Step into spring with refreshing fuss-free fashion

So when a beautiful kimono sleeved coat landed in COS in the new year, I thought of the months of cold weather that reportedly lay ahead and made an investment for winters to come. Sure, it came at the expense of buying into some of the more lust-worthy spring trends that were also dropping in store, but where was I going to wear a lilac trouser suit or a floaty handkerchief hem in March? Trudging down to the local shop in the snow to buy briquettes?

And so now we find ourselves well into April, and finally ready to start updating our wardrobes for a season that’s almost over before it’s begun — how does the savvy shopper step into spring? The answer is, by sidestepping the fads and buying into the spring classics that will instantly update your look, carry you into summer in style, and refuse to look dated when you turn to them again next year.

One benefit to buying late in the season is that, at this stage, the solid trends have identified themselves. It would have been easy to dismiss the Chanel-inspired plastic mac as one of spring’s sillier offerings, but now — as one wet day spills into another —they’re starting to look like the season’s must-have, if for no other reason than they allow us to showcase our other spring buys underneath. (The Vogue-endorsed, keeping-you-dry-in-style part is just a bonus.)

Likewise, keeping in mind that Ireland’s summer would be what many other countries consider spring, the season’s other stellar buys have an outerwear slant. The enduring appeal of the trench speaks for itself — show me a woman who regrets adding a trench coat to her wardrobe and I’ll show you a liar — and even radically reworked, they have longevity built in. As evidenced by River Island’s cropped version (below), the key signifiers of the trench coat — the colour, the storm flaps, the straps, the buttons — never fail to register as timeless, so if you have yet to add one to your outerwear arsenal, now is the time for action.

Meanwhile, the return of the pastel power suit solidifies its status as an investment buy.

Alone, the pastel tailored jacket makes a perfect summer cover-up, be it casually paired with jeans or worn with a dress at a wedding, and teamed with a well-cut T-shirt, the oversized suit is the update your working wardrobe has been waiting for.

The denim jacket too offers endless versatility; pair it with athleisure for a Brit Pop feel; wear with a tea dress to channel a grungier vibe; or do double denim, ‘90s style, keeping it fitted on top and baggy below. The right shape in dark denim will absolutely be a keeper.

And that’s really the key to buying well this season: it’s all about the cut. While the trench and jeans combination is instantly identifiable as a classic, it’s the updated proportions that keep the look fresh from season to season — nail that and all you have to do is augment your investment buys with a few frivolous finds. In this department —with fantastic florals, whimsical slip dresses and kitschy accessories — spring 2018 does not come up short.

Typically, spring fashion is all about fuss-free dressing; a palate cleanser after a season of excess, comprised of pared-back staples — the light knits, khakis and cotton shirting that make you side eye the sale rails heaving with sequins and wonder how you ever fell for their superficial charms. But this year (a sign of the times), designers felt compelled to inject some fun into our spring wardrobes.

Whether that meant reworking the classics with little design twists or adding sprinklings of sequins to everyday pieces, the end result is a season of feel-good fashion to lift the spirits. A kaleidoscope of colour options, from pastels to primaries, means everyone can find a colour (or three) to get behind, and though they’ve been reimagined with new proportions, the proliferation of perennial spring favourites means no one has to step outside their comfort zone to step into spring this year.