What I want to wear this spring
Brighter and warmer days are ahead!
It’s that time again when I start to panic about what I have (or don’t have) in my closet and want to start adding some new items. I wish I were more of a clothes person than I am. I’m always so jealous of the more fashionable women I follow on Instagram and wish I had their eye and sense of style. I wrote a little about defining my style back in the fall, but now that spring is on the horizon I thought it would be a great time to revisit.
It’s also a great time to revisit because I have a big work event in the spring and I feel like I have nothing to wear for it. My body has changed so much over the past few years and the attire for the event has shifted to be more casual since the pandemic too. Pretty much anything I have to wear is more business casual when the event tends to lean much more dressy casual these days. However, comfort and the number of wears I can get out of an item tend to be my top priority when it comes to making purchases so I want to buy new items that I can wear for a normal workday at home, for outings with the kids, family dinner, etc.
When it comes to silhouette, I know I look best and feel best in items that cinch in at the waist so you’ll see lots of shirt dresses. I learned from TikTok to add a belt instead of using the sash that comes with many shirtdresses, so I need to add a belt to my shopping list as well (note to self). I also tend to wear a lot of blues and black, which you’ll see reflected below. I’m trying to remind myself that when in doubt, choose one of these colors because I will reach for them the most. For example, the Universal Standard Odeon Stretch Poplin Shirtdress comes in a bunch of colors. I could take forever to decide which one I want, but ultimately, a black shirt dress would make a great addition to my closet and I know I could and would wear it for years.
1: Square-Neck Quilted-Detail Midi Dress | 2: Slim Fit 3/4 Sleeve T-Shirt (affiliate link) | 3: Twilight Crinkle Crepe Wrap Dress | 4: Heritage Mariner Top | 5: Odeon Stretch Poplin Shirtdress | 6: The Countryside Poplin Button Down Midi Dress | 7: The Square Mary Jane | 8: Sedona Sage Mabel Maxi Dress | 9: Long-Sleeve Belted Shirt Dress | 10: The Anelise Ballet Flat | 11: Maxine Slingback Ballet Flats (affiliate link)
The links above are primarily direct links to the products. There are two affiliate links for items I have purchased and know I will get a ton of wear out of. The other items linked are not affiliates.
These are all plus-friendly options (some come in straight sizing as well!) that I would be excited to add to my closet for the spring. Both Lane Bryant dresses were surprising finds in terms of the style I love, but as is the challenge with plus size clothing, sizing seems to be a problem according to reviews. Also, I had no idea that Summersalt has such cute clothing and that they carried plus sizes. They have loungewear as well and I really want to check out their cashmere when fall rolls around (another note to self).
Noticeably absent from this collage are bottoms because they remain an absolute mystery to me. As a pear-shaped human, my waist is the narrowest part of my body. My hips are much wider and my calves are also pretty thick (I’ve never met a pair of riding boots or knee-high boots that I’ve liked) so bottoms just tend to be a challenge. They’re either too big in the waist or too tight in the hips. I feel like wide-leg pants work well with my calves but also give me no shape so I don’t like the way I look in them (even though they are comfortable). And then pants that give me shape tend to be too tight along my calves and I don’t feel confident. Or if I find a magic combination, the pants are way too big in the waist and don’t stay up. I know the answer is tailoring, but I’m not at a place where I want to spend money or time getting it done so I just haven’t. So I tend to gravitate to pretty much only wearing dresses, which also works well with the Texas heat so I don’t fuss about it too much.
What are you currently looking to add to your closet for the spring? I’m really excited for more stores to add their full spring line rather than the little bits we’ve seen so far!
I'm looking to start over this spring so I appreciate some of these links! I have had similar troubles finding jeans that fit. My once hourglass shape has transformed into a much thicker belly post-kids and I find that stuff that fits in my waist doesn't flatter me elsewhere. What happened to stretch in jeans, btw?! You and I chatted over DMs but I'm pulling inspiration from classic French style but also want to incorporate some pops of color and texture that feel more like some of the current Scandi streetwear trends.