What are the five things you want to have in your wardrobe this spring- when you are between sizes

Let us start with the colors for this year. Normally we would see just one color for the year, but Pantone has provided two- Ultimate Gray and Illuminating Yellow.  You could make the argument that for much of 2020, life in quarantine was like a cloud hanging at a standstill in the sky, an Ultimate Gray cloud. As we moved through 2020 and into 2021, the color ‘Illuminating Yellow’ is representative of the light at the end of an exceptionally long tunnel (or vaccination syringe).

Over this last year many of us gained weight while hanging in our quarantine Ultimate Gray cloud. We may not be feeling our healthiest (yet), and are between sizes but we are ready to get out there and see friends, family, community, and date in person! If you are between sizes and want to look refreshed in your spring look, here are some key ‘starter’ pieces to get.

Khaki- Everything is coming up khaki! A monochromatic khaki look is trending, and easy to do. Look for kaki colored linen tops and bottoms. They are great together and easy to mix/match. Lastly, kaki outfits can be paired with sandals that are bone, brown, black, or white. You can even draw in a designed or color sandal, like yellow.

White/cream blazer- The two things to consider are: whether you are cool (white) or warm toned (cream). This is based on your undertone color.  Secondly, decide whether you are comfortable with short, or long length. Both cropped and longer blazers are trending, so there is no wrong answer here.  It depends on the look you are going for, and ultimately creating balance in your silhouette.  Consider a knit or linen blazer. This will be a versatile piece that will go with jeans, shorts, and skirts.

Puffy shoulder white /cream shirt. if you carry weight in the bottom, a bigger shoulder will create balance. If you are petite, you can wear the puffier sleeve, but be sure to not make it too exaggerated, as you will look off balance.

Boyfriend button down or white/cream- The bigger button down or boyfriend look in a button-down is trending. This looks great with a short skirt or shorts. Be careful not to try to pair a bigger fitting shirt with pants or jeans that are too baggy. If you are paring a wide-legged pant with this shirt, be sure the waist fits, and wear a belt. You want to be sure that your waist is highlighted.

Tiered sundress- This is a heaven sent if you are not the size you want to be. It’s flowy, feminine, yet not restricting. If you are bigger on the top, chose a sundress that has a thicker strap or is an off the shoulder with ruffles (elegant and feminine). A thinner strap looks more balanced if you’re smaller on top.  

Baggy Pant/ Wide leg: The baggy look is supposed to accentuate your waist, making it look narrow to give you a more feminine look. Tops are meant to meet at the waist, not to be longer than the waistline. Otherwise, the look will leave you shapeless. If you carry your weight in your hips and lower half, you may want to stay with the wide leg trending, versus the jogger look which narrows at the waist and ankles. These two narrowing points accentuate the wider areas being the thighs.  Choose a color- you can go with yellow, or a color of your choosing.

Accessories-If you are between sizes, accessories can really spruce up an outfit. Scarves with a little bit of color can change an entire outfit. Consider investing in fun yellow sandals; they are like a little bit of sunshine on your feet!  Yellow shoes are just enough of a splash of color that will tie in nicely with khaki, or a tiered sundress.

Belted looks are trending. Bigger, bolder belts were seen in spades on the runway. A belt with a colorful design can coordinate nicely with your new sandals or scarf around your neck. This post is meant to kick off your spring, and give you some ideas to build from as we usher in summer. I fully expect that people are going to want to continue to indulge in all these amazing new trends, whether it is the Ultimate Gray or the Illuminating Yellow.