Three new spring season purchases

I’ve been loving the shift in seasons, and the opportunity to finally revisit so many of my spring/summer favourites. It feels like an age since I last wore them, given I spent the spring and summer of last year cooking up a baby; anything I owned with a fitted waist was completely off the menu. So from a “wardrobe building” perspective, there hasn’t been many gaps I’ve felt the need to fill. Instead, I’ve been wholly content with what’s already stashed away in my wardrobe. The closet makeover has definitely helped too – but I’ll be sharing more on that next week.

The items I have added to my wardrobe? They’ve been on my wishlist for months. Years even, in the case of my most recent purchase. 

So, let’s run through the three spring season purchases I’ve recently made…

Bec & Bridge wild daisy midi dress 

The first spring season purchase I made was a bit of a wild card; well, for me anyway. It’s this linen midi dress from Bec & Bridge, with a dainty yellow daisy print all over. Florals for spring aren’t groundbreaking, but they are a little bit of a rarity in my closet. The one style tip my mum gave me which has really stuck, is block colours over prints. They have more enduring qualities, and while more “basic” on the style spectrum, a block colour piece isn’t likely to date if it’s in a classic silhouette.

I’ve been feeling like my wardrobe needed some more playful styles, and this ticked the boxes with that daisy floral print. The actual style? The midi dress, cinched in at the waist with the cut out panels – it’d actually been on my wishlist for more than a season. When I first spotted the style, I’d actually thought I’d eventually buy it in either the black or the white linen. Timeless. But the silhouette? A little more of the “now”, so it made sense to take a gamble and go for the fun option. 

I’ll admit, it’s not even close to being BF-friendly. But after spending the past six months trying to reclaim my style identity, I wanted to buy something that was just for me. I’m wearing the size AU8 here.

Birkenstock EVA Arizona sandals in black

Purchase number two was definitely on the more practical end of the spectrum. Shoes are a real weakness of mine, but I’ve been trying to identify ways to consolidate and reduce the number of pairs I own. And it all comes down to opting for classic but versatile shoe styles. I first toyed with the idea of buying a pair of Birkenstock Arizona sandals six or seven years ago, but I never pulled the trigger. Likely story is that I thought it was a passing trend. 

Yet here we are. I finally succumbed to the Birkenstock life, and I don’t regret it for one second. I went with the EVA Arizona style as I liked the fact that a) they were a great entry point into the brand and “ugly” sandal trend, b) they are lightweight, and c) I liked that they came in full monochrome black.

I went with my usual size – an EU40 – and will say they fit true to size. They feel weightless, which does take some getting used to. They insole is also quite rigid, which can sometimes feel a little uncomfortable, especially if my arches are a bit tight. I also found the first few wears I got a bit of rubbing from the straps across my foot, but this has since calmed down. From a styling perspective, I like to wear them with trousers which taper at the ankle, and also straight leg jeans. The clunky style really balances out the proportions. 

Gucci Jordaan loafers in brown leather

Finally. Finally. I talked about purchasing a pair of Gucci loafers for at least two years. And it’s been only recently that I’ve felt ready to actually buy them. As much as I love designer shoes, I’ve maintained the opinion for many years now, that you can get a well made pair of shoes from $250 AUD or less. But this was a pair I just couldn’t get out of my head. I’ve duped them with the Sam Edelman loafers (which I’ve worn so much), and I found myself continuously being drawn to them. 

Given I already have two pairs of black loafers, it didn’t really make sense for me to add a third. Especially when you take into consideration my notes earlier about consolidating my shoe collection. 

In the end, I opted for the dark brown leather. It felt almost as safe as the classic black, but completely different from a styling perspective. I could pair them with the same outfits, while giving them a real richness and warmth that I couldn’t achieve to the same effect with a black shoe. 

Now, sizing. Let’s preface this with the fact that I have wide feet and a bunion on my left foot. This is pretty important, as it determines whether a shoe is going to be comfortable or not. I’m also a true EU40. I wear a US or AU9 in shoes, or alternatively, a UK7. After getting a lot of feedback via Instagram DMs on sizing, I concluded that for the Jordaan, you should go TTS if you have wide feet. If your feet a narrow, go down a half size. They’re a little difficult to get on fresh out the box. I’d recommend using a shoe horn to get your feet in for the first wear! 

Comfort-wise, these take the cake. Not a single blister, sore spot or anything. I was truly surprised, but also relieved as when you’re spending this much on a shoe, you hope you won’t have to go through a painful break-in period. And on styling? They’re so easy. They go with everything. And actually? A lot more flattering to wear than my dupes! A shoe I’m hoping to get the CPW down on before it gets too hot…

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Have you added anything new to your wardrobe for the season ahead yet? x