Navigate April’s Fickle Weather With These Transitional Outfit Ideas

Winter is all about rewatching feel-good comfort shows for the fifth year in a row and finally perfecting your sourdough bread recipe. The best activities for spring, however, are anything that involves Mother Nature — because once you’ve been cooped up in the house for months, nothing feels better than some quality time in the sun. The only downside? Figuring out how to navigate April’s hard-to-dress-for weather. Luckily, having no-fail transitional outfit ideas in your back pocket is a saving grace and, you guessed it, we’re here to assist with the process.

Step one is selecting weather-apt outerwear. A denim jacket, a trench coat, and a lightweight bomber are all can’t-go-wrong options for the unpredictable temps. Once you’ve decided on your top layer (yes, you probably do need one most days this month), it’s time to settle on the right bottoms. Perhaps you’ve been patiently waiting for an occasion to rock those new cropped jeans? Or maybe a pleated miniskirt? Give ‘em both a spin around town this month.

The right footwear is another key piece of the puzzle. When it’s not quite warm enough to step out in open-toe shoes, try leaning on polished loafers and sporty sneakers. The former is a no-brainer for the office, while the latter is better suited for a Saturday trekking through the park.

After you’ve landed on a combination you feel good in, try riffing on it throughout the month with some tiny tweaks — like, say, swapping your ankle-baring denim for a slouchy trouser. For more sartorial inspiration, scroll ahead for five versatile and compliment-worthy looks to experiment with this April. And if your spring wardrobe could use a little zhuzhing up, shop some of the accompanying products, too.

Leather Weather

Abandon your toasty puffers in favor of a light leather jacket. Then pluck styling inspiration from bona fide fashion girl Michelle Li, who paired her topper with a knee-length plaid skirt. If it’s not warm enough to ditch your tights, go for an of-the-moment white pair. And while a fluffy hat may not be necessary this month, it’ll certainly add some personality to your outfit.

Trusty Trench

You can always count on your trusty trench to see you through April. As for how to wear the timeless outerwear? Here, stylist Sylvie Mus provides a foolproof template: just team the piece with other closet staples, such as a white button-down, gray jeans, and black kitten heels. (Psst, this look is just begging to be styled with chunky gold hoops and a colorful beaded necklace, too.)

Collegiate Cool

Preppy staples, including boat shoes, tennis skirts, and cable knit sweaters, are at the forefront of style this spring. For a compelling way to wear the latter, try working feminine pieces like a black maxi skirt and velvet bucket hat (extra credit if it’s adorned with a flower) into the casual outfit. And if you’re game to throw another sartorial curveball, work in suede shoe, such as Brother Vellies’ lace-up Vellies style.

Statement Stripes

If matching is your thing, take your outfit from zero to 100 by pairing a colorful striped sweater with a handbag in a complementing shade (we suggest mood-boosting pink). Make these striking pieces the center of attention by wearing gray or white bottoms and brown leather boots.

A Lesson In Layering

The skirt-over-pants trend might seem daunting at first, but as influencer Stephanie Arant exhibits here, it’s relatively simple to pull off. To make things as easy as possible, consider buying a two-in-one hybrid piece, such as the style below from Cerric. From there, round things out with a leather jacket and coordinating square-toe boots.