Here at Chic Soul, we are so excited for spring to come that we have already started planning outfits and stocking up on all things fresh! The spring season ushers in new trends and styles that will have you feeling refreshed, confident and ready to live your best life.
Some of the trends we have been eyeing for this season are frilly hems, pattern mixing, oversized sweaters and thoughtful layering. We have incorporated some of these trends into our spring looks that’ll make you feel confident and beautiful. What’s more, most of these trends will ride the wave of 2020 into the winter, so you can feel comfortable investing in these trends knowing that they will be apart of your wardrobe for a long time.
While we can’t wait for spring, we know winter will still be around for a bit longer which is why we have also included cold weather styling tips. So that you can make these looks work for the early days of spring when it’s still a bit chilly!
Mix-and-Match to the Max
Pattern mixing your tops and bottoms is nothing new, but for spring, the mixing of patterns happens all at once on a single garment. At Chic Soul, we have curated the most unique takes on pattern mixing with your favorite prints such as stripes, leopard, camouflage and more.
- Outfit: Pattern Mixing–If you’re looking to take the more traditional route to pattern mixing, try pairing a plus size snakeskin skirt with a neutral, striped top for a look that gets noticed. Hey, Sarah Jessica Parker—aka Carrie Bradshaw—did it! If you want an outfit that is going to excite you, this is the one. However, if putting two and two together sounds more like a chore, then opt for a top that already mixes the patterns for you, like these plus size striped leopard sweater. These pieces are great because they are so easy to throw on with anything, but they give you major style points for being bold.
- Winter Styling–Throw on a fun leopard print jacket over your neutral-colored striped sweater and you have a look that people will want to recreate. If you find yourself getting too caught up in the rules of pattern mixing, snap out of it and wear what makes you feel confident. That’s what we’re all about!
A New Take on Florals
While the floral print is notoriously a spring thing, florals were actually trendy beyond warmer seasons last year, and it had made its way into statement pieces for fall and winter. We will continue to see the print in a new and exciting way this year.
- Outfit: Floral Accents–For spring, less is more when it comes to the floral print. When you weave in tiny, thoughtful floral accents, you have the opportunity to either go bold with contrasting bottoms or keep things simple with a pair of jeans. We love this floral striped long sleeve's bold take on floral.
- Winter Styling–You don’t have to give up on fun and flirty floral plus size blouses for winter. Throw on a neutral cardigan to make your florals work for the chillier days. We love how a plus size cardigan makes florals practical for winter.
Let the Hems Make a Statement
Whether it’s on denim, sleeves, or dresses, we are obsessed with hems that are a little cooler than the average. From frayed to embellished, hems are packing that little punch this spring so that we don’t have to put much thought into accessorizing. Whether you’re an edgy, frayed hem kind of gal or you like to incorporate intricate details with dainty hemlines, Chic Soul has hems that will inspire your next look!
- Outfit: Fray and Fringe–If you love wearing denim, now is your time to indulge in frayed hems. The fray has been around for a while, but you will start to see more intricate fraying on denim. You can pair these jeans with something as casual as plus size tunics or a button up shirt for the office. Aside from jeans, we are seeing beautiful fringe hems on plus size tops, and they make the cutest addition to any look.
Color-Blocking Geometry
Before we dive into this trend, no, we aren’t going to be talking about any math—phew! But you may be thinking that you might have liked taking geometry had the class been about these fabulous color-blocked sweaters. For spring, we are seeing shapes handled in a really interesting way. The Chic Soul take is pairing neutrals with pops of color and creating silhouettes that flatter your figure.
- Outfit: Color-Blocked Sweaters–Pair a color-blocked sweater with a pair of plus size jeggings for a casual look with a sophisticated twist. Color-blocking instantly gives you a cool girl look with minimal effort. You could also tuck a sweater like this into a skirt once the warmer days of spring roll around. These are great pieces to keep in your closet all year-round.
- Winter Styling–Keep your outerwear neutral or within the same color scheme as your sweater. Keeping neutral colors in your closet makes mixing-and-matching easier so you can throw a cute outfit together in minutes when necessary.
Off the Shoulder Chic
One way that we love to wear our sweaters in the springtime is off the shoulder. This style creates an effortlessly chic look that feels comfortable and cozy, but doesn’t sacrifice style. The asymmetry is also very flattering for plus size figures. Whether you want to show off one shoulder or both, these styles are going to look so good on you! Aside from being trendy this spring, these sweaters can also stay in your closet through the end of the year which is why you should stock up on some cute ones now!
- Outfit: Cozy Sweaters–Off the shoulder sweaters are so versatile and they can be paired with virtually anything, but we love to pair them with plus size leggings the most! This look is perfect for lounging around, a movie date night or grabbing lunch with some friends. If you’d like to dress the look up, try accessorizing with some cute boots and statement jewelry.
- Winter Styling–Off the shoulder sweaters are plenty cozy, so you won’t need many adjustments for the colder days. However, you could layer a cardigan or jacket with your off the shoulder sweater for some extra warmth if you plan on being outside.
Leave it to the Sleeve
This season, all eyes are on the sleeves. Why? Because sleeves are making a statement in a variety of ways. There’s the bell sleeve, puffer sleeve, contrast sleeve, cold shoulder sleeve and other intricate sleeve details that catch your eye and give your outfit an edge. From plus size babydoll tops to dresses, pay attention to the sleeve and tap into this trend to make your looks stand out.
- Outfit: Bold Sleeves–If you need a look that gives you a little flare and a whole lot of confidence, pair some sleek black jeans with a leopard bell sleeve blouse. For a fun and casual look, try a sweatshirt dress with floral puff sleeves. If subtlety is your strong suit, then opt for a flattering dress with accented sleeve cuffs.
- Winter Styling–Bonus points if you can find outerwear with contrasting sleeves—think a mix between ponte and faux leather!
Top Tier Dresses
Ever since smock dresses and tiered skirts hit the runway during New York Fashion Week last year, tiered dresses have been seen everywhere. And we happen to be big fans of the trend. If you aren’t familiar with this style of dress, it usually includes three hems on the top, mid and lower sections of the dress which create tiers. Tiered dresses can either be flattering on curvier figures or they could go terribly wrong. However, at Chic Soul, we have carefully chosen dresses that move with your gorgeous body and make you feel like a goddess. These tiered dresses will be a huge hit for spring, but they will also stay in our closets for summer too.
- Outfit: Flowy Dresses–As the warmer days of spring grace us, slide on your favorite tiered dress with a cute pair of ankle booties or sandals. If you’re a big fan of mixing and matching patterns, as well as statement sleeves, you may be able to find a tiered dress that incorporates both of those trends at Chic Soul!
- Winter Styling–Throw on your favorite cozy cardigan to warm this look up with some tights. These dresses are very versatile and they layer well!
Typically, a cardigan would be an extra addition to any spring look, but this season, the cardigan finally gets the spotlight. With the amount of patterns and prints we have in our plus size boutique, you won’t have any trouble finding a statement cardigan. But a statement cardigan doesn’t always need to have a bold print or color. It could be a neutral cardigan that wraps or drapes in a unique way to steal the show.
- Outfit: Cardigan Goals–To allow your new favorite cardigan to shine, pair it with an all black—or neutral-colored—look. You want the rest of your outfit to be understated and simple.
- Winter Styling–A cardigan is already warm and cozy, so there isn’t much you need to do to make it winter-friendly. If it’s a particularly chilly day, we suggest accessorizing with a chic and cozy hat and scarf.
The Ultimate Layered Look
While we may think that spring means that it’s time to shed layers, it’s actually quite the opposite. See, because of quick-changing and uncertain weather circumstances, we actually end up layering a lot more in the spring to keep warm while also embracing our new favorite spring trends. But that’s totally fine because there is something striking about a thoughtfully layered look. We encourage you to embrace everything you love about spring, but to keep these layering essentials on hand for whatever may come your way.
- Outfit: Layer the Essentials–When you are layering, it’s important to remember which pieces make the best foundation for layering. Some that come to mind are a great pair of jeans that hug your curves just right, a fitted long sleeve shirt, a cardigan or sweater and last, but not least, a coat—if the climate warrants it. As you piece clothing together, try to pair whimsical, flowy pieces with more structured outerwear for a flattering and functional look. If you pair bulky garments together that don’t have much shape–for example: a tiered dress with a duster cardigan–the cardigan is just going to add more volume to your body than you may desire. However, pairing your tiered dress with an A-line coat that has precise edges will balance out the bulkiness of the dress and add some definition to the whole look.
- Winter Styling–While spring may be known to have some chilly days, it’s never usually as harsh as winter which gives you some flexibility when it comes to layering outerwear. If you’d rather put away your winter coat for the rest of the year with the hopes that winter will soon come to an end, try layering a light cargo jacket over your favorite long sleeve tunic.
