I should be doing travel research this morning. Hubby and I are planning a trip for the fall. We’ve been reading, corresponding with traveller friends, reading some more, and trying to map out an itinerary. This morning I should be reading about Slovenia. But I’m not. Instead I am knee deep (metaphorically speaking) in colourful spring clothes.
It seems that my wish last spring for sun-shiney yellow has been fulfilled. In spades. Yellow is everywhere this season. Whether it’s called sunshine yellow, or lemon, or sherbet, or marigold, or even Mango Mojito, there’s a ton of yellow on-line and in the stores. And I think that I will indulge my desire for colour this spring by investing in something yellow.
Simply shopping for yellow, on-line and in the stores, and imagining how it will fit into my closet has already put a spring in my step. Maybe I’ll go for a light coat or a spring blazer? I saw this Zara coat at the mall the other day. It’s surprisingly well made for the price. I know I should be swearing off fast fashion, but maybe just this once I can break my own rule.
Simons has some good-looking, colourful spring blazers as well. I love their long blazer in soft yellow with black buttons, below. You can find it here. I also really like the yellow sweater paired with that plaid skirt. Not sure about the quality of either. As I said a couple of posts ago, I’ve only ever shopped for socks at Simons. When I am out and about with my spring shopping list in a couple of weeks, I’ll make sure to have a good look round, beyond the sock department.
Or instead of a coat or jacket, I might go for a bright summer dress. This Borgo de Noir dress, below, from MatchesFashion.com is luscious, but it’s much more of an investment piece than a Zara coat, or a sweater or jacket from Simons. I’m still too leery about ordering things, especially expensive things, sight unseen, on-line. I know how many dresses I always have to try on before I find the perfect one. I’d no doubt be disappointed, and then have all the hassle of mailing a return.
So… I’ve been all about yellow lately. Bound and determined to buy something yellow for spring, until I saw this ad for Hermes in Vogue. Oh my, that’s beautiful. The orange coat and the tan bag together. So lovely. Almost makes the yellow seem a bit insipid, don’t you think?
And then in The Telegraph, I saw an outfit worn by blogger Brittany Xavier at Milan Fashion week. Here’s the same look on the runway at the Sportmax Pre-fall 2019 show. There’s something so fresh about a simple white shirt, with camel and tomato red. It’s such a chic look, isn’t it? And although I have no intention of buying a Sportmax coat, that colour combination has me dreaming. About neutrals with orange or red. Or orangey red. Even better.
I love this Helmut Lang orange sweater with the cream suit, from Matches Fashion. An orange sweater would look fabulous under my navy Max Mara suit. Or with my navy Veronica Beard suit. Or under the navy Moncler anorak I bought last spring. You see, therein lies the source of my longing for yellow or orange. I’m kind of drowning in navy. I played it safe and bought the navy Moncler anorak last spring instead of the red jacket. I’m not unhappy with my choice. It goes with everything. And I do love a navy jacket or coat with a crisp white shirt or tee underneath. But this year I think an injection of bright colour might be just the ticket to complete my spring wardrobe.
So, now I’m thinking orange instead of yellow. Or orangey red. Or tomato red. This red suit from Zara is making me think fondly of a tomato-red, silk suit I owned in the nineties. A three-button blazer with creamy buttons and full-legged pants, that was a fabulous suit, which I wore to death. Eventually I’d been caught dashing from the car to the house in the rain, coatless and umbrella-less, one too many times, and water spots ruined the jacket.
That was during the years when I was having difficulty managing my umbrellas. I had one for work, one for home, and one for the car. And no matter how hard I tried, they all seemed to somehow migrate to the same place, and often not where I needed them to be. It was as if they had some sort of attraction for each other. Ha. Now I carry a tiny umbrella in my purse. And my red suit is long gone.
So, yeah. This year at the top of my spring shopping list will be “something in a bright colour.” I’m thinking I may replace my red suit from the past. Not silk, of course. And not a worky-looking power suit. Something a bit more casual, with full-legged pants, and a one or two-button jacket. I can see a red suit under my navy anorak on a cool spring day. With a crisp white tee underneath the jacket. Or the suit on its own. With sneakers. Or my red Earth brand loafers from last year. Maybe the jacket alone with jeans and the loafers. Or the jacket over a white tee, and white jeans, and my red loafers. I think I’m talking myself into a tomato-red suit, and I haven’t even started shopping. Ha.
So… this has been fun, folks. Like shopping with girlfriends. You know, when you don’t necessarily buy anything, just browse, and try on, and yak. Then go for lunch. Looking at all the lovely colour, and discussing clothes has definitely put a spring back in my step.
Even if I still have to don my boots to go outside.
So how about you my friends? What’s on your spring shopping list? Does planning your spring shopping help put a spring back in your step?
Linking up this week with: Visible Monday, #IwillwearwhatIlike, Thursday Favourite Things, #ShareAllLinkup
30 thoughts on “Putting Some Spring in My Step”
I vote for all of the above – tomato red, orange, marigold, burnt yellow – all to wear with all your navy!
You’re right… they would all go with a navy suit. I particularly love the fact that Panetone has a colour called Mango Mojito, though.
I’m packing for three weeks in the Scottish Highlands & I’ve thrown an almost forgotten mustardy yellow scarf into the mix . It’s funny how some colours call to you at times . I seem to be drawn to all shades green just now . Wonder what colour you’ll go for in the end ? Hope the visit back ‘ home ‘ is going well .
I may not be able to choose just one colour, though:) Have fun in Scotland.
Oooh where are you going? I’m from Inverness, although I now live in Florida. I’m envious .
Hi Val , we are staying in three different holiday cottages . One near Dunoon , one near Pitlochry & one near Dornoch – all favourite areas . Inverness is a lovely place too .
Wendy
I remember Pitlochry when we were in Scotland… in 2005. And I looked up Dornoch on a map, I was getting it confused with Durness where we stayed for night on our way back from Orkney and down the west coast. We so loved that trip. Especially the single-track roads with passing places. Once we figured out how to use them properly. Ha.
Beautiful colours,all of them-and such a great styling! I ‘d like them all!
You’ll have a lot of thinking and deciding 🙂
I love yellow very much-it is like a sunshine,golden days,instant happines…. although it really doesn’t look good near my face-nevertheless I have yellow MM silk blouse (a birthday gift years ago,a very good one because it’s beautiful and I would never buy it alone) and lemon jellow blazer ( to go with flowy,navy maxi skirt for my son’s second Master’s graduation ceremony )
I think I’ve finished my spring shopping:I was longing for years for baby blue or powder blue light coat-done! And a dress,olive-yellow (!) ,not my colours at all,but it was love at first sight….
Now,I want to wear only navy and black (but from my closet)-it is always jin/jang equillibrium I seek,after colours…and colours after a lot of navy/black
We’ll see what will Vienna do for my “enough shopping for now”decision
Dottoressa
I’m sure by fall I will want to “cleanse my fashion palate” with lots of brown and burgundy… but for now yellow and orange are such a lovely antidote against our seemingly perpetual winter. Have fun in Vienna! How long will you be there?
Thanks! Four or five days
D
I love yellow but I never wear it. Not sure how it would look with my older skin tones and greying hair. When I was young I could carry off strong colours without a problem but I now look rather corpse-like. You have, however, reminded me to get out my bright Spring handbag and take it for a trip this week. I’m off to do that now. Enjoy the shopping.
I was drooling over a yellow handbag in a store last week until I remembered my own cheery goldie-yellow tote at home. Enjoy your trip:)
I’m planning on wearing a lot more yell low coming season. It’s such a pretty color but I never wear it. Strange right.
I don’t wear it often either. Hoping to change that this year.
I am especially seeing you in tomato-ey red or orange for a piece of clothing anf maybe you choose a yellow accessory. Both colors would blend easily with your navy from last year. Let us know what you decide!
I will, Deanne. I may opt for something small in orange, a tee shirt or light sweater. But I’m really dreaming about a red suit now!
Hi Sue, this bright and cheery fashion post was just what I needed to read this morning! The weather outside is frightful, ? as the song goes 🙂 … grey and stormy! So, thinking of Spring and yellow has brightened my day! Not all the shades will work for me … I look really drained in camel and I’m not confident enough for a red suit! I’d love to have seen yours though, it sounds gorgeous! I do like orange with navy and last Autumn I bought a golden yellow circular bag from John Lewis that I’m looking forward to using this Spring and Summer . Pale yellow doesn’t suit me but golden does. I’ve a couple of pieces, a lightweight longish shirt and a shortish boxy mohair jumper , that I layer together or style separately.
You’ve given me lots of good ideas, great post!
Enjoy your travel planning and have a wonderful time with your mum. I hope she’s ok … no doubt thrilled to have your company for a couple of weeks.
I love a boxy sweater with a longer skirt, love to see that outfit. Instagram post? It’s sunny here but still cold. And still very much winter with a capital W.
Love the idea of injecting colour into a neutral wardrobe…I’m feeling the need for a burst of yellow for my own wardrobe (perhaps that comes from seeing bright bunches of daffodils hit the supermarkets). I love lemon yellow and one of my favourite leather handbags is in that happy colour. Orange would be a beautiful contrast to your navy items! Do enjoy your trip to New Brunswick and the planning for a fall trip too…always exciting to plan a change in venue. We leave for South America in a few days…still tweaking the packing plan! Cheers, Alayne
Have a fabulous time in South America! Makes me remember that this time two years ago that’s where we were.
I’m ready for some bright color too. I recently found a sweater that was almost perfect: bright orangey-red, nice fit…except for a wonky cowl neck which I realized after I got it home doesn’t layer well. Back it goes…
I’m not a fan of a cowl neck. I never know what to do with them.
Ohhh, YES re cowlnecks… They just don’t sit well on me and I end up fidgeting with them all day long like I do with scarves 😛
The only sweater necklines I can wear comfortably in the colder months are polonecks, crewnecks and V-necks ( and even then I usually layer a knit poloneck or skivvy underneath ).
Fidgeting is the worst, isn’t it?
Not quite there with teeth requiring root canal work but yeahhh, it’s pretty bad 🙂 😛
I haven’t gotten around to shopping for spring, but would love to have something in a soft yellow. A couple of years ago I ordered a pair of Isabel Marant, taxi cab yellow, silk pants. I loved them but couldn’t actually see myself wearing them, even with a plain white tee. They were a bit over the top so I returned them. You’ve reminded me I need to take a look. Thanks!
If anyone can work a pair of taxicab yellow pants, you can Brenda. But they looked awesome. Bu-ut I do know that it’s easy to say that to someone else. Sometimes when I try something on I feel as if I’m wearing someone else’s clothes. And that never feels comfortable to me.
Hi Sue,
I hope you can hold the line against that Zara suit. Just in case you needed a helpful reminder about why you try to stay away from fast fashion https://www.cbc.ca/passionateeye/features/our-fast-fashion-habit-is-killing-the-planet
I think the Zara suit would not measure up in real life… fast fashion usually doesn’t. Thanks for the link:)
We’re heading into autumn here, so it’ll probably be a pair of jeans and a sweater or two 🙂
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