Hi there! Are you wondering what to wear to work this spring? It can be a tricky time of the year to get dressed, especially when you’re trying to get out the door for work. I spent 15 years getting dressed to work in offices with all different types of dress codes. Work outfits are just something I love to put together, and I regularly help my friends with their work looks. There’s nothing better than walking into a big meeting, a busy day at work, or a new job in an outfit that makes you feel confident. It has the potential to change your entire mood in my opinion. So, today I’m sharing a roundup of chic outfit ideas that you can wear to work this spring.
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Spring Outfit Ideas for Work
I always feel like I can focus and be more efficient with work when I feel good in what I’m wearing. So, here are a few tips on feeling effortlessly chic at work.
How To Look Effortlessly Chic At Work In The Springtime
Fabrics Are Important
Lightweight fabrics like cotton, crepe, and even cashmere are go-to fabrics this time of the year because they always strike the right temperature balance. They’re perfect to keep you warm in the morning but you won’t sweat in them when it’s warm in the afternoon. However, I do still wear wool in early spring if it’s cold!
If you love cashmere, you can still wear cashmere this time of the year. Some days are perfect for a short sleeve cashmere sweater and some days I wear long sleeve cashmere. Quince actually offers lightweight cashmere options and standard weight options!
One last note about fabrics. Balance is also important. If you wear a wool sweater, you might want to wear a skirt instead of wool pants to make sure you aren’t too hot for spring weather. Instead of wearing winter boots, go for loafers or ballet flats to keep your feet cooler in the warm afternoon!
Layers Are Key
It’s not a surprise that layers are important when it comes to spring weather. You might need a coat in the morning but not in the afternoon. So, trench coats, leather jackets, suede jackets, denim jackets, and linen or cotton jackets are essentials this time of the year. If you’re wearing a linen top, go for a cotton or denim jacket!
You can also use sweaters as a layer even if you aren’t actually wearing it. They can make you feel cozy in the cool morning! Wrap them around your coat, drape them over your shoulders and neck, or even tie them around your waist. I do all three!
Make Sure You’re Comfortable (Wear What You Love)
You don’t have to wear the latest trends to look polished. Feeling and looking effortlessly chic is all about being comfortable in what you wear. Make sure your outfit is your vibe! So, if barrel shape pants aren’t for you, then wear the style you love the most! This is where classic pieces will really shine in your wardrobe because they will never go out of style.
Chic Work Outfits For Spring
Flowy skirt with a suede jacket and accessories
This outfit is easy to recreate with pieces you probably already own. You’ll need a lightweight skirt, a turtleneck or mockneck sweater, a leather jacket, a black or brown belt, and loafers or ballet flats. I wore this outfit around London, but it’s work appropriate. I’d trade my small bag for my go-to tote.
Soft And Flattering Work Trousers For All Seasons
Crepe is one of the best materials for work pants because you can wear it all year. It doesn’t matter if it’s cold or super hot – crepe just adapts somehow! The crepe pants I’m wearing come in tons of colors and lengths. Plus, if you prefer linen for spring, they also come in linen. Mesh ballet flats are always a go-to shoe for me in the spring and summer because they let my feet breathe.
Cotton Sweater And Work Pants
Okay, my exact outfit is old, but the outfit formula still applies, and I recreated it below. Basically, a pair of tailored work pants with a sweater that you can wear out or tucked in with black flats. My pants are available in navy in the petite length for anyone looking for the petite length! I’m wearing the regular length in black.
Anyway, this type of outfit is just so good for work – it’s practical, comfortable, and made with quality materials like cotton. You can easily wear these pieces outside of work or wear the cotton sweater with jeans (I wear this all the time) on a casual day. Button detailing on a sweater is always gorgeous. It really elevates any look.
I linked a white sweater with button details, and I also linked a navy blue sweater that’s a cotton rollneck like the one I’m wearing. The first pair of pants are so chic. I’m wearing them in the outfit above in beige, but they’d be perfect with this outfit in black!
Work Trousers Perfect For Shorter Gals & A Cotton Trench Coat
This feels like the definition of a spring work outfit. The trench coat, comfortable black pants, and a simple yet polished top. You can add a lot of personality to this type of outfit with jewelry or a fun silk scarf. Don’t be afraid to wear the same pair of pants more than once in a work week, especially if they’re black or navy.
I recreated this outfit since the exact pieces are old.
Casual Work Outfit with Trench Coat
A classic, long trench coat is a must have for spring. It goes with everything you’re wearing to work. This style of coat is long enough to look good with a work dress, a skirt, work pants, and jeans. This is one of my favorite outfits because it’s so versatile. You can wear it to work in a lot of offices even if just for a casual Friday. It will take you from your office to dinner or from your office to picking up your kids. I also wear this for travel and the weekend! The other great thing about this outfit is you can style it with black, brown, or tan shoes and accessories.
I wear size 2 in the trench coat. It runs slightly oversized, but I prefer to wear the sleeves rolled up anyway so the plaid detail shows.
Knit Pants And Top With Flats
My knit pants are perfect for spring because you can style them for all different temperatures, which is obviously what spring brings! You can wear them on a mild day with a button up untucked, wear them on a cooler day with a blazer, and you can wear them on a cold spring day with a sweater. For work, I love them in black or navy, which is what I’m wearing. Click here to see a few ways I styled them.
Denim Trench Coat You Can Rewear On The Weekend
Layers are your friend when it comes to transitional dressing. I love trench coats this time of the year, and outerwear is one way you can show your personal style when it comes to work outfits. A denim trench coat is so fun, but it’s also work appropriate. You can easily wear it with black work pants, knit pants, jeans, or over a dress. While a denim trench coat might feel trendy because it’s, well, trending, it’s super versatile and denim outerwear will never go out of style. Think about how long denim jackets in general have been in style – forever!
My exact trench coat is old, but the third jacket is also by Mango. It looks like a shorter version of what I’m wearing.
Wrap Dress with fun flats
A wrap dress for work is always a good idea. The one I’m wearing currently comes in black or denim. It looks good with literally any shoes, whether you wear it with ballet flats, loafers, Mary Janes, mules, or boots. These are my favorite flats when you want to add a fun detail to your outfit, and they’re perfect to pair with an otherwise simple dress like this one.
V-Neck Cardigan You Can Wear With Jeans, Work Pants, or A Skirt
A v-neck cardigan might feel intimidating to style for the office, but you can make any v-neck cardigan work appropriate by layering a t-shirt, tank top- or button up shirt under it. I’m just wearing this simple ribbed tank top under it here. This outfit works just as easily with work pants as it does with jeans, but if you work in an office where jeans are allowed, this outfit is perfect! The suede mules elevate your entire look, or you can wear loafers. These loafers are a similar color.
I also linked two skirts that you can style with this type of varsity sweater. I would wear ballet flats or loafers instead of mules.
Maxi Skirt That Goes With Anything
Maxi and midi skirts that are cotton are good options for work given their fabric and length. I love how this looks with a denim jacket, but you can easily dress it up with a nice sweater, a blouse, or a blazer.
Black Maxi Skirt With Black Tailored Vest
Once we get into super warm days, I love how this skirt looks with a linen vest. The tailoring on a vest and the monochrome elevate the outfit. A-line skirts are a great option if you’re a pear body shape like I am. A woven shoe is work appropriate and your feet can breathe!
My shoes are old from Sezane, but I love this pair by Margaux, and I think they’re probably a little more versatile.
Blazer Outfit For Friday Or Casual Work Dress Code
Okay, let’s look at a few other outfits that have a more casual feel to them because I paired them with jeans. Spring is one of the best times of the year to wear a blazer because you typically don’t need a heavier coat over it. Blazers are perfect for casual Friday outfits or if you work in a casual dress code. If you wear jeans to work, blazers are an easy way to make your outfit look professional and polished. You can layer it with something as simple as a crewneck tshirt or tank top, or a nicer blouse or sweater. If grey isn’t your vibe, my blazer also comes in camel and black.
Don’t be scared off by the fact that my blazer is merino wool. It’s so lightweight and one of the softest things I own. it’s a good option for spring temperatures on cool days (or mornings).
Can You Wear Corduroy In Spring?
Corduroy is a go-to transitional season fabric for when it’s still cold outside. Basically, I only turn to corduroy in early spring here on the east coast because it’s too warm for it pretty early. I definitely pack away my corduroy by the end of March. See this post for tips on how to style corduroy pants.
Can You Wear Velvet In Spring?
I would avoid velvet once we move out of winter. It’s a gorgeous fabric, but it’s also heavy! You can still use different textures in your outfit to achieve the same look as velvet though – go for silk or crepe with cotton instead.
How To Wear Dresses In Spring
Use lightweight layers
Dresses are a spring closet staple. I love a sleeveless dress that you can layer with in the spring and wear by itself in the summer. A denim dress or a cotton dress are perfect examples. You can wear them alone in the summer, but add a button up underneath or a lightweight sweater on top in the spring. These are easy style solutions with pieces you’ll rewear again and again.
Style With Boots For Cool Days
Every now and then you get a really cold spring day. So, style your dress with knee high boots and a layer like I just mentioned above! You can also style a dress with tights and flats if you’ve already packed away your boots.
How To Wear A Spring Scarf
Choose a silk scarf
Silk is a great texture for spring because it won’t make you hot! You can wear it around your neck, drape it around the collar of your coat, or even use it as a belt. I love this one.
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