Spring has finally begun to show signs of life after what felt like an eternal winter. The warmer weather has us all dying to ditch our overcoats and scarves and don a new spring wardrobe. The only catch is that although the sun is shining and the days are longer, it is still a bit too chilly for some of spring’s lighter pieces.

What we can do, however, is throw one standout spring piece into the mix to revamp our winter style. We all tend to default to the same boring, albeit practical, winter looks after awhile. Adding some colour and lightness will not only brighten the spirits, but will also triple the amount of outfits you can get out of your wardrobe (and make dressing in the morning a lot more fun). Read on for two easy ways to get excited for spring while still staying warm!

1. Maxi Dresses

Though it’s too cold to go it alone in a maxi dress, if you throw on a little cropped jacket, a wool hat, and boots, you’ll be more than ready to face the cold while still looking spring-appropriate. To really create some edginess, pair a feminine dress with more masculine outerwear. The juxtaposition between the delicate dress and tougher jacket will give the whole look more appeal.

Aldo boots, $99.98
Old Navy dress, $32.50
Mackage leather jacket (Aritzia), $575.00
Club Monaco fedora, $149.00

2. Shorts

As long as the rest of the outfit is winter-proofed, why not throw in some cute shorts in a lighter fabric? Score fashion bonus points with a pretty colour or pattern. Don’t forget to throw in some opaque black tights- we’re not quite in bare leg territory yet!

Club Monaco coat, $129
Cooperative wedges (Urban Outfitters), $58.00
Pins and Needles shorts (Urban Outfitters), $54.00
Rag & Bone sweater (Holt Renfrew), $275.00
Rebecca Minkoff bag (Holt Renfrew), $195.00

Photo Credit: maxi.jpg Stockholm Street Style (http://carolinesmode.com/stockholmstreetstyle/), shorts.jpg Mr. Newton (http://mrnewton.net/)

By: Alexandra Grant, Vancouver – to find out more about our new contributor Alexandra, see post below!

You should follow me on Twitter @tovogueorbust