Surprising ways to update your wardrobe for spring (including, whisper it, a £29.50 white shoe)

Telegraph

27-03-2025

Spring has sprung – and with it a surge of discontent with my own wardrobe. Billowing cherry blossoms and the promise of brighter days ahead might be in the air, but sadly that does not mean an immediate carte blanche to waft around in linen for the next six months. Mornings are still frigid (there was rime covering the ground when I left for the office this morning, dear reader). Layering is still very much still a girl's best friend.
But for those of us game to get on board with the seasonal sartorial shift – whatever our unpredictable weather – there are tempting new pieces in the shops and a sportier, slightly androgynous mood in the fashion ether. Thankfully, getting in on the look doesn't mean buying an entirely new wardrobe, rather it's about learning a few styling tricks and investing in a surprising new hero piece or two: a 'borrowed-from-the-boys' bomber, a knit T-shirt or – steel yourselves – a pair of white shoes.
With all this in mind, I took to The Telegraph photo studio to test drive five of spring's new game-changing pieces, with styling tips and advice from some of the best dressed women I know.
Why not try: a sequinned skirt for day
I've never been shy to wear a shine for the day (life's too short not to sparkle before dusk, right?) Still, I've always felt slightly squeamish about a sequinned skirt in spring, surely it's a more wintry item?
'Sequins are something that should be worn all year round. After you've finished the party season, think about matching them with an easy-to-wear white T-shirt, a crisp white shirt, a denim shirt with any of your sequin skirts. It won't feel overdressed. Definitely try with a flat shoe or a lace-up sandal as the sun starts shining,' says Nicola Rose, creative director and former fashion director of Red magazine.
Merino wool and cashmere polo, £55 and denim shacket, £29.50, Marks & Spencer, Recycled sequin skirt, £169, Baukjen, Leather loafers, £205, Bobbies, Sterling silver earrings, £295, Alighieri
In the studio I choose a sleek sequin skirt by Baukjen that is made from recycled eco-plastic sequins, which have a soft, pearly glow that looks elegant and not too glitzy. My first stab at styling it for daytime with a sweatshirt looks a bit shapeless, but (after a bit of experimenting) I settle on a knit polo and a denim shacket combo that feels both relaxed and pulled together – a very easy look to wear for day. I particularly like the cut on this skirt, which skims rather than hugs my hips, but I feel that at my height (5ft 4 and ¾ in), a shorter length would have made this a truly versatile addition to my wardrobe.
Key takeaway: Look for a spring sequin skirt in a neutral hue; resist the urge to go too jazzy
Why not try: a Varsity jacket
Few things in life are more uplifting than ditching your winter overcoat, for a spring jacket. Bomber jackets are everywhere this season – as are Chanel-style bouclé jackets – 'so what could be more on point than a bouclé bomber?' as my stylish colleague Sophie Tobin points out. I try a couple of options, one from M&S (at a purse-friendly price point of £65), but unfortunately it drowns me.
Boucle jacket, £350, Me+Em, Pleated skirt, £190, Essentiel Antwerp, Patent leather shoes, £195, Bobbies, Sterling silver earrings, £295, Alighieri
Another version by Me + Em with an elegant cape back that looks Japanese is an absolute winner – the cut means it floats away from the waist, rather than bunching the top of my skirt. I pair it with a skirt from Essentiel Antwerp, with sharp accordion pleats and a cool gradient colour effect and two-tone loafers. There's a definite hint of Sandra Dee in the whole ensemble. To avoid looking like a walk-on in Grease, step away from anything that says 'Jets' or 'Pink Ladies'. A dark, muted colour option is probably best.
Key-takeaway: Bomber jackets suit all ages, but if you go for a Varsity style keep it tonal and don't go too wild with collegiate lettering
Why not try: a white shoe… (and a neon hue!)
Here's where we get controversial (my mum should probably look away now). White shoes are everywhere for next season. But how to wear them, to make sure you look stylish and grown-up, not unspeakably naff? I call my friend Ann Caruso, an impeccably chic New Yorker, who just happens to style Elizabeth Hurley.
Slingback shoes, £29.50, Marks & Spencer
Of course, Americans are even more uptight about the etiquette of white shoe wearing than Britons. Surely she will know how to pull them off with aplomb. Caruso is on board with the trend, but advises a light touch: 'Wearing off-white kitten heels with jeans blends casual ease with a touch of polish, while a bit naughty at the same time,' she says.
In the studio, I try on a pair of slingback kitten heels in a creamy white shade from M&S, styled with an outfit that feels a little bit cheeky, consisting of my own Levi's jeans, and a neon green jacket by Essentiel Antwerp (a slightly subversive twist on a Sixties Jackie O style).
Textured jacket, £340, Essentiel Antwerp, Levi's jeans, Sarah's own, Sterling silver earrings, £295, Alighieri
Now wearing zingy lime green is another potentially polarising sartorial situation, but as colour consultant Jules Standish, tells me, there's no need to be afraid: 'Neon lime green loves to be seen, but in a balanced, friendly way that instantly boosts the mood and lifts the spirit… it's a wonderful tonic to kick start the new season ahead with positivity and a clear mind. Balancing the brightness of this shade with neutrals is the best way to embrace this energising and youthful shade without overpowering your look.' Of all the looks I try, this one feels the most instantly uplifting – and wearable.
Key-takeaway: Choose shoes in an off-white shade (think tasteful Farrow and Ball paint chart tones, not optic Apple iPod white)
Why not try: A knit T-shirt layered over a shirt
Upping your layering game is an easy way to inject a youthful savoir-faire into your day-to-day outfits. Nicola Rose taught me this when we worked together at Red magazine (I always loved the way she could pop a knitted pullover on top of a mannish pyjama shirt or a party dress and make it work for the office in an easy insouciant way).
My other muse in matters of layering is Miuccia Prada, who recently wore a boxy tee over a shirt backstage and looked effortlessly cool as per. 'I am a big fan of layering knitwear for spring,' says Rose. 'In our unpredictable weather, layering knits means you can go without a jacket.'
Linen blend jumper, £140, Cefinn, Poplin shirt, £95, With Nothing Underneath, Suedette skirt, £45, Marks & Spencer, Leather shoes, £295, Russell & Bromley, Sterling silver earrings, £295, Alighieri
After a bit of try-on and error in the studio (if a knit T-shirt is too flimsy, stylish layering is hard to pull off) I choose a boat-neck knit from Cefinn in a gorgeous shade of dusty blue. This looks great worn over a classic striped shirt – as ever look no further than WNU for the best boyfriend shirting. An M&S suedette skirt completes the outfit (this one looks so much more expensive than its price tag). Verdict? A knitted T-shirt worn over a shirt looks so much cooler than a cardigan.
Key takeaway: Look for sleeves wide enough to layer without crushing whatever you're wearing beneath
Why not try: a suit and tie
Tailoring is without doubt one of the strongest fashion stories of the season. On the runway, Antony Vacarello at Saint Laurent did it best and we've seen celebrities from Nicole Kidman and Dakota Fanning looking drop-dead fabulous on the red carpet recently in mannish suits and ties. 'I think this look speaks to a woman's confidence and her refusal to be confined by tradition,' says Caruso. 'It's power dressing at its best. Men have been doing it forever, and women look just as sharp, confident, bold, fashionable and alluring in it.'
On the high street, Reiss's women's suit sales are up 30 per cent on the year, according to Una Joyce, the brand's womenswear director. Interestingly for those of us who are not overly tall (and often count ourselves out of suit wearing for that very reason) the brand's 'petite offering' is growing (up 70 per cent versus last year to be precise). 'Reiss tailoring is the backbone of the collections, it's in our bones, it's our DNA, it sums up who we are and what we do .... sharp, polished clothing, tailoring for modern living,' says Joyce.
Blazer, £278 and trousers, £188, Reiss, Tencel shirt, £120, With Nothing Underneath, Silk knitted tie, £68, Reiss, Leather shoes, £245, Russell & Bromley, Gold plated recycled silver earrings, £195, Loveness Lee
All I can tell you is that this sandy brown tweed Reiss suit makes me feel like Cate Blanchett in Tar (the sartorial swagger, not the toxic narcissist bit). I was actually reluctant to wear it with a tie for fear of looking like I was in costume, but it is the piece de resistance. Reiss's suits are sold as two-pieces or separately. 'Modular suiting is an enduring approach to dressing and the perfect garment to transition from day to evening,' says Joyce. Certainly, this ensemble feels as glamorous as a dress and somehow sassier than a tuxedo. Bring on my tailoring era.
Key takeaway: You have to try in person before you buy. A well-cut suit will whittle your waist and make you stand up straighter. If it doesn't you haven't found the right one yet