Don't Laugh But It's Time To Plan Your Spring Wardrobe

Tina, here.

Hi, snow and cold. Could you please move over so we can plan our spring wardrobes? Thanks much.

Excuse me, what? Spring wardrobe? Yes, that's what I said. It's time. And I don't want to hear another word about it. Get with the program, dolls. The goods for spring are ready for the taking, and we know what you need. Big surprise: we're starting with neutrals because that's how you build a versatile wardrobe that allows you to add pops of color along the way.

Here's your starter spring wardrobe shopping list.

1. You need a versatile dress. You will be asked to a wedding, a shower, a graduation, a luncheon, or some kind of thing that requires a dress. Not a pantsuit, but a dress. Don't like your knees or legs? I have the solution. A fit and flare dress. And sunless lotion. Works every time.

Hold your horses there, cowgirls. Yes, it's an off-white dress. Why? Because black is overrated, and white is the other neutral. You can wear an off-white dress if it's the right shape and you have the right shapewear. It flatters just about every skin tone and takes on the dressiness of the occasion depending on what you wear with it. I've layered mine with a lightweight blush jacket and nude pumps. And news alert, you can wear off-white to a wedding (not white lace, though) with accessories in other colors. Jacket: St.John from Nordstrom. Dress: Valentino from our Paris shopping trip. Suede heels: Alexander McQueen from UAL Nashville.

Here's my off-white dress as I would wear it when the weather warms. Secret: I wear it all winter, too, with wool jackets. But I really want to talk you into considering an off-white dress for yourself because it's so cheerful and easy to wear everywhere with anything once you have the right one. And guess who found the perfect off-white dress to suit all my favorite women this spring? Moi, that's who. Coming to you in our March Style Vault.

2. You need white jeans. Gosh I just love talking about white jeans. And my favorite stories about women in white jeans. Ya know, how I can get anyone, any size, into white jeans and make them look fab, how you don't have to overpay for jeans, white or not, how you can dress up white jeans, and how you get stains out of white jeans. White jeans just make the world a better place.

I decided not to share how many pairs of white jeans I own, but it's upwards of ten pairs easily. No judging, please. But I have been the president of the White Jeans Fan Club for about ten years, and I still am pushing them on everyone I know. As with the off-white dress, fit and shape is everything in making it right. Wondering what you have to wear with white jeans? Everything you own. Literally. And, bonus, they go to cocktail parties all spring and summer with the right going-out top and fancy shoes.

All you need with white jeans for a fun night out is any top you own. Swear. Since I love ombré, and did before it was cool, I'm pairing mine with that and the same blush jacket I wear with my off-white dress. See? Versatility and driving that cost per wear down on all my purchases. You can start wearing white jeans now. Like today. But if that wigs you out, wait til after Spring Break.

3. You need a great going-out top. A top you can wear on a plane, to dinner, to a luncheon, or a cocktail party. A top you feel beautiful in and makes you stop obsessing over your arms or your mid-section. A fun top. A happy top.

Ladies, if you don't like showing your arms, look for lightweight long-sleeve tops, or you can wear sleeveless tops with a light wrap or gauzy sweater over your shoulders. We've had great success with this. But really, you don't need to worry about your arms nearly as much as you do. Make peace with them.

4. You need a sandal. One really great sandal that goes to the pool, takes you on a city walking tour, and gives your dress some special seasonal punch. Yep, I found the one shoe that does all this, even for women who can't wear high heels, featured in March's Style Vault.

This Bernardo mule I got years ago from Monkee's Nashville is still serving me well. The heel is not too high and it has this amazing contraption inside that keeps it from sounding like I'm clip-clopping the pavement. Because it has no ankle straps or t-straps, I can wear it with pants, skirts and dresses. Truly multi-use. I would not tour a city in these, but I have found the perfect spring shoe for this purpose, that also looks quite stylish, and it will make it's debut inside the March Style Vault.

5. I really want you to get some faded jeans. I just love them and they are my concession to you stuck-in-the-muds who won't wear white jeans. So this is like a favor. Ha. But seriously, I have been collecting faded bootcut jeans for a while because I love wearing them with my cognac cowboy boots. Here I have on skinny faded jeans with a bootie. (Later this week, you'll get my spring primer on how to do the bootie thing this spring.) Several options for faded jeans, skinny and bootcut, are inside the Style Vault.

A faded jean is the perfect transition from your dark rinse winter jeans to a lighter in feel and weight spring denim. And while you're warming up to the idea of finally wearing white jeans.

These are the building blocks, for your spring wardrobe, the multi-use, versatile and wear for years staples to start budgeting for. We'll cover the 2015 spring trends you can try and the call out the tired pieces you should let go of as we inch ever nearer the magical Spring Equinox.

Thanks for reading and be sure to check out our Nashville personalized wardrobe consulting services for men and women. Experience the luxury of having us in your home and shopping the stores for you, then putting it all together. We're in our 8th year of making the world a better place, one good outfit at a time.

Give yourself a snow day and all the best,

Tina

Join the Style Vault Now!

Thank you to Deidre DeFelice for her photography, and for making it easy to laugh at myself.