Spring Trends-Translated for Midlife
It’s Spring, the weather is warming up and it’s that time of year when all the new season trends, colours and styles start appearing in the shops.
While it can be tempting to get caught up in the ‘newnesss’ of everything, the problem with that is we often end up buying a lot of random pieces that don’t really work together, or with what is currently in our wardrobe.
So, how do we decode what is out there, and decide which pieces we need to add to our wardrobes for Spring/Summer?
If you are 40+ and dealing with midlife body shape changes, you may also be wondering which styles you can, and should wear. As a Personal Stylist for women in midlife here is my advice on :
where to start
what are the smart pieces to invest in
how to wear them in midlife:
Where to Start?: In your existing wardrobe! - go through all your current Spring/Summer pieces and decide whether each still has a place in your wardrobe. Ask yourself- ‘Do I still love and wear this?- if not, why not? Does it fit my body shape, my lifestyle? Does it feel like me and my personal style? Cull, de-clutter, donate or store away whatever pieces you no longer want or need.
Spring Trends and how to wear them in midlife:
The bermuda style short will be everywhere this Spring/Summer and when fitted correctly for your body shape and proportions can be a great and versatile addition to your wardrobe. Fabrics will vary between denim, cotton, linen and even silk/satin variations. Look for an a-line structure to balance hips and thighs. Denim and cotton versions can be worn casually with a classic tee, or styled with a cotton or linen button down. Alternatively, this style of short can be dressed up with a pair of heels and a dressier top for an elegant look.
Cropped tops and jackets continue to be a common style into Spring/Summer. Easy to wear as they are usually a lighter and shorter ‘third piece’ within an outfit. Fantastic for drawing the eye to your waist (often our narrowest part), and in the case of a cropped tee, top, or cardigan - no tucking required. A cropped jacket will still create a flattering vertical line which will skim over tummy and hip area if this is an area you are conscious of.
Lace and sheer features are showing up in everything from camisoles to skirts and can certainly be a feature of our midlife outfits. While many of us will not feel comfortable showing huge amounts of skin there are many styles available where there are small, delicate additions of lace-around the hem of skirts, or neckline of a top that are easy to wear, not too revealing, and add an elegant and feminine addition to the outfit.
Spring colours to look for:
If you’ve had a Colour Analysis and you know your season here is what to look for if you’re wanting to add colour into your wardrobe for Spring:
Summers - you want to be looking at all the pastels - we’ll see lots of soft pinks, blues and lemons.
Winters - watch out for all the stunning cobalt blues- this is your colour of the season!
Springs- look for warm neutrals - camels and tans, plus there is still a lot of warm tomato reds which is beautiful on your warm undertone.
Autumns- invest in khaki and warm chocolate browns and burgundy.
If you’re interested in having an expert Colour Analysis with me so you can go shopping with confidence click here to view my Colour packages.
A Colour Analysis shows you your undertone-warm or cool, and gives you around 80 colours in the colour palette of your season. Includes either a digital or physical colour swatch you can take shopping with you.
If the thought of putting Spring/Summer outfits together in your current wardrobe, or shopping for new pieces feels overwhelming, that’s what I’m here for.
Most clients describe their style session as something they wished they had done years earlier. Not because they needed more clothes, but because they needed the right information - and no amount of shopping alone was going to give it to them.
Most women try to solve the wardrobe problem on their own for a long time. They research style rules online, buy things hopefully, return bags of things that did not work, and start again.
The difficulty is that dressing well - particularly at midlife - requires understanding the interaction between proportion, colour, fabric, and your specific body as it is right now. That is not knowledge most of us have been taught.
If you are curious about what working with me looks like as a starting point, the free Perimenopause Shopping Bible is a practical place to begin. It covers the key principles of dressing a changing midlife body and gives you a clear sense of my approach.
Spring/Summer is the perfect time of year to invest in yourself and your personal style. Step out with confidence, and the knowledge of how to dress your midlife body for the life you have today.