5 Things Friday - 5 Must-Haves for your Spring Wardrobe
Cutting right back to the basics - what do you NEED in your spring capsule wardrobe?
There’s always a lot of talk about capsule wardrobes and must-have items for your wardrobe, especially as we start changing over to new season outfits. But what are the non-negotiables that you really NEED to ensure you have the basics covered and can build all your spring outfits? What items will tie everything together and avoid that ‘nothing to wear’ moment? Here are the 5 items that I can’t live without this spring…
1. The Essential T-Shirt
As the weather begins to warm up and we start to remove the layers of our winter wardrobe, a great T-shirt is going to be essential. I often get asked for my recommendations and I feel I’ve nailed it down to a few brands that do the best cut and quality, and you’ll be glad to hear they’re all at decent price. I’ve really pared down my look over the last few years; I find blouses too fussy and not easy to layer and, while I love a good shirt, my number one go-to is a good quality well-structured tee. I haven’t specified a colour, because that depends on your personal preference, but my essentials are all from the neutral palette: black, navy, white and beige. I’m not against a bit of colour, in fact I’m toying with this red one, but these 4 basic shades would have me covered for all eventualities and work with the rest of my wardrobe. In terms of styles, these are what work for me.
I always have a few thicker cotton, slightly boxy tees. These look best with your wide-leg trousers, jeans and maxi skirts. They will sit neatly under a blazer and give a more cool structured look to your outfit. I like a slightly longer sleeve length that covers those dreaded bingo wings - Arket are excellent for this.
This season, M&S have done an excellent version of a boxy tee in the Autograph range, which is pretty much identical to the Arket ones. I take a medium in the Arket ones, but I sized up to a 14 in the M&S version as it’s a neater fit.
I love this style with it’s longer sleeve length and A-line shape. It's a great length to wear loose over a skirt or trousers and is not too long that you need to tuck it, but sits flatteringly on the hips. I wear this in size small.
For a looser and lighter fit, H&M do a great silk blend range - I’ve been buying T-shirts and vests from this range for a while. The composition is a 50/50 mix of cotton and silk, which makes them washable, substantial and affordable! They recently did a premium range, which is proportionally less silk and more cotton, and is nearly double the price (not sure how that works or why the higher price point?). They also do a linen blend, which I rate, but for comfort and fit I find the silk blend are best. These are great in the warmer months and work best as a top layer with a stylish French tuck, or under a looser fitting jacket. I wear this in a 12 for a true-to-size look, 14 if I want it looser.
2. The Cashmere Light Knit
I always leave a few of my lighter cashmere knits out all year because this IS the UK after all and often I wear them on cooler evenings and chilly days. I’ve been buying the M&S ones for years. I always size up 1 or 2 sizes for a looser look and, to avoid any washing machine disasters, I put them in a pillow case on a quick wash - no time for handwashing! They have brought out some great colours this season - this one was my favourite. John Lewis is another brand I have and would recommend. They’re a good price and similar thickness to M&S. I have a few colours in my collection, but it’s the navy one from John Lewis and M&S beige one I reach for the most. If you want an oversized look, I also have this one from H&M which is great for layering or for wearing when you want more coverage.