As of this Monday, it is now officially spring, regardless of the weather. It’s time to put away your winter clothes, forget about your student finance situation, and embrace the warmer temperatures that may or may not be arriving at some point in Edinburgh. So without further ado, here are a collection of top (and very well-informed) tips for how to dress yourself this spring.
1)Crop-tops. Whether you’ve spent most of the winter months preparing your summer body by going to the gym or you really haven’t at all (because cake and chocolate are so much more important) show off and be proud of your body with a crop top. Balance the cheekier crop top with a long floaty skirt; have a nosy in your local charity shop to find one just below the knee for a look worthy of the classic icons from the 50s and 60s. Just beware of Edinburgh’s high winds.
2) Invest in a pair of sunglasses. Although they might not come in handy for a few more months, if at all, they are useful for hiding your eye bags after too many nights out, too much time in front of your laptop screen in the library, or protecting your eyes from the blinding glare of all those rain clouds.
3) Ditch winter’s chunky knit scarves and embrace the freedom of a light and bright pashmina, tossed effortlessly around your neck (even if it took you hours to decide which one to wear) whilst still giving your bare skin some protection and complementing your outfit.
4) Denim on denim over denim. With 90s grunge styling back with a vengeance, it’s time to scour Nicholson Street’s finest charity shops – or your Mum’s and Dad’s closet – for the best in soft grunge denim jeans, jackets and dungarees. A flared leg might seem like a hazard in the wet weather (who likes a soggy hem?) but in the springtime, it provides the perfect touch to complete your denim daydream. The baggier the better.
5) The maxi-hat. Take a wide brimmed summer hat, pretend you’re of the upper-classes, and wear your hat about as if you’re off for a day at the races or an afternoon at Wimbledon in the Royal Box. Yet again, if you need to hide your face, the hat will also come in handy. Make sure it’s well positioned on your head, so you don’t end up chasing it across the Meadows. For extra sophistication points, hang an umbrella on your forearm and ‘sashay’ everywhere.
6) If you’ve been in mourning all winter for the lack of sunshine, it’s time to remove the various shades of black clothing from your wardrobe and get the patterns rolling. We recommend any florals, obviously, but if we’re being more specific, then larger floral prints – such as roses – are very on trend right now. Camouflage yourself with the vibrant yellow daffodils or the white and purple crocuses in the Meadows for extra brownie points. Animal prints are also back – but we’re not talking leopard, think more tiny-hedgehog prints or little dinosaurs.
7) Wait a second? You no longer have to have your hands in your pockets wherever you walk?! You can let your hands roam free and leave the gloves at home. Take yourself jewellery shopping, adorn your hands in rings, and bring hand fashion out of hibernation.
8) Paint your toenails in your favourite spring colour (we would go for a bright Barbie pink or a more subtle cornflower blue) and risk the tiny chance of frostbite to wear your sandals loud and proud. Alternatively, whilst waiting for warm weather, you could wear them with a pair of socks with a chic little lacy frill around the edge. The socks – and -sandals look is coming back everybody. Or stick to your tassled brogues, which work well in bridging the gap between the winter and summer months.
[Image: Flickr @ Erica_Knits]