Friday 19 August 2016

5 Tips to shop and prepare for Spring

Happy Friday lovelies!

We’re more thank halfway through August; Woman’s month and also my birthday month. The warmer days have been peppered in between the last of the Winter days, reminding us that Spring is on it’s way. The flowers have bloomed as if they too are impatient to make their appearance. 

I love Spring, I love nature and flowers, there’s a sense of renewal and rejuvenation in the air that can be tangibly felt. One can even feel it by shedding the heavy layers of clothing, even though it may happen sporadically, and in a flash we’ll find ourselves back in Winter and reaching for those coats and boots. It is time to do a seasonal stock take and get the wardrobe ready for the season ahead. As winter started, I did a post on getting the wardrobe Winter ready, and tips on organising the wardrobe.  (Read the post here). With Spring, I think it is essential to lighten the wardrobe, ie start shedding those unworn pieces, and donating, selling or repurposing them. 

As I have mentioned previously, I do a seasonal clearance- it gives me a good idea of what I have in the wardrobe, what I never wear, what doesn’t fit and what needs to kept and stored for sentimental reasons. Read my post here for tips on the ’stock take’process, which can be followed to organise the wardrobe for Spring and Summer.

Here are 5 tips on how I shop and prepare my wardrobe for the next season:

  1. As the Winter sales are now in full swing, it would be a good idea to keep any eye out for good quality classic pieces that won’t date and will transcend into next Winter. Leather boots and good coats and knits are usually the most costly so now would be the best time to cash in on those sales.
  2. I would already have had a look at the spring/summer trends abroad, in terms of fashion in the northern hemisphere as they are now exiting the warmer seasons. It gives me a good idea of what will be coming into stores for our upcoming season.
  3. These trends will be woven into my current Spring/Summer wardrobe with my trusty classics, and I would identify a few key pieces I would like to have; to transcend into the new season with my own take on the latest trends and fashions.
  4. I specifically keep an eye on modest fashion influencers to keep the inspirational juices flowing, I particularly enjoy styling my pieces in new and different ways.
  5. If I am able, and the costs aren’t too excessive I will purchase some of the upcoming seasons pieces at the sales happening in the online stores abroad (I frequent Asos.com, Newlook.co.uk, ebay.com and neimanmarcus.com for specific brands). When purchasing in foreign currency though, please be mindful of the exchange rates, the lead time for a product to arrive (anything from 8 weeks and longer) and very importantly the customs duties to take into account (maximum of 54% of the value of the item as well as handling fees etc.). There are some sites which calculate customs duties upfront, so look out for those.
Today’s OOTD features a sequin t-shirt which I purchased earlier in the year from NewLook.com at a steal! It took really long to arrive, around 3 months but I didn’t need it for Winter so I was happy to wait. I paired it with a boyfriend jeans and blazer for an evening event which required a touch of glam.

















Outfit details:
Hat from hubby’s closet
Country Road blazer
New Look sequin t-shirt
Woolworths boyfriend jeans
River Island (Dubai) earrings
Rebecca Minkhoff bag
Vince Camuto iridiscent heels

Caio for now, 
RuBe xoxo


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