Top ten fashion items to refresh your wardrobe this spring

Try as I may, I can never quite align what I wear with what the capricious weather has in store. Perimenopausal 14-degree spikes, 100 km gusts of wind and latent threats of snow all combine to threaten the very fabric of my sartorial being.

Being a risk-averse soul, sometimes head-to-toe black with a side of waterproofing is all I can muster. Any

With that, I’ve ringfenced a few spring/summer 20 wardrobe refreshers that don’t require fake tan, a perma-pedicure and/or a Ryanair fight to Malaga. Fashion’s fondness for nostalgia appeals to the 70s kid in me — block heels, pussy-bows, bright leather, disco collars and polo shirts; while the inexorable tailoring trend in pretty pastels makes business casual a breeze.

As for the fuss-free ode to modern utility, this season’s reworked rain coat is my de facto new bestie — oversized with patch pockets and wrought in creamy white. That said, there’s always room for some self-indulgence, especially where accessories are concerned. Bags and baubles are easy ways to reinvent an outfit and pull the old switcheroo on go-to garments that have been on the go for longer than they should. Plus, they don’t require any tailoring, tweaking or trips to the dry cleaners.

The measure of ease – Isn’t that what spring’s all about?

A spot of decluttering is the next call to action.

Given my reformed hoarder status, this point is more cosmetic that critical but in the spirit of the cosmic ordering service, I’m creating proverbial space for the new to enter my life and closet. I figure it’ll match the literal space in my wallet. Let’s hope the Universe is feeling generous — and has a subscription to Vogue.

1. Oversized blazer

Roomy 80s-inspired silhouettes are still having a moment, this time in palette-perfect pastel blazers. Wear loose with a racer tank and jeans or a floral midi dress with a vertiginous V-neck.

Oversized wool blend jacket, Arket, €135 (main picture)

2. Pleated dress

Blessed relief! Those unilaterally flattering pleated skirts have been replaced by more democratic dress iterations and not a moment too soon. Dropped waists at Roksanda and canny pleat features at Prada prove there’s more than one way to create visual interest.

‘Seren’ pleated dress, Hobbs, €325

3. Polo shirt

Reworked with a more feminine spin, the new crop of preppy tops retains their sporty DNA while boasting soft hues and touchy-feely fabrics. Top tip? Wear with Prada-esque pencil skirts or wide-legged tropical print trousers.

Knit polo top, & Other Stories, €59

4. Rain jacket

Gift-wrapped for our Irish clime, the humble rain coat makes its presence felt for ‘grand soft days’. Wearable interpretations as seen at Rains, Sportmax and COS make this seasonless staple a guilt-free wardrobe need.

Rain jacket, COS, €150

5. Chain necklace

The Mr T Appreciation Society called; they aren’t too pleased at fashion’s continued appropriation of gold chains. Expect colourfully chunky acrylic styles to replace the neck strain of their metal predecessors. Wear with whimsical frocks (hello, Zimmerman) and pity the fool that doesn’t think it darling.

Chain necklace, H&M, €14.99

6. Buckle bag

Oh, boy! There’s a new accessories brand in town and it’s a good’un. BOYY — brainchild of husband and wife team Jesse Dorsey and Wannasiri Kongman — has won the Instagram generation with its stocky buckle bags and I’m here for it.

BOYY colour-block ‘Bobby’ 23 buckle bag, Brown Thomas, €875

7. Leather skirt

Leather and warm weather may appear, at first glance, to be incompatible; unless, of course, you live in Ireland. Whether faux or real deal designs, the presence of shirt dresses, culottes and blazers in colourful naps makes tricky season transitions a total cinch.

Materiel colour-block faux leather midi skirt, Net-a-Porter, €530

8. Waistcoats

Prepare for vests, waistcoats and gilets to flex their style guns as tailoring asserts itself as a continued contender. Worn bare-armed with a skirt or layered like a Savile Row suit, these clean lines to keep more whimsical pieces looking oh-so-sharp.

Tuxedo vest, Zara, €49.95

9. Square toe heels

You can’t fit a square peg in a round hole but you can fit wide feet into square toes! Those erstwhile winkle-picking mules (thanks, Balenciaga) have been ousted for a more retro, real world sensibility. Bye-bye, bunions.

‘Dani’ leather snake beige with dark wood heels, Rejina Pyo, €631.89

10. Pussy-bow blouse

Ladylike dress codes reinvented. Last season’s ode to the bougie babes of the 70s continues unfettered with pussy-bow blouses committing to more modest codes of dress. I’ll be wearing mine diffidently untied and tucked into high-waist flares.

Contrast-binding printed bow blouse, Tory Burch, €395

STOCKISTS

& Other Stories – Grafton Street 01-2470100; www.stories.com Arket – www.arket.com Brown Thomas – Patrick Street 021-4805555; www.brownthomas.com COS – Wicklow Street 01-6111080; www.cosstores.com H&M – Opera Lane 021-4278086; www.hm.ie Hobbs – Dundrum Town Centre 01-2079619; www.hobbs.co.uk Net-a-Porter – www.netaporter.com Rejina Pyo – www.rejinapyo.com Tory Burch – www.toryburch.com Zara – Mahon Point SC 021-4972320; www.zara.com