The new year is a peculiar time in fashion. Straddling the transitional season, our sartorial wish lists are gearing up for spring, but we're still shopping winter pieces. The 'new start' frame of mind pushes us to reinvent – or at least adjust – our wardrobes, yet we're seduced by the call of comfort and cosiness.
The answer? Easy styling switch-ups that require no commitment and very little effort. From the new sunglasses shape to contemporary trimmings, click through to see five spring styling ideas to shake up your everyday attire.
All The Trimmings
From the glamour of Josephine Baker in the Roaring Twenties to Cher's Bob Mackie-designed showstoppers, fringing is synonymous with excess. This season, with the return of the '80s and its OTT trappings, fringing made a comeback across the board.
From Calvin Klein's multi-tasselled fringe dress to Erdem's red and silver dancehall-inspired creations, there were plenty of fringed pieces that, though not quite practical for everyday attire, got us excited.
For a more weekday-friendly take on the trend, look to Eva Chen, who stormed the streets during New York Fashion Week in a fringed leather skirt and Each x Other white hoodie. Add trainers for work, and kitten heels for the evening.
Photo by Timur Emek/Getty Images
Tap into the Western trend with this studded biker.
Mango Crystal-Detail Biker Jacket, £59.99, available at Mango
Shake and shimmy your way through to spring with this Raey skirt. Just add a slogan tee.
Raey Slit-Front Fringed Silk Midi Skirt, £395, available at Matches Fashion
Wrap it around your wrist, waist, or bag strap – the print will do the talking.
Uterqüe Silk Foulard With Fringing, £79, available at Uterqüe
Tourist Belt Bag
The once terminally uncool bag, worn only by dads and tourists, has infiltrated the fashion industry. Sure, summer brought about a boom in bumbags, but they've been spotted on the catwalks for many seasons – Chanel debuted glittering silver belt bags at couture SS14, while Emilio Pucci presented more sporty leather numbers the same year.
Fast-forward to SS18, where the hands-free bag reigned supreme. Zimmerman gave us whimsical woven bags paired with floating floral dresses, Marc Jacobs upped the utilitarian feel with a boxy take, and Alexander Wang threw his leather-and-chains style over models' shoulders.
Fashion buyer Tiffany Hsu showed us how to work the really rather handy bag at Milan Fashion Week in September, belting the ubiquitous Gucci Marmont bag around the waist and layering over an Alessandra Rich vintage-inspired ruffled floral dress. It's a simple pairing with a big impact that'll see you through 'til summer.
Photo by Christian Vierig/Getty Images
Animal motifs are going nowhere, and this powder blue is the perfect transitional shade.
Topshop Panther Belt Bag, £22, available at Topshop
This & Other Stories piece looks more expensive than it is. Detach from the belt for a cute clutch, too.
& Other Stories Leather Snap Stud Beltbag, £49, available at & Other Stories
The one worn by all street stylers at fashion month, we love Gucci's offering in velvet, leather, brights and neutrals.
Gucci GG Marmont Quilted Leather Belt Bag, £765, available at Net-A-Porter
Puffed-Up Sleeves
Statement sleeves are another trend that has rumbled on over the past several seasons, but with good reason. Everyone from Halpern to Isabel Marant showcased the versatility of a flounced sleeve, via ruffles, big shoulders, and fluted shapes.
This season, we're looking more specifically at ballooned sleeves. Why? It's a surefire way to make your workwear look more on-the-money, and to take your casual weekend attire up a notch with very little effort. Think of it as the micro-trend for the non-committal and lazy among us.
To avoid Henry VIII territory, keep it contemporary with sharp denim and box-fresh kicks, or go full-on extravagance with a waist belt and statement earrings, à la Rachael Wang.
Photo by Christian Vierig/Getty Images
Trust Ganni to come up with the perfect feminine blouse, in the print of the season, of course.
Ganni Seneca Silk Blouse, £275, available at Ganni
Off-kilter shirts and dresses by Rejina Pyo ruled in every acid hue going, from fuchsia to lime. This statement shirt will update your workwear for spring.
Rejina Pyo Michelle Off-The-Shoulder Cotton-Poplin Blouse, £134, available at Net-A-Porter
Zara's take on the trend is a nice alternative to the crisp white shirt.
Zara Shirt With Embroidered Sleeves, £29.99, available at Zara
Smart Layering
It's easy to think that layering is born out of street stylers fighting temperamental weather during fashion months. Sure, it's a practical way to navigate hopping from the stuffy Tube to a cold street, but if you look to SS18's collections, you'll find all kinds of nifty layering tricks worth stealing.
Kenzo put neon yellow shorts, a vibrant purple blazer, and a cropped navy coat together in one look, Phillip Lim layered bubble-skirted dresses over workwear shirts, and Marc Jacobs tackled transitional dressing with a rollneck under a shirt under a V-neck jumper over a matching skirt (phew!).
We're digging Tamu McPherson's navy ensemble, proving that there's longevity in your bomber and the rollneck is the staple of all layering hacks.
Photo by Timur Emek/Getty Images
We love everything in Alexachung's latest drop, but this mellow yellow sweatshirt is ideal over dresses and rollnecks while it's still chilly.
Alexachung Fantastic Red Flocked Sweatshirt, £175, available at Alexachung
We're wearing this floral piece over jeans, racing stripe joggers, and vinyl trousers.
Warehouse Spaced Sprig Midi Dress, £56, available at Warehouse
The trench is here to stay, in ripped-and-renewed cuts, sand alternatives, and experimental finishes. Layer, layer, layer.
Vince Brushed-Twill Trench Coat, £625, available at Net-A-Porter
Futuristic Sunnies
Matrix -esque sunglasses covered the eyes of all in the know last summer, but they're set to stick around this year, too. The '90s hacker-slash-activist look was revived by Demna Gvasalia's Balenciaga AW17 show, but now everyone from Gigi Hadid to Rihanna has been seen in the barely-there shades.
This season, Louis Vuitton's models looked otherworldly in silver angular specs, Miu Miu gave us thoroughly '90s, tiny frameless sunglasses, and Prada presented narrow rectangular pairs.
If all-out conspiracy theorist isn't your thing, counter the sci-fi element with something hyper-feminine, like Chriselle Lim's lilac Chanel dress.
Photo by Edward Berthelot/Getty Images
Sure, they won't shade you from the sun, but at this time of year, does it matter?
ASOS Small Cat Eye Fashion Glasses, £12, available at ASOS
If you've already nabbed Adam Selman's collaboration with Le Specs, try this sci-fi pair.
Le Specs The Fugitive Cat-Eye Sunglasses, £75, available at Selfridges
Wear with hair tied back, silver earrings, and a bold lip.
Marques'Almeida Angular-Frame Acetate Sunglasses, £215, available at Matches Fashion
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