My top 5 Spring Picks from JD Williams

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Do you know something? I really like JD Williams. What I really like about them is the fact that they don’t ignore women “over a certain age”. In fact they actively seek us out and want to work with us, as well as making clothes that are a great price, that come in a wide range of sizes and are comfortable to wear. At a time when a connection between a brand and its customer is often missing, this is something that really appeals to me.

In this post, I’ll be sharing with you my top 5 spring picks from the new JD Williams collection. Luckily the weather was glorious for this shoot and I wasn’t secretly shivering inside, whilst trying to maintain a smile that said that all was well, when really it wasn’t! So here goes!

Number 1: Culottes

Crepe wide leg culottes in saffron (£18)

There’s something about culottes that really appeals to me. Perhaps it’s because I like to stride out, or perhaps it’s because they’re so versatile and because they lend themselves to being styled in so many ways. Or perhaps it’s just that I don’t have to be too ladylike in them.

 

woven front animal print t-shirt (£22)

These saffron coloured culottes are a great way of introducing one of “the” colours of the season into your wardrobe. They have lovely movement to them too and the lightweight crepe is easy to wear (and to wash) so it’s a great fabric to take on your hols with you.

print crepe wide leg culottes  £20

As an alternative to a block colour, there are these amazing printed culottes. I suspect that the weather is going to be a little too chilly for me to wear these over the next few weeks but I can’t wait for the sun to come out again so that I can wear them and swish around in them. They have just the right amount of width for me – not too narrow but not too voluminous either. The crepe fabric falls in a really flattering way so they don’t feel too “clown like” – if you know what I mean.

Here I’ve gone with a “monochrome, clashing prints, look” but these culottes will work really well with colour too. Cobalt, hot pink, pale pink, yellow, red – they’re all good with black and white and dare I say it, I’m kind of a little bit weary of the traditional leopard print colour way (for now at least) so a black and white animal print is a refreshing change and is going to be huge this season.

Number 2: The spring biker

camel faux leather biker (£45) print crepe wide leg culottes  £20

A biker jacket is perfect for the type of weather that falls in between winter and summer (otherwise known as spring!) I also love layering bikers under an oversized winter, coat for maximum versatility. They’re great because they have enough weight to add warmth but they’re not so chunky that you overheat. And a softer colour is a great way to lift a wardrobe as we head into spring.

Item 3: The essential wrap dress

leopard wrap waist dress £29

If there’s one style of dress that can literally take you from dawn until dusk, from the office to the bar (I’m not sure that I’ve ever ACTUALLY done that!) then it’s the wrap dress. And a fixed wrap dress is even better, as there’s no danger of any of us revealing a little more than we may like, which can happen with some wrap dresses.

Even better than a fixed wrap dress, is a fixed wrap dress in an animal print. I just find them super forgiving and the shape is so flattering. The style of this dress in particular is really good because the fabric falls from a knot just under the bust, which means that it skims over the tummy really well.

The sleeve length on this dress is really well thought out too. Whether an outfit works or not can be really dependent on its proportions being right and for me, this sleeve length just works. It’s long enough to offer some coverage but short enough to show off arm candy – if that’s your thing.

And then there’s the versatility. Here I’m wearing sparkly hi-tops but if they’re not your thing, this style dress works so well with knee high boots, ankle boots, heels, flats, sandals – the list is endless!

Item 4 – the “go with everything” top

woven front animal print t-shirt (£22)

We all need one of those tops in our lives that goes with everything, that makes us feel a little bit more “put together” than when we’re wearing just a basic tee and which is super flattering. And this is it! This scale of print is such an easy one to work with as it doesn’t over power an outfit, or the person wearing it. It also goes with all of those darker shades in your wardrobe, as well as brighter “spring like” colours. The silky fabric over the front is uber forgiving too – it’s a great fabric if you do carry a little more weight around the tummy area. Plus it’s just not quite so formal as a white shirt but it works really well under a blazer. It’s fabulous to peel off the layers and to start heading towards these types of tops when the warmer weather arrives.

Number 5 – the spring ankle boot

flexi soled heeled kitten ankle boot in marigold (£30)

Lifting our footwear, both in terms of its colour and its weight, is a sign that spring is well and truly on its way. The flexi sole on these boots is so comfortable and they also come in two width fittings, meaning that there’s something for everyone.  I find that a bit of width in my shoes is certainly something to be embraced as I get older! And if you’re not a fan of colour in your clothing, a bright pair of shoes is a great way to add some colour to an otherwise simple wardrobe.

I’ve loved styling these pieces from JD Williams and I’d love to know what you think of them. Beth x