Here in NYC, we spent the first week of April freezing through the forties, then in the second week we sporadically plunged into sunshine. Excited to spend my day off outside for the first time in ages, I donned my newly-thrifted leather jacket, converse, and a breezy jumpsuit, then thought twice and packed a lightweight wool cardigan and scarf too. They never came out of my bag. Thermometers hit 80 degrees and my leather jacket was quickly stuffed away with them. Hail the sunshine!
Within 48 hours it was windy, raining, and miserable again.
Just when it seemed we'd never level out, this week brought a string of tentatively warm days which I hope signal the end of winter-spring and the start of spring-summer. (There is no official, straight spring here, I'm convinced; it's a phenomenon that exists only in singular, sublime hours when you happen to be trapped inside at work.) Anyway, I'm not exactly satisfied with the practicality of this sampler. But I'm also not altogether sure how I would've fixed it under the circumstances.
One thing that did cheer me up significantly were two fabulous thrift scores at the Housing Works Best of Spring sale. Both make an appearance above. The first, while you can't see the texture very well, is a black v-neck sweater which just so happens to be made of the softest, most comforting cashmere I've ever been blessed enough to own. This sweater became my security blanket through the darkest of days, the dimmest of evenings, and the longest of subway rides. The second piece, a lemon print skirt by Kate Spade (scored with tags at nearly 80% off its initial price) is a springtime dream! Until playing with the flowers in last month's post, I'd never imagined bright yellow being part of my closet. So I decided to employ the waiting game for about a week, giving myself time to mull over how it would function in my wardrobe and how badly I wanted it -- and hoping against hope no one would find my treasure in the meantime. When I came back to the shop and found it waiting for me, I took it as a sign and made lemonade, so to speak.
For those of you still suffering through the land of Is-It-Winter-Is-It-Spring, here's what did work this month:
-Keep Out The Winter Jacket: While I've stored my wool toggle coat, this parka was the most worn outerwear of my whole stock -- proof that April in New York is still chilly as can be! Don't abandon ship early; wait til May to stuff it away.
-But Also, Layers: For those days that do reach the 60s, especially when there's sunshine, layers will clearly come in handy. I focused on lightweight-yet-warm fabrics like merino and leather, which could be paired with one another for additional heat.
-One Kick-Around Sweater, One Work Sweater: Sweaters are also still a necessity right now, and while I always have some kind of casual cozy knit to get me through any season, having a nicer one for work was also useful. If your workplace is like mine, people are starting to play the cooling vs. heating game, and there's nothing like a blast of AC to make you regret breaking out your spring silks. Looks like I'll be sticking with long sleeves at work til the humidity rolls in.
-April Showers Bring... Skirts!: Nothing beats kicking up your rainboots under a cute skirt while you parade fearlessly through rain puddles. Black tights will conceal mudspray, and bold ones can be paired with high boots for a cheeky pop of color.
Onto (true) SPRING, guys! I feel like I've been sitting on two months of expectation now. It's time to let the sunshine in at last.
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