Like many people caught in the grip of climate chaos, I'm trying to enjoy the minimal windows that seem to get shorter every year. Those brief, beautiful stretches between blistering heat and frigid cold. I love spring (and fall) dearly, and I wish they lasted longer. Nonetheless, I'm planning on soaking up every bit of it. I've put together some directions I'm looking toward that I'll probably pull into my summer styling as well.
A quick note: I do think dressing can be incredibly powerful and revolutionary, if you allow it to be. Style can help project the vision of yourself you wish to put into the world, and often it's one of the first things people notice about you. So for me, it's always been about who I am, what I want to say, and by proxy, how I will demand people treat me.
For the most part, I believe in dressing however you want. The caveats are time and place. I don't think it's very cool to show up to someone's party without putting in effort, and I do think there's a level of professionalism that matters. Though that's a layered and far more nuanced conversation.
I'll also say: I don't really believe in trends (I use the word to appease the SEO gods). Most of my current styling inspo is coming from the media I'm consuming. Right now that's a rewatch of The Rachel Zoe Project, thanks to Rachel's triumphant debut on RHOBH. It's been SO fun to revisit her era. I've also been deep in a Mad Men rewatch, and my love of mod is slowly creeping in.
Much to my disdain of the word "twee," I am drawn to it. I guess this spring is a very 2000s-does-mod kind of moment. So with all that said: wear what you want, be hot, lib out, and have fun.
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Silky Intentions
My current silk fascination is silk blouses, mostly sourced from the resale market. There's an entire trove of them out there right now, often at great prices, and so many are beautifully constructed. Better made than a lot of what's being produced today, with quality materials that will actually last.
In terms of styling, there's so much you can do. Wear them casually with jeans and cute flats, or dress them up with a skirt. Right now I'm into pairing them with a short A-line skirt and a chunky block heel. You could also throw a vest on top for something a little more unexpected. I'm especially drawn to ones with a bit of sheerness to them. They feel just a little mysterious.
Now they do require more care than a regular machine wash, but I find it easy and honestly kind of enjoyable. I use my sink (or a mixing bowl I keep specifically for delicates) with my Soak soap and hot water. No rinsing required. Then I leave them on a hanger or drying rack to dry. I usually do a few at once, put on a podcast, make a drink, and turn it into a little ritual.
Marc Jacobs, My Heart
Marc Jacobs, the creative genius that you are. Marc Jacobs and Marc by Marc Jacobs, his diffusion line aimed at younger consumers at more accessible price points, produced some of the most beautiful accessories in past years. Ones that feel like a deep love letter to women. They highlight some of the most beautiful parts of femininity while playing with elements that are dangerous, sexual, rough, and at times deeply innocent.
I've been particularly drawn to vintage shoes from his 2004 collections. Mostly mary janes and pumps, a little '60s and a little '40s all at once. Styling these with sheer tights, a silk blouse, and a skirt is exactly where I'm going. Not quite kinderwhore, but that's the reference.
My heart is also being pulled toward something very different but equally beloved: the Stam bag. It originally debuted in 2005, quickly becoming one of the defining it-girl bags of the era. No Balenciaga Motorcycle, but close. It was discontinued in 2013, then brought back in a press collaboration with Paris Hilton in 2023. I, however, have my eyes firmly on vintage.
Go Loud or Go Home
Prints can be so fun, but something about spring really turns the whimsy dial all the way up. There are so many ways to work them into a wardrobe: headbands, scarves, pants, sweaters. There's always an entry point.
Personally, I think the best contemporary designers doing this right now are Rachel Antonoff and Samantha Pleet. They have very different takes, but both have an equally clear and distinct perspective. I've also been drawn to vintage prints from Bob Mackie's wearable art line. And honestly? Going fully over-the-top with something like Rachel Antonoff's radish print pieces sounds like exactly the kind of spring energy I'm eager for.
Wide Leg Trousers for Every Occasion
Women in suits are so hot. Actually, women in anything are so hot.
This season I've really been looking toward wide-leg dress trousers. I picked up a wonderful tuxedo-style pair from Baacal, though they are currently at the tailor. I love the side button detail that allows the waist to taper in a bit. I've been thinking about styling them two ways.
The first is very casual: a fitted white t-shirt, fun sneakers, a neck scarf, and maybe a cashmere cardigan. Very airport chic. The second is far more elevated: pointed heels, a long blazer, a wrap bodysuit, and long pendant necklaces. Far more sexy. I think this silhouette does a wonderful job at the capturing the power of femininity.
Pants are relatively new territory for me. There's a lot wrapped up in sexuality, size, and gender that I'm still working through, and I find that interesting to sit with.
Sneaker Night (not the Vanessa Hudgens version)
Listen, I am not the foremost sneaker expert. I'll say that upfront. But I have been drawn to some really fun pairs lately, specifically ones that are a little flashy.
I've been seriously toying with the idea of picking up the Adidas x Brain Dead collab. I love the silhouette, and the Micropacer detail is such a cool touch. I also tried on these super-low Vans, and while they are very, very cool, they're not the best for those of us who genuinely need arch support. That said, they're cute. If you don't give a fuck, get to it. Mostly I'm just browsing a lot of sneakers as I try to develop my more casual styling. It's a fun rabbit hole to be in.
Cardigan Buttoned To The TOP!
There's nothing like a cardigan. They can be genuinely sexy, great for a casual day, or even lean professional. It’s really up to how you style it.
Recently, I was gifted a beautiful scalloped cardigan from Rachel Antonoff, and I've been really into wearing it with a cute mini skirt and some loafers with socks. It's pushed me to think about more ways to style cardigans in general. And with that I’m really drawn to cardigans that are buttoned all the way to the top.
I think they work really well with a collared shirt underneath, a pencil skirt in an interesting texture, and chunky silver jewelry. Polished, but with the right accessories it tips quickly into edgy. Wearing one buttoned all the way up with nothing underneath, jeans, and loafers or sneakers also feels like a move: practical, easy, and just sexy enough. Or, if you want to go full Rose McGowan in Jawbreaker, I completely support that vision.
In the Name of Joan
This isn't a specific style item, but I want to take a moment to pay homage to a sense of style and charisma I've been deeply in admiration of lately: Joan from Mad Men.
Naturally I'm drawn to her silhouettes and the way she dressed. It's so beautifully feminine and powerful all at once. But what I love most about Joan is her wit, and her ability to use it to her advantage in a world that was not built for her. I love her unapologetic sense of self and the standards she sets and upholds, for herself and for others.
What I'm really getting at, I think, is finding my way back to that kind of confidence. After some body changes over the last two years, I've had a more complicated relationship with my body. In some ways this whole moment feels like getting resituated. Finding myself in it again.
General Fashion Musings
The Matières Fécales Spring 2026 Ready-to-Wear collection was such a standout for me this season. The label has quickly become one of my favorites for its cheeky, playful approach to fashion. This specific collection felt so wonderfully feminine, almost a tribute to enduring beauty in the context of the current world. Which I can always use more of.
What I particularly love is their emphasis on hourglass silhouettes. Taking traditional shapes and turning them up to a thousand, making the feminine feel powerful, incredibly romantic, and in some ways very dangerous. A lot of that comes through in the fabrics, like the leather pencil skirts, and in the accessories. Several looks featured corsets, which I thought were divine. The makeup and shoes play heavily into this as well, completing the world of each look.
I love a designer who pushes the boundary while honoring tradition. The best things in the world have duality. One of my favorite looks was an all-pink silhouette. The shoulders on the cardigan in that look were particularly compelling. Sharp, strong, and that same critical gaze on femininity that runs through the whole collection. I greatly appreciate a designer that also honors femininity while dissecting the traditional masculine gaze. The shoes throughout were also a real standout, doing a lot of the work in making each look complete.
The Etro Spring 2026 Ready-to-Wear collection is a very different kind of energy. What it does first and foremost is nail pattern work, and nail it exceptionally well. There are definite nods to psychedelic prints, with a '70s feeling that comes through strongly, especially in the crochet details and free-flowing fabrics. The playfulness of sheer layering is also very present. What really gets me is the way all the patterns work together. Maximalism at its finest, but executed in an almost natural, earthy way that keeps it from feeling chaotic.
There's one particular dress with gorgeous fringe beadwork set against an insane pattern. So loud, and yet somehow so refined. The whole collection plays beautifully with movement, from the fluidity of the fabrics to the texture of the crochet work. The color palette is also a highlight. The way black and green bounce off each other throughout is really striking. A very cool collection overall.
You might know Connor Ives from his Protect the Dolls campaign shirts, but he also does a lot of really exciting work that blends high and low, weaving sustainable and vintage fabrics into contemporary fashion. Which I think is exactly the direction the industry should be moving in.
This collection is just fun. Playful, loud, with little details that feel genuinely special. There's one look with a neon fringe overlay belt or skirt paired with a lilac stirrup pant. The colors shouldn't work together, and yet they absolutely do. I also really appreciate that his collections include plus-size models. One look, a white skirt set with neon underwear peeking through, is such a fun, joyful little moment. There's also a mint dress with stunning rose embroidery that's just beautiful. The whole show makes me want to go out and dance and scream and have fun. That's what his work does. It's infectious.
Finally, a shout-out to the Valentino Spring 2026 collection, mostly for the blouse work. As you may have gathered by now, I am a woman of blouses. In this collection there were a number of pieces with very exaggerated shoulders, and I am so glad we seem to be edging back toward some form of '80s maximalism.
One blouse in particular stopped me, this gorgeous sheer white fabric with black scalloping and the most dramatic sleeves. That over-the-top, idealized femininity is absolutely my thing. Beyond the blouses, there's really cool work being done with sequins, textures, and silks throughout.
I also want to give a specific nod to some of the menswear. A gold sequin jacket that I find pretty fantastic, and a sheer blouse with striking brooch work at the collar. I love menswear that plays. I think menswear should play more, full stop.
Not the most vibrant spring color story, but it leans more toward my personal palette, so I'm not mad about it. No florals for spring, but still quite stunning.
You can shop all my picks here, and as always, I'd love to hear what trends you're feeling this season. I love a inspo exchange!
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