5 Key Women’s Spring Fashion Essentials

While summer might be on the horizon and rearing its pleasantly palatable head, we are nevertheless still in the moderate reign of spring, whose balmy yet cooling temperatures are juxtaposed with the flourishing of the pink blossom trees that spout out at every corner. The ice cream van can be heard chugging along musically, feeding its people with frozen bites of deliciousness, while the dogs bark playfully in nearby parks, as the sun coaxes them into a happy delirium. It is a magical sight to see the affect that spring has on the British public and despite it being hot enough for an Indian summer, with temperatures soaring to 28 degrees, nevertheless spring is still a temperamental season alternating between random bouts of snow flurries to a Saharan dessert storm the next. Its no wonder us Britons end up being ridiculously unprepared for the weather when it likes to change its mind so god darn often. But never fear, Mama Jasmine knows a thing or two about spring fashion essentials that will have you looking like fire even in the middle of a random snow storm.

Which is where my ‘spring fashion essentials’ guide comes in handy; from the floral midi dress that can be worn all year round  to must have cat eye sunglasses to shield your eyes from the jealous haters, here are 5 spring fashion essentials that you need to turn up the heat this spring. And for those of you who are into basics, then don’t worry, Mama Jasmine has also included some bonus essentials like skinny jeans to keep your spring feeling fresh and comfortable! So whether you want to look like a runway model, want the most comfortable attire, or simply want something in between, here are several items you simply need to have in your closet for the spring season.

Shop The Floral Midi Dress Look

Floral Midi Or/And Maxi Dress

It’s a tale as old as time, a classic infatuation with something so tangibly part of our intricate fashion footprint, where for centuries it has been worn with zealous pride. In fact this print makes stripes practically pale into comparison, yes I am talking about none other than the one and only floral print, a print that connotes sun drenched days in a Tuscan Vineyard, where the flowers intertwine with the grape vines just as much as it correlates with the moodiness of the flowers wilting in winter. It can be bright and colourful, imprinted on silk or cotton, or moody and dark, with psychotropical prints, that are reflective of the digital age that we live in. However you choose to style the floral print this season, make sure you stock up on midi dresses and maxi’s that are emblazoned with florals so that you can wonder into the meadows, looking like a giant flower and run away terrified as the bees come to suckle at your pretend honey nectar.

Shop The Floral Midi Dress Look

Don’t believe me? Well I will give you this delightful case study that demonstrates said point. As someone who has been stung by a bee before – on my bum nevertheless- and is dressed in florals 98% of the time, the fact that I usually wear a flower crown seems like a breeding ground for the wasps and flowers who think its hilarious to come near me and scare the crap out of me at all given times. It’s like my friend Marie so lovingly told me ‘for someone who is from the countryside you sure aren’t used to creepy crawlies are you’? To which I replied ‘It’s not that I am not used to them, its more that I am scared of them’ because trust me being stung on your bum of all places, hurts a lot. But enough about bees and their fascination with pretend flowers, the midi dress is perfect for spring time frolicking, because not only will you not flash your pants every time you bend over, but it also means that even when it is raining, you can still splash through the puddles and have a jolly grand ol’ time. See some people like to stay away from ‘midi dresses’ because they think it will make them look short but honestly even if you are a child with a passion for fashion, midi dresses can still be your friend.

It’s all about how you choose to style said midi dress; as someone who is 5 ft 4 I find that wearing them with heeled sandals is not only comfortable but also elongates my legs to make me look taller than I actually am. It’s actually why so many people are shocked at how small I am, because (and I quote) ‘I look so tall in photos’. Truth is I am petite and that’s fine by me, although I like to wear heels 90% of the time to make me look taller and obviously to make me feel sassy as well. And its the same with maxi dresses, although they are far easier to style with sandals for a nonchalant Nouveau Bohemian vibe. Nevertheless the humble maxi dress is ideal for spring because on breezier days it can be worn with a faux leather jacket or even a simple turtleneck, whereas warmer occasions call for sandals and a warm sunny smile. For spring chic, pair your maxi dress with boots that will not only protect your feet from the rain but will stop your look from being too ‘princessy’. Although for someone who likes to be overdressed all the time, this is actually ok with me.

Shop Midi Dresses Below

Shop Maxi Dresses Below

Cat Eye Sunglasses

Shop The ‘Cat Eye Sunglasses Look’ Below

Even though I am someone who wears sunglasses all year round (yes even in the throes of winter), spring is the perfect season for sunglasses, where the sun finally decides to make a much needed appearance. Although if you live in the UK you know that one day you could open your door to sunshine and the next day to frozen snow, so you never know as to when your delightful sunnies collection will come in handy. Which is where the good ol’ retro cat eye sunnies come into play; popular in the 50’s and 60’s and associated with the ‘beehive style’ cat eye sunglasses are identified by their exaggerated ‘feline shape’ and often had small lenses that were upturned towards the outside of the face. While starlets like Marilyn Monroe wore ‘cat eye sunglasses’ it was Audrey Hepburn in the movie cult classic Breakfast At Tiffany’s (1961) who made cat eye sunglasses accessible to all, with her pair of of tortoiseshell sunglasses called the Manhattans by Oliver Goldsmith. But why are Cat Eye Sunglasses specified as part of the spring fashion essentials gang I hear you ask? Well put simply Cat Eye sunglasses are not only the most adaptable sunglasses that are suitable for any face shape, but they are cool, stylish, retro yet modern and best of all make you look as sassy ‘ASF’.

And don’t worry about feeling like you are not sassy enough to wear them. Hell I am a nerd loving fantasy geek with a love of all things books and crude, rude animation, who can still look like I am a sassy, cool ice queen. And my friend who is of a similar mindset to me, when she said ‘I don’t think I am sassy enough to wear these glasses’ I promptly stopped her and said ‘ glasses are accessible to all, and to be honest we are all nerds at heart anyway’. I often get told, lovingly of course with a cheeky wink ‘ you always look so cool in photos but actually you’re just a loveable weirdo aren’t you’ , to which I reply, with a cheeky wink of my own ‘yes, yes I am’. So even if you are a drag race stan, with a love of all things Rick and Morty and would rather read a book than go out clubbing (AKA ME) then that’s ok hun, you can still wear cat eye sunnies and look f**king cool.

Shop Cat Eye Sunglasses Below

Gladiator Sandals

Shop The Gladiator Sandal Look

Ah the infamous gladiator sandals, worn during a time of pillage and bloodshed… until now. The once bloodthirsty sandals that adorned the grimy feet of the gladiators who would fight during the Roman Empire for the ghoulish amusement of their war hungry crowd. Yet now the gladiator sandals have thankfully come full circle, more likely to be associated with the ‘festival crowd’ or beach goers, than a crowd of angry Romans and thank goodness for that. Ideal worn with co-ords, playsuits and floaty beach dresses, gladiator sandals is this season’s hottest spring fashion essentials. While one might argue that gladiator sandals are more suited to summer as opposed to spring, often the weather in England appears to be better in April than it is in actual summer, if this weeks temperature statistics are anything to go by. So which pair of gladiators should you choose, will it be monochromatic in white or black, or maybe a cheeky heel will take your legs to the next level. Perhaps instead you would rather some knee high pom pom wonders,or even a cheeky ankle sandal with embroidery is more your style, whichever Gladiator team you choose to be part of, make sure that it is done with plenty of fun and zany style. After all a good pair of shoes is a powerful weapon in this spring/summer heat.

And don’t worry guys, as someone who is cruelty free and does not wear any animal materials, I have hooked you up with the best cruelty free, vegan sandals for a cracker of a price. Question is, what would you choose?

Shop Gladiator Sandals Below

Mini Skirt

Shop The Mini Skirt Look Below

*Original Boots Are From Single Price 

What can I say about mini skirts that you don’t know already since I talk about them so bloody much? Isn’t it crazy how the 60’s Mary Quant esque trend remains just as popular nearly 60 years later, with celebrities and bloggers alike still having a ginormous crush on the cult sixties classic. And it’s easy to see why; mini skirts became popular in the sixties because they were not only a direct rejection of the 50’s prim and proper midi skirts but also a proclaimation of youth culture, because for the first time in history young people had access to ‘disposable income and as a result were controlling the means of fashion production, including what trends were being portrayed tothe mainstream audience. Provocative, cool, modern and easy to style, the mini skirt is springs most versatile fashion essential. From being paired with fishnets and boots on colder days, to being paired with sandals and off the shouldrr tops, how you interpret the spring mini skirt fashion trend is entirely down to you. For date night you might like to choose a floral mini skirt, with a blouse or bodysuit, a statement necklace and some strappy heeled sandals, while a more casual affair might involve you pairing said skirt with a jumper and trainers. And if the sun is out and you want to get your legs out, ditch the fishnets and let it all hang out.

But with so many different types of mini skirts, which would you go for? After all there are ruffle hem ‘ra ra skirts’ that were so popular in the noughties, micro mini’s worn in the 60’s and trumpet hem mini’s that are popular today. For me the fail safe option has to be the ‘no fuss’ a-line block colour mini skirt as they are ridiculously easy to style and far more practical than the trumpet or asymmetric hem, which are harder to style.

Shop Mini Skirts Below

Off The Shoulder Top

Shop The Off The Shoulder Top Look

Why wear any regular ol’ boring top when you can wear an off the shoulder top, for an erotic sneak peek of your… shoulders? Not only are off the shoulder tops beautiful with jeans, shorts, skirts and even dresses, but with stunning trends like ruffles, fringing, ruching, one shoulder and fluting being part of the deal, who said that tops were ever a boring essential? Not me by any means! Drawing inspiration from the 70s-era vibe with floaty, diaphanous off the shoulder tops, versus nineties style knitwear, with cold shoulder detailing, despite being a relatively modern trend, its easy to see how the bohemiamism of the seventies and the ‘cool kid’ aesthetic of the nineties has turned this ‘top trend’ into a look that is accessible to all. While some off the shoulder tops can be tranformed into shirt dresses with the simple addition of a colour bloc belt, others can be tucked into mini skirts or maxi skirts and paired with cropped denim jackets and a flower crown to beat, meaning that the styling possibilities centered around the humble off the shoulder top is endless.

A bardot neckline is often the easiest ‘off the shoulder top’ to style, but ruffle hems and fluting add a decidedly Mediterranean flair, tying into us Britons love of being inappropriately dressed for every occasion. Question is, what style tribe are you?

Shop Off The Shoulder Tops Below

Bonus Basics

And if that wasn’t enough here is some advice on what ‘basics’ to snag this spring, that will turn you from drab to fab, without having to try too hard. From the coveted failsafe skinny jeans to the classic white tee monochromatic combo, who says that basics are boring? After all, even in spring basics can still be elevated into a daytime look that screams something magical.

Shop The Skinny Jeans Look

The skinny jeans. Dark denim, black denim, torn, lined, you choose the style and you can wear it with any outfit you have planned for the day. Date night, day out on the town or even something a bit more formal for work with the right blazer and tee, guarantees you’ll always look your best even when you are wearing your most comfortable pair of jeans.  My personal favourite? Well the distressed floral embroidered skinny high waisted jeans are perfect for spring, and unlike a maxi dress you won’t be attacked by a massive swarm of bees who think that you are a giant flower. 

Shop Skinny Jeans Below

 

Shop The White Tee Look

The White Tee. It is a style that never goes out of fashion, AKA the classic ‘white tee’. Pair it with dresses, a long coat, jeans, shorts, skirts or any other ensemble you want to throw together. You can pair it with varying colours, design prints and material finishes. It looks good dressed up or down and it ensures that comfortable fit so you won’t feel constricted when wearing it. While it might be considered to be a ‘basic’ it is an ultimate part of the spring fashion essentials guide , because the white tee will literally go with everything.

Shop White Tees Below

 

Shop The Turtleneck Look Below

A Turtleneck Jumper. For those days when it’s still pretty chilly out, a Turtleneck Jumper will come in handy. You can choose from several materials, thickness levels, colours and for those who are cruelty free like myself, you don’t have to compromise on your ethics either as there are so many jumper choices out there. Whether you choose to wear the jumpers for formal events or would much rather lounge in them at home, the possibilities really are endless. And for those of you who would rather not brave the shopping centres to find your perfect match, then why not shop online instead, to have a one stop shop of all things that are hot this spring, to add to your cheeky spring fashion essentials list.

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 What Will You Be Adding To Your Spring Wishlist This Season?

Disclaimer

Please note this is a collaborative post but all thoughts are my own and are not affected by monetary compensation.