Planting a new garden with your kids isn’t the only fun springtime ritual to look forward to – the warmer weather also signals that it’s time to refresh your spring wardrobe. Of course, this process can be more frustrating than thrilling if you don’t embark on it with a good roadmap.

If you’re dreading taking out your spring wardrobe and trying to put together something presentable this year, here are some tips for giving it a gentle overhaul without breaking the bank.

1. Give your old spring wardrobe a spring cleaning

The first step to refresh your spring wardrobe must be going through your existing spring wardrobe and getting rid of the pieces you won’t wear. As hard as it may be, you need to be tough – if in doubt, throw it out.

Look at each piece you own and ask yourself when you last wore it. If you didn’t wear it in the last 12 months, you probably aren’t going to wear it in the next 12 months, either. But this year, we can make one exception here: If you bought a dressier spring garment last year and never ended up wearing it because of the pandemic and you still love it, you can hold onto it. But everything else you never wear has to go!

If it no longer fits, get rid of it, even if you think it may fit in the future. Likewise, there’s no reason to keep anything that is too worn or cannot be mended. If you would not buy it if you saw it in a shop today, say goodbye. This might end up being a lot of pieces, and hard as it may be to let go of that many clothes, just think of the joy they will bring whomever you donate them to.

2. Fill in the gaps

Now that you’re left with only pieces that you love and wear, you can spot the gaps in your spring wardrobe. The first pieces you buy to refresh your spring wardrobe should be the basics you are lacking, like lightweight trousers or plain blouses in neutral colours that can form the base of your spring wardrobe. Your base pieces should ideally work at the tail end of winter and in the early days of summer as well.

3. Add a cute pair of shoes

If you’re anything like me, even the most meticulous care won’t keep your spring shoes presentable year after year. So go ahead and put your boots away and treat yourself to a cute pair of shoes to get you through springtime, making sure they go well with the basics in your spring wardrobe.

4. Get a couple of garments that scream “spring”

We’ve discussed why you shouldn’t make the mistake of having every item you buy be too season-specific. However, you should treat yourself to a couple of garments that are unmistakably spring, like a flowy blouse or floral maxi skirt that can be mixed and matched with your base spring wardrobe. Bonus points if you choose items that you can bring from day to night easily.

Just make sure you do your homework to ensure the shades in that adorable spring patterned skirt you buy will go with shirts you already own!

5. Accessorise!

Next, get yourself a pretty spring accessory, whether it’s a lightweight scarf or a bag that will bring you joy every time you pop it on your shoulder. This is when you can go into full spring mode.

You can look cute and in-season without spending a lot of money by focusing on more neutral essential garments and then adding that spring flair to your outfits with affordable accessories such as earrings and scarves. This is also where you can bring in some bright colours that you might not be brave enough to wear in trousers or blouses.

6. Use the “one in, one out” rule

If you’ve followed my previous tips, there’s a good chance you got rid of a bunch of garments you’re not going to wear this year. But in case you’ve already done that recently or you just couldn’t pare it down too much, keep the “one in, one out” rule in mind as you refresh your spring wardrobe. For each new item you buy, get rid of something else, preferably within the same category. Aim to do this within an hour of bringing the new items home.

Choose a pair of old, worn-out shoes to toss when you bring in those cute new spring sandals, or say goodbye to a shirt you no longer love and give its hanger to the one you’ve just bought. Otherwise, your wardrobe is going to keep growing and overwhelming you year after year!

Enjoy the process!

Love,

Nakita xxx