimes grey, which means they go with many pieces.  A cargo jacket also provides a great contrast to many feminine springy pieces like lace or florals.  That’s helpful for someone like me who doesn’t like to feel too girly on a day to day basis.  And lastly, before I became a mom I wore these, but now as a mom I feel like this jacket is durable for all the drool, food from sticky fingers, and the tugging and grabbing that little ones tend to do.

Denim Jacket: Option 1 (exact)  |  Option 2  |  Option 3 
The easiest piece for me to pair with dresses or skirts in the spring is a denim jacket.  It instantly pulls together any look, and of course it can also be worn with pants and shorts.  I used to wear one of these back in college allll the time, over 10-14 years ago (OMG I can’t believe it’s been 14 years since I started college!) but wasn’t sure if they were cool once I started blogging.  I started wearing mine again anyway a few years ago and am glad to say that I don’t think they’re ever going to be uncool.  

Floral Skirt: Option 1 (exact) plus 10 other prints
I love both my a-line and pencil floral skirts.  I say often that floral patterns are incredibly easy to pair with because you can just pull one of the many colors out of the print and use it in accessories or any other pieces to create a cohesive outfit.  Very easy!

White Skirt: Option 1 (exact)
I don’t think I’ll be able to wear a white skirt once I have toddlers running around, but for now I’m going to milk it for all I can.  I love how fresh and light they make an outfit!  And I just realized I should have added white jeans to this list too…oops.  Oh well.  Skirt it is!  
I just bought the one pictured above to replace my old one.  I’m usually 6/8 on bottom and size 8 fit me best.  

Solid Neutral Dress: Option 1 (exact)  |  Option 2
Dresses are so carefree, especially comfy jersey dresses.  A solid neutral one is a blank canvas for perfect mixing and matching!  Dress it up with sleek heels and a classy necklace, or pair it with sandals, a crossbody bag and a scarf for errands.

I bought the dress above in black and LOVE it.  SO comfy!  I’m usually S/M at Old Navy and got this in S.  (See me wearing it HERE.)


I just realized I forgot some other basics like white jeans, a solid blouse, or my grey heathered tee, but I don’t have time to add them in.  Oops!  Oh well.

I’m working on a follow up post with my favorite spring add-ons to spice up these building blocks.  What are your spring building blocks?

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