Spring Ahead
Brought to you by the letter S
Welcome to This Is Cute. We’re Jenna, Jayna, and Verena. We text all day about cute stuff so you don’t have to. If you’re interested in seeing the previous and equally unhinged editions, they’re here.
It’s spring! Everyone has allergies and weird sinus headaches and no one knows what to wear. But still, spring! Warmer days and more sunlight and everyone (except Jayna) can start getting pumped for summer. For this edition of TIC, we’ve decided to bring you the splurges, staples, and surprises we’re excited about. Midi skirts, shoe-inspired bags, Dries (ugh, always), and a fresh lip—it’s everything that’s been lighting up the chat since daylight savings.
JW STAPLE: MIDI SKIRTS
Honestly a year-round staple for me, but I feel like spring is the best midi skirt season of all. I can wear them with socks and sneaks or sandals and feel like I’ve actually dressed appropriately for the weather, even if the weather is demented. I also think they lend themselves particularly well to slouch-on-slouch, so I can pair them with big sweaters or hoodies or oversized button ups with cute layers underneath. Also, most of the time they have a forgiving waistband so I can wear them higher up on days when I want to go full bombshell and show like, 5 inches of leg, but then I can scootch it down lower on my hips if that starts to feel too scandalous.
JW SPLURGE: LITERALLY ANYTHING JAMIE HALLER
I’m the only member of TIC with no JH in my closet (poor ME, just kidding), but that’s going to change this spring. I was first introduced to her maybe last year, when her shoes starting popping up absolutely everywhere. We’ve definitely talked about her here, and even though I sometimes get weird and resistant about brands that plop down out of nowhere and take over the world, I absolutely can resist no longer. Her stuff is TOO good. I love her loafers and boat shoes and chukkas and those cute little kitten heels, but I’m actually the most interested in her clothes. The denim is immaculate, the trousers are so baggy and gorgeous and god help me the ballgown skirt was “inspired by Jenna Lyons at the Met Gala.” Like, how can I turn my back on that?? The prices are unbearable, and things sell out quickly (but she restocks!) but I’m going to treat myself to something (ballgoooooown). I don’t deserve it but that’s FINE.
JW SURPRISE: LEGGINGS??
This is pretty boring but also absolutely WILD for me. While I will wear leggings, I will only wear them to exercise, and I will hate almost every minute of it (even though I LOVE the people who force me to exercise. Hi Denise! Hi Jo!). But somehow a few months ago I ended up in a pair of leggings with no planned exercise (extremely overdue laundry day, most likely) and it was a revelation. So comfy! Not too hot! I still have a bill trill rules about them (no wearing them outside, nothing shiny, no weird cutouts, no sad waist that makes stuff poof out, no weird butt seams, no aggressively sporty elements, lol) but I’m excited to bop around the apartment in them once it gets too warm to wear my beloved Gap sweatpants allll the time. Leggings! What a world!
JG STAPLE: BLAAAAAZERS
I honestly sort of hate spring. It’s so mean with all of its false starts!! You get the random nice-ish day (where everyone suddenly has a frisbee??), and then it’s back to stupid Blundstones. Ranting aside though, the lingering cold means layers still apply. So, I’ve been leaning into blazers, which can take on weirdsville weather and rude rain (just wear under a roomy jacket!), but feel so much fresher than my poor exhausted coats. A few I’m loving include this double breasted pin-striped (below, and which I will be wearing in suit form come summer!), this linen sloucher, this blazer-top-vest hybrid (tribrid??), and these two buttery numbers from Cos.
JG SPLURGE: JW ANDERSON LOAFER BAG
Eff me, but I have my eye on this bag. For the 900th time, I am NOT good at bags. I find that they often grate against my style—they’re too uptown-y, or hardware-forward, or jarringly recognizable in a way that really knocks my outfit off its axel. That’s why my safe space is a nondescript tote or, honestly, a coat pocket, which of course is only reliable 60%-ish of the year and really isn’t acceptable if you’re carrying anything more than a phone, keys, and spool of dog bags. But then—THEN—enter the JW Anderson Loafer bag. I mean, the name alone says it all—the world’s most effortlessly polished, wear-with-anything shoe … but it’s a bag. There’s a smartness about it thanks to the loaf-inspired details, but the strategic slouch and exposed stitching give it a relaxed bent that won’t cramp low-key day-to-day looks. I’m waiting for the small size to come out in navy, but truly love all of the suedes for spring and beyond.
JG SURPRISE: A BUTTON-DOWN THAT LOOKS LIKE A PICNIC BLANKET ON ACID
Maybe its because the skies (and the world) are feeling extra meh, but I was immediately drawn to and delighted by Nikki Chasin’s kaleidoscopic plaid concoction. As with many of her clothes, the shirt is unexpected yet completely practical, and something I’d wear entirely for myself (a.k.a. my husband hates it). I’ve already envisioned SO many ways of styling it: under a linen blazer; with hiking shorts; tucked into jeans and finished with a cute belt and mocs. I personally wouldn’t go as far as to pair it with the matching skirt, but I’d love to see one of you kooky kids give it a go.
VVP STAPLE: We’ve written about our favorite ever super-soft Bella+Canvas sweatshirt before, but I’m here to declare an oversize hoodie in the color of your choice (shades of black, white, or grey don’t count) my official spring staple. While in L.A. for a trip a couple weeks back, I picked up a vintage one from Wilder in super pale lilac—even though I’d already dutifully packed my red B+C—and it quickly became the workhorse of my trip. I wore it around my waist for hikes, over jeans or around my shoulders on the daily, and with a pair of silky Dries pants (see my Splurge) and my mom’s old Chanel bag for her birthday dinner. It worked in lieu of a coat or under one across three different climates and two countries. I love her.
VVP SPLURGE: Silky, drawstring, wide-leg, and light-as-a-feather Dries pants. Back in January, I was lucky enough to snag a pair of these floral printed pants from Van Noten’s final womenswear collection. They were on super sale at Outline—and my exact size, so I went for it. If I were being (more) financially irresponsible (than usual), I would probably treat myself to a few more pieces, but instead I’m going to encourage everyone else to do it. These pleated linen ones are equally worthy, as are these orange and fuschia jacquard ones (to go with JG’s matching blazey), ooh OR either of these lame ones from his last menswear collection. Dress them up for a wedding or special occasion, dress them down with simple flippies or sneaks, layer up to wear them straight through fall if you need to. Honestly, they’re all so good, timeless, and versatile that we’re now veering pretty close to staple territory.
VVP SURPRISE: Neutral lipstick. I know, I KNOW. But lately I’ve found myself gravitating to a warm, earthy tone on the lips, especially when paired with a similarly dusky blush or, for contrast, a rich berry or bright pink. It works well with statement eyes, like my perennial fave by Violette, or just a really great, glowy skinned, bare-faced look. I’m not done with my reds, don’t worry, but I’ve been enjoying playing in the sand(box), and am l looking forward to experimenting more on the natural side of the lipcolor wheel once I have a little bit more of a tan. Oooh, maybe even with some artfully-placed cheekbone glitter? Chic.
The Cute Catalog™
Skirts & Shorts
Rue de Tokyo Pen Skirt
Girls of Dust Meadow Skirt
COS Gathered A-Line Midi
COS Elasticated Denim Midi
Sultan Wash Suzanne Skirt
Jamie Haller Ballgown Skirt
Uniqlo Gear Shorts
Nikki Chasin Rainbow Grid Skirt
Pants
Jamie Haller Off Duty Trouser
Jamie Haller Wide A Leg Jean
GapFit High Rise Leggings
Spiritual Gangster Love Leggings
Skims Cotton Rib Leggings
Beyond Yoga Spacedye High Waisted Leggings
Splits59 Layla Airweight Leggings
Gap Men’s VintageSoft Joggers
Doen Harrison Trousers
Dries Van Noten Floral Wide-Leg Pants
Dries Van Noten Pleated Wide-Leg Pants
Dries Van Noten Satin-Jacquard Pants
Dries Van Noten Silver Lame Pants
Dries Van Noten Gold Lame Pants
Shirts
Kule Utility Quinn Shirt
Jamie Haller Stripe Essential Shirt
Jamie Haller Essential Denim Shirt
Nikki Chasin Rainbow Grid Shirt
Sweaters & Sweatshirts
There There Alpaca Ribbed Sweater
Jamie Haller V Fave Cashmere Sweater
Gap Men’s VintageSoft Hoodie
Bella+Canvas Blank Sweatshirt
Vintage Men’s Lee Hoodie
Vintage 1950s Yellow Blank Hoodie
Vintage 1970s Lavender Hoodie
Jackets & Blazers
Dries Van Noten Floral Jacquard Blazer
Everlan Oversized Linen Stretch Blazere
Apiece Apart Oversized Blazer
Cos Longline Blazer
Banana Republic Linen Blazer Top
Cos Waist Cotton Blazer
Rachel Comey Colpo Jacket
Doen Harrison Jacket
Soeur Domingo Jacket
Shoes
Adidas Gazelles
Birkenstock Big Buckle Arizona Slides
Jamie Haller Boat Loafer
Jamie Haller Bit Loafer
Jamie Haller Chukka
Jamie Haller Kitten Heel
Sesa Tampa Moccasins
Bags & Accesories
JW Anderson Loafer Bag
Merci Canvas Tote
Emme Parsons Yoyo Belt
Beauty
Rhode Peptide Lipshape in Lunge
Nars Explicit Satin Lipstick in Indecent
Violette FR Bisou Balm in Calisson
Merit Signature Lip Sating Lipstick in Ginger
Rhode Pocket Blush in Freckle
Tower28 BeachPlease Tinted Balm in Rush Hour
Violette Fr Yeux Paint in Dieu Bleu or Nuage de Lilas
19/99 Beauty Cream Blush Stick in Tuti or Szolo
Half Magic Glitter Puck
Saie Glowy Super Gel