Cheryl Shops

It's that time of year when the weather keeps taking big, annoying swings in every direction: rain, sun, cold, warm, wind, clouds, you name it. It makes getting dressed so unpredictable—and frustrating, especially when you just want it to be sundress season already. (Seriously, I have so many cute spring and summer clothes that I just can't wait to wear.) Transitional dressing is more of an art than a science, and it relies heavily on layering, especially if you want to start wearing those lighter spring pieces. Thankfully, I've figured out some strategies for adapting my wardrobe to the ever-changing weather. Here are four of my favorite recent spring outfits. 

Crochet, fringe, jeans & clogs

Lacy white tops are a summertime essential for me—I usually treat myself to a new one every year or two, and I've been hanging on to this one for a couple of months, after seeing it in New York in January. I think lacy white tops look particularly great with denim (and especially a light wash for warmer weather), and the combination works with jeans, denim shorts, and even denim skirts—making it adaptable for multiple conditions. On this particular day, it was chilly in the morning when we left the city, so I threw on this fringe knit jacket that I've gotten an unexpected amount of wear out of. I saw it on a mannequin at Bloomingdale's (it's Karen Kane, which I always associated with frumpy middle-aged women, which, oops, I might be turning into) and bought it on the spot. It's really tightly knit, so it's warmer than the average shacket, plus the thick fringed collar adds extra warmth, and you can belt it if you're really cold. 

OUTFIT DETAILS: Karen Kane fringe jacket | & Other Stories top | Agolde Riley jeans | Celine Romy bag | Hermès Calya clogs (my exact pair) 

Leather jacket & linen trousers

Sean surprised me by suggesting an impromptu photo shoot on our way to dinner one night, and I'm glad he did, because I really loved this outfit. These are the Nili Lotan pants I wore in this post (same with the belt!), and as I mentioned in my newsletter (which you should subscribe to!), they are worth every cent (although I got mine on super sale at UAL in New Orleans). They are obviously very summery—they're a light, super-breathable blend of cotton and linen—but somehow pretty adaptable too. Also, what I'm wearing on my bottom half doesn't seem to affect my body temperature as much as what I'm wearing on my top half, so I layered up in a cashmere sweater and leather jacket. 

OUTFIT DETAILS: Quince oversized leather jacket | Nakedcashmere sweater (current version) | Madewell skinny western belt | Nili Lotan Flavie pants | Clarks Wallabee shoes

Fringe & crochet, take two

This one's the same idea as the first look, including the same jacket and pretty much the same color scheme, but a little dressier—literally with a dress. The dress is from Gap, and I believe it's technically a knit (versus crochet); again, I usually don't wear such clingy things, but this one is body-grazing enough that I feel like I'm not totally on display in it. It has really cute bell sleeves, which gives it a '60s kind of feel that works really well with the fringe jacket and knee-high boots; word on the street is that boho is making a comeback, so obviously I'm very ready for that. 

Wool blazer, cotton blouse & white jeans

I have a blazer problem, which is that I have far too many of them in relation to how frequently I actually wear them (which used to be nearly every day when I worked in an office but now, not so much). My solution to incorporating them into my look more often is that they make a great outer layer once the weather starts to warm up; this one in particular is wool, so it makes an excellent transitional jacket. And again, you wouldn't think such an oversized silhouette would work with a wide-leg pant, but trust me, it does. 

While the blazer is on the heavier side, this shirt is lighter-than-air cotton gauze, which is so soft and breathable (I plan to wear it a lot this summer), and the pants you've seen many times before (they're from Zara, last year). I should also mention the shoes, which are my first pair by Aquatalia, and in spite of being buttery-soft leather that molds so nicely to your foot, I can confirm that they're entirely waterproof, making them ideal April showers material. Highly recommend!

OUTFIT DETAILS: Everlane blazer | Xirena Scout shirt (c/o) | Isabel Marant Lecce belt | Zara jeans (similar here) | Aquatalia Shivani loafers (c/o)