Best Ways to Create Great Winter-to-Spring Transition Looks

Around vernal equinox the dressing challenge is that the local weather may be already too warm for your winter clothes, but still too cold for your spring wardrobe. In some climate regions, for instance, Alaska, spring might be even so short that buying clothes for spring would never get the cost-per-wear under one dollar. No matter whether you want  to save when shopping for clothes, or stay warm in style while acknowledging the change of season, this post provides solutions for your problem. With multiple tips how to create winter to spring transition looks you can achieve stylish outfits that provide thermal comfort while screaming spring is in the air. Styling strategies range from  smart layering to stay warm to using colors associated with spring. They include also styling your outerwear and wearing summer pieces in the cold season. Read to get inspired.

 

 

The Diurnal Course Causes the Winter to Spring Transition Dressing Problem

While March/April are spring months in mid latitudes, it can still bring snow in Canada, the northern states of the US, and at high elevation. Nighttime temperatures rarely are above the freezing point. Therefore, springtime dressing requires a mix of warm and cold season pieces and/or layering for comfortable cold wet weather outfits in the below freezing air in the morning and the around 40F or higher (5^oC) temperatures around lunch time.

 

How to Wear Spring-Inspired Outfits when It Still Feels Like Winter?

There are various solutions to this problem.

• Layering garments from the warm and color season.
• Wearing winter clothes in light or spring/summer-inspired colors (e.g., pastels, yellow) or spring/summer prints (e.g., florals or polka dots) or a gingham pattern.
• Pair your light color winter clothes with “seasonless” colors like navy, black, medium gray or jeans in all washes.
• Wear winter underwear under your spring clothes.
• In climate regions with cold winters, wear leather or suede when the wind speeds up at the end of winter, early spring with long underwear.
• Rubber boots are great for dressing for rainy weather and with insulation insoles during snowmelt.
• Add accessories associated with spring or summer.

Read on to learn more about how to implement these solutions.

 

 

 

How to Layer Summer Clothes with Winter Clothes for Winter-to-Spring Transition Looks?

Besides layering spring clothes, mixing garments form the cold and warm season works. The later is easiest when you use all-season colors or the light colors of your winter wardrobe.

 

What Underwear to Wear to Stay Warm in the Transition Season?

I have a confession to make. I own a couple of old-fashioned half-slips. Why? To stay warm in thin fabric skirts in the transition – or how we call it – shoulder season. Springtime in Alaska often means that morning temperatures are still in the single digits (warmer than -18^oC, but colder than -12.8^oC). Tall boots, tights, and a half-slip allow me to wear leather skirts already.

 

How to Wear a Summer Dress at the End of Winter?

On such days, your best bet is to go for layering. The idea is that you can drop a layer at the office and/or when temperatures are up a bit during lunch break due to the Sun’s diurnal cycle. Other options than the one shown in the outfit photos are to wear a layering top under or a sweater over a sheath dress with a wool jacket or wool blazer for the commute. You may add a puffer vest over the blazer. In these layering suggestions, the goal is to avoid wearing a winter coat that would provide similar insulation as the combined items, but would be too warm for the warm part of the chilly spring day.

 

 

Layering Ideas to Skip the Coat on Winter to Spring Transition Days

The hardest days to dress for in spring are those, when it is not freezing-cold, but not warm neither. It’s still too cold to wear the spring outfits, but already too warm for the winter clothes. The best you can do is to either layer spring pieces or dress in a mix of winter and spring pieces.

While in deep winter scarves, blankets or hats are required for insulation, at the end of winter, you can get away with less insulation. But this doesn’t mean that you can’t have fun styling your outerwear. Accessorize with belts, use silk instead of wool scarves, wear a headband or fingerless gloves. Add lighter footwear or wear nude tights instead of opaque or black tights.

 

Why to Wear Leather in Early Spring?

The change of season typically comes with windy weather.  You can wear leather in spring to keep the wind from reaching your skin. Because you can  style a suede skirt in various looks with both summer or winter tops, it is a great option to avoid wind chill. However, while leather is great to keep the vernal equinox winds off, it is a bad insulator. Therefore, wear tights with a suede/leather skirt, long underwear under leather pants, and a tightly knitted wool or cashmere sweater when donning a leather coat or jacket as outerwear.

Tip: Nude tights enhance the spring vibe of your outfit.

Leather pants dressed up with a blazer make perfect Casual Friday outfits windy vernal equinox days when your HR-approved dress code permits wearing leather.

Tip: On chilly days, add a scarf to your outfit to keep your neck warm. Positive side effect: A scarf ups your style.

 

 

Which Colors Are Best for the Winter-to-Spring Transitional Outfits?

To “acknowledge” the season, pair items from summer with the light neutrals of your winter wardrobe. Colors like blush pink, baby blue, cream, light gray, mint, or moss look season appropriate, and work with winter and summer garments alike.

Eternal classic color combinations that work in all seasons are black and white or blue and white looks.

 

Tip: Go for lighter colors as the weather gets warmer.

 

 

Tip: Try a light color winter coat.

 

 

What Are Patterns or Prints Associated with Spring/Summer?

Maritime-stripes, summer-in-the-Provence-inspired prints, polka dots, and gingham are associated with summer. Floral prints with backgrounds in other colors than black, navy or burgundy as well as small stripes are associated with spring/summer as well.

 

 

 

Winter to Spring Transition Outfit Ideas to Try

The movie below features further winter to spring transitional outfit ideas like, for instance,

• Wool pants with a classic chambray shirt,  long-sleeve underwear/T-shirt and long-johns/tights underneath.
• Black and white outfits.
• Wear an all neutrals look in your light neutrals.
• Wear a denim jacket with a long-sleeve T-shirt as top to stay warm.

 

 

Summary of Best Ways of Styling Winter to Spring Transition Looks

Recall: Climate is what you want, weather is what you get.

Therefore, dress for the weather. In the transition season, the right layering is key to look stunning.

1. Light up your outfits by inserting spring pastels and the SS season’s Pantone It color or a look-a-like.
2. Layer spring tops under a V-neck sweater or a cardigan.
3. Wear a layering top and half-slip under a spring or summer dress with tights and fall sandals on a dry, sunny day.
4. Wear a spring skirt with a half-slip and a sweater.
5. Wear your trench coat as a top with leggings and a T-shirt underneath for a comfy, stylish weekend look.
6. When the weather and sidewalk conditions permit, swap your winter boots/booties for heeled loafers, heeled oxfords or sneakers.
7. Insert a floral pattern, bright color or both into your outfit.
8. Wear typical summer color combinations styled from winter attire.
   

   Tip: Check my April Lookbook for more spring layering outfit ideas.

    

   Tip: See how bloggers style for spring at the end of winter.

 

References

Mölders, N. 2019. Outdoor Universal Thermal Comfort Index Climatology for Alaska, Atmosphere and Climate Sciences, DOI: 10.4236/acs.2019.94036

Mölders, N., 2023. Discover the Relation between Fashion, Fabric, Weather, and Comfort. Amazon Publishing Pros. 182 p.

 

Photos: G. Kramm

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