We’re officially, definitely into spring now. At least in terms of the current fashion season – in terms of weather we may as well be experiencing a winter from Game Of Thrones. But if there’s one thing British people are good at it’s pretending we're not cold when we're freezing our balls off, so put your huge puffer coat back into your wardrobe, grab your lightweight jacket and go have a cider in a freezing beer garden.
With its fun mix of random sunny spells and sudden thunderstorms, the only way to get through spring in style is to layer up. But, layering can go one of two ways: you can look like a FASHION GOD fresh from a runway in Paris, or you can look like a reject from Yeezy Season 6. There’s literally no middle ground. So with that being said, here are a few tips to make sure you nail layering this spring.
Keep it simple
Layering is less about what you wear and more about how you wear it. A nicely layered outfit doesn’t necessarily need to have ten different pieces in it – it can be as simple as a t-shirt and jacket as long, as the fit of both these pieces is on point. Someone who is brilliant at this is Virgil Abloh (formerly from Off White, now Louis Vuitton – big up Virgil), love him or hate him it’s hard to dispute the impact Abloh has had on modern fashion.
His personal style (and the styles he creates/curates) are prime examples of the “less is more” layering approach, and as a result everything he does is usually clean as fuck.
Meanwhile SHS's own House of Sunny and Kwaleö have the kind of affordable, stylish and easy-to-build-on basics that mean you can achieve this kind of look without having to splash out on Off White.
Embrace prints and colours
Not all layering has to be super clean though. Spring is the perfect time to embrace bright patterns and colours – after all, we have just spent the last five months in complete darkness. It’s time to get some light in our wardrobes and a well-layered outfit with complementary colours will always be a good look. Or alternatively, an all-black outfit with a stand out colour is a great way to ease yourself into summer if you’re not quite ready to give up your winter wardrobe just yet.
Don’t be afraid of experimenting with patterns as well; things like animal print or camo are basically timeless and will always look fire. Lukas Sabbat (model, actor, designer and all round influencer) is an expert at pairing out-there patterns with basic pieces, and is well worth a follow if you’re looking for some inspiration.
There are a load of brands going to town on bright patterns and colours at the minute so make sure to shop around and find the one that makes your heart sing. Dȇmos and Jehu-Cal are both killing it right now and are delivering pattern and colour-heavy collections that actually work, so check them out for statement pieces.
It’s all in the details
Details are what make an outfit, and layering is the best way to get them in, so make sure you A C C E S S O R I S E. Although they can sometimes look a bit “wannabe-wavey-don-at-Wireless Festival”, waist bags and bucket hats are streetwear and high fashion staples and are perfect for the warmer weather. So don’t be put off by the stigma! Reclaim it and make it your own.
Don’t worry if that’s not your style though, as there’s loads of ways to accessorise without going down the streetwear route. Berets, dad caps and beanies can be found pretty cheap and will all help to take your spring look to the next level. Scarfs, tote bags, sunglasses, rings etc are great as well so get creative! Basically anything can be turned into an accessory if you try hard enough. Glasses chains are making a comeback, fyi. Lecture notes? Sure.
Get creative! Basically anything can be turned into an accessory if you try hard enough.
Check out Custom Rare and Yuk Fun for some fashion forward accessories!
100% buy a trench coat
Just do it. Trust me. Look how happy A$AP Rocky looks! Don't you want to be that happy too?
Think high fashion (and recreate the look on a realistic budget)
Have you ever seen pictures from a runway and wondered “why is that model wearing four coats?” It’s not because LFW moved to that Soho car park – it's because high fashion loves layering. But they don’t love an affordable price tag. So the best thing we can do is take runway looks and do them for waaay cheaper.
There are so many great independent brands about who draw influence from high fashion aesthetics and then turn them out for a lot less money, so it’s always best to do your research before you spaff away half your loan. Remember, your layered look will be so much greater than the sum of its parts.
For high fashion looks on a student budget, TjC and Vakomana Apparel have your back. And front.
