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Spring Fashion Transitions

Those beautiful people on the red carpet in L.A. have it so easy—sunny and 72° every blinkin' day of the year, so they can dispense with the coats and wraps over their bare and slinky dresses. I must admit to a certain amount of terribly immature schadenfreude when I read about Cate and Diane Kruger and J. Lo bundling up in the frosty weather at the Berlin Film Festival last month: now they know what it's like to accessorize flawlessly, then have to cover it all up with fuzzy outerwear from head to toe.

Cruel fashion fates—for those of us mired in the less temperate portions of the country, the spring season can be so frustrating! While the stores, boutiques and websites have been showcasing delicate florals, floaty cottons, and peep-toed pumps since just after the January sales ended, we still have at least six weeks of wool, scarf, and high-boot weather ahead of us. It's hard to look sensational when you're shivering and your goosebumps are more prominent than the name on your denims. What's a style-obsessed frozen female to do?

Fortunately, this year's spring styles are tailor-made (so to speak) for we poor fashionisti in the North Country. Layers are key, and there are so many ways to warm up your warm-weather clothes for now, to justify stocking up on fresh pieces for later on, when the boots and hats and wool coats will be a distant memory (until August, when we start obsessing about leather and cashmere again!).

More good news: your winter neutrals can morph into the black-and-white trend that's popping up again for summer. Start with a sleeveless empire dress, then add a long-sleeved tee or fine-gauge cashmere sweater underneath. With opaque tights and high boots, you can wear it now; lose the sweater and tights, add a wrappy espadrille or a sandal, and your dress will be perfect for sunny days. (Or, go with a metallic stiletto and a little clutch and take it out for the night.)

Cropped pants and shorts work with the tights and boots, too, with a blazer and blouse for work or a jacket, a hoodie and a scarf for the weekend. Today's twill pencil pants look great with flats in the spring, then slides and a floaty cami once the summer turns sunny. And speaking of pencils, how about a skirt or a mini with a turtleneck sweater and your sweetest pair of patterned tights inside your new wedges; when the sun comes out in earnest, shed the tights and trade the sweater for a sweet baby-doll blouse or a totally fem jacket, load up your straw purse and you're ready for work anew.

Drop in some flashes of bright, bold color. Slip a sassy, girly-bright blouse under a somber suit jacket for the time being. Later this season, that top will shine over skinny white pants and shiny very sexy flats for day or a simple evening out.

Accessories-wise, your big honkin' white hobo from last year will still work this spring; can you believe white is a year-round color now? So, in that vein, grab a white trench as another layer for the cooler (and wetter) days in the near future; it will be a spectacular accent piece or an evening topper when the flowers replace the showers. And the right shades, dressy or sporty, look good any time of the year.

So, chin up, my little daffodils; it'll be warm enough to shed the layers soon enough. Spring ahead with your clocks this weekend, and spring ahead with your wardrobes while you're at it. It won't be long before we're longing for the cool weather during the sweltering summer heat, but at least we'll be getting our money's worth out of those sweet warm-weather pieces by wearing them now and then.

Shop happy!

Shop Girl

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