For a majority of us, a typical spring day can look a little something like this…Get ready for work (heated), head out to the car (cool), enter the car (heated), walk to the office (cool), enter the office (heated), and so on. We get it, it’s a tricky time of year to dress yourself. That chunky wool sweater might help you battle your brisk commute, but minutes later you find your lower back turning into a swampland around your co-workers.
With today’s look I want to bring some awareness to the nuances of dressing for in-between weather, or in other words, transitional layering. There’s a reason stylists always talk about building a wardrobe. You want clothes you can layer when it gets chilly and disassemble when it gets warm. For Layering 101 , we want to keep things simple at The Chicago Chic, so we’re sticking to a simple 1-2-3 guide.
- Start with a breathable base to wick away moisture from your body. For my look I chose a linen shirt from Banana Republic which is slightly elevated beyond a polo shirt, yet more casual than your go-to dress shirt.
- Next, add on a spring-weight middle layer. For this, I opted for a cotton crewneck sweater that’s almost borderline a thermal. Avoid chunky wools and stock up on some light-weight merino, cotton, and linen blend sweaters.
- Lastly, add a sport coat to top off the look. We often think that layering is best used for casual occasions and not so appropriate in more formal situations. However, a layered combo can include a dressier piece such as a tailored sport coat. When choosing your third piece, try to find something that is lightweight enough to layer over your base and middle layer without feeling oppressively hot. We recommend cotton blends, seersuckers, and tropical wools which are all fabrics you should be looking for due to their versatility during warmer months.
It’s an outfit that’s season-spanning without being the least bit boring. A couple finishing touches include my 4-sided pocket square and linen trousers in an unexpected shade of blue, all of which can be purchased below. Now that you have some know-how on layering, let’s see how you step up your spring style repertoire this season.
SHOP THE LOOK
Sponsored by Banana Republic
Photography: Jocelyn Smith Photography
