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Spring is arguably the trickiest season to dress for. While we're dreaming of breezy dresses and light layers, the weather often has other plans. Today, I'm sharing my approach to creating a thoughtful spring wardrobe that's both practical and beautiful.
I'll walk you through my planning process, share the specific pieces I'm making, and show you how I'm combining new makes with existing pieces to create a capsule wardrobe that really works.
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Getting Started: The Planning Process
Before diving into specific projects, I took time to really think about my wardrobe goals. Like many of us, I've noticed my closet feeling a bit overwhelming lately – even pieces I love don't get worn simply because there are too many options.
My solution? Creating an intentional capsule wardrobe focused on what I call "signature pieces" – those items I reach for again and again. To identify these, I created a Pinterest board featuring elements like:
- Dark denim
- Flowing dresses
- Detailed woven tops with open necklines
- Textured handknit sweaters
- Silk scarves
- Wrap coats
Creating a Focused Mood Board
Next, I created a mood board specifically for spring, incorporating these signature elements plus seasonal inspiration. Here's a pro tip: after creating your mood board, look for unexpected elements that emerge. In my case, I noticed a soft, muddy yellow appearing throughout – a color I don't typically wear but am now excited to incorporate.
My projects
I'm focusing on pieces that are either truly special or will get tons of wear for years to come. Here are my planned projects:
Project 1: Chelsea Jeans
I’ve already made Chelsea before, but in a light blue corduroy. I adjusted the fit of the leg a bit so the flare works a little better for my leg shape. I want to sew these gorgeous flared 70s-inspired style jeans in a dark denim.
Project 2: Everly skirt
I always feel good in bias-cut garments. I think the soft stretch and flow you get by cutting on the bias works on me and makes me feel slinky and comfortable at the same time. Everly is a really nice length because it’s not super short, but still mini. It’s designed for two layers of fabric. I think it would be so pretty to make in a floral print for the underlayer and a sheer chiffon for the outer layer. But I’m actually just going to stick with a single layer of silk for mine.
Project 3: Vintage dress
My next project is a vintage 1930s nightgown, which I’m going to make into a short dress instead. I found this beautiful Hollywood pattern, which is actually a nightgown and bed jacket set, but I’m going to make it into a short print dress.
Project 4: The Farah Wrap Top
This ballet-inspired wrap top exemplifies what I'm looking for in my spring wardrobe. I'm using a dreamy ivory wool sweater knit from my stash that has an almost cashmere-like texture. It's the perfect layering piece that works equally well over printed dresses or paired with dark denim.
Project 5: The Madhu Top
I'm taking our Madhu pattern (a cropped raglan with an elasticized neckline) and adding some special details. I'll be trying my hand at smocking, using techniques from a helpful book called "Rocking Smocking." The fabric is a light, airy white linen that feels perfect for spring.
Building the Complete Capsule
I’ve decided that I’m going to have a limited capsule wardrobe this Spring, and try to only wear things from a limited selection of pieces. I’m hoping this will help me focus on the types of things I love to wear the most, so I feel comfortable and can enjoy getting creative with what I already have.
My spring capsule includes both new makes and existing pieces, carefully chosen to work together
- 4 printed dresses (including my red floral Ash slip dress)
- 5 tops (including the new Madhu and some existing pieces)
- 4 sweaters (including the new Farah wrap)
- 5 bottoms (a mix of jeans, skirts, and trousers)
- 3 outerwear pieces (including a classic trench)
The beauty of this capsule is its versatility – each piece can be styled multiple ways, creating numerous outfit combinations while keeping my wardrobe manageable.
