Seven Great Pieces from Ann Taylor for Spring 2017
As soon as the weather starts to signal a new season, I feel excitement and inspiration to explore all the new fashion collections popping up online and in stores. I’m always on the lookout for the new piece that will blend effortlessly into my wardrobe and become a timeless standby or for an interesting fashionable new item that will give me joy throughout the new season. I always check out the new pieces from Ann Taylor because they have a good mix of classic and on trend styles. I love that their pieces are good quality but affordable, especially if you sign up for sale emails. They have a good blend of office appropriate pieces as well as dressier and more casual styles. Almost all their pieces can be styled up or down, making them more versatile and adding extra value to your dollar. As a curvy petite, I also really appreciate that they offer multiple fit and style options so that their clothes work for women of all shapes and sizes.
Here are seven new standout pieces from Ann Taylor that you should consider adding to your Spring wardrobe.
I love blouses that are classic with a twist. This blouse has pretty, feminine touches – peplum styling, a delicate ruffle down the front, and ruffle cap sleeves – without being over the top. Being a petite girl, it’s hard to get a ruffled top that works and doesn’t drown me in fabric. I think this blouse is a good example of a ruffle done well. A peplum blouse can be tricky to style, but depending on whether you have a long or short torso, you might be able to tuck it into high-waisted skirts or pants. Otherwise you could style out with either pants, jeans – for a casual look, or with a straight skirt. Depending on how you pair it, this blouse could be office appropriate, dressy, or casual.
2. Floral Pintucked Flutter Sleeve Top
This blouse is a good example of a flexible piece. It would look great under a blazer for an office ready outfit or untucked for a breezy weekend look. Although I generally don’t gravitate towards wearing orange, little pops of the color have always put me in a happy mood and the tiny orange flowers on this white top give it a cheery look. This piece will effortlessly transition into summer so you can easily wear it for two seasons out of the year. I also love the elbow length flutter sleeves. Ann Taylor also has this same top in solid pale pink and navy.
If you are going to buy one statement blouse for this Spring, you should consider this one. It’s a beautiful shade of pale blue and the long, fluted sleeves are feminine without being too girly. I’m hard to sell on most prints, but I love the cheerful colorful pattern of birds and greenery that adds pink and green accents to this blouse. I’m not sure what the birds are – to me they look like a cross between a flamingo and a stork, (any ornithologists reading please weigh in and enlighten us!), but they make me think of Spring. This would be a great relaxed piece to pair with a navy skirt or pants. If you want to push the whimsical theme you could pair this with one of Ann Taylor’s floral themed necklaces or with a long lariat or tassel necklace.
If you are looking for a great top to take you from Winter through Spring this eye catching blue, white, and black horizontal striped sweater is perfect. I love the unique shade of blue - costa brava, a bright royal blue - chosen for this sweater. (In an interesting aside, Costa Brava is actually a real place – a coastal area in North-Eastern Spain known for its beautiful blue water.) The three-quarter length sleeves, bateau neckline, and woven material make this piece something natural to reach for when the mercurial weather is too warm for winter, but too cold for spring. For extra warmth, you could layer it with a blouse underneath or with a navy or black blazer. It’s also very versatile. With pearls or another dressy necklace and a skirt or black trousers it would be perfect in many professional settings. With a statement necklace and a frilly skirt or jeans it would be perfect for weekends.
A good midi dress is a wonderfully low maintenance item to have in your wardrobe. This is a very classic piece in the color “Atlantic Navy” which is a very deep navy – sort of a gentler shade akin to black. Since many people are washed out by black, a navy dress is always a great alternative to the “LBD”. As with many of Ann Taylor’s pieces this season, the dress has elegant feminine detailing – a delicately pleated, lined, full skirt, a small ruffle around the v-shaped neckline, and a lace detail around the neckline and waist. The neckline would look great styled with a pendant necklace. You could dress the outfit up with nude or pink or red heels, or you could make it more casual with strappy sandals. If you are wearing this dress to an outdoor event or date on a day when the spring temperatures are a bit chilly to go sleeveless, throw on a pastel or brightly colored cardigan to finish off your look.
6. Reed Garden Fluted Sleeve Dress
This is a great casual dress. Green is very “in” this spring and the flora and fauna pattern makes me think of a Spring garden. The birds, rabbits, and dogs add motion to the pattern. This would be a great dress to wear to a Spring themed lunch or garden party. The dress has a tie to set off the waist, which really contrasts nicely with the three-quarter length sleeves ending in fluted cuffs. Pair it with nude heels and a navy sweater to dress it up or with white canvas wedges or tan espadrilles to dress it down.
7. Botanical Lace Sheath Dress
This is a really beautiful Spring cocktail dress. I love the rich “costa brava” color, which as mentioned above, looks like a cross between navy and royal blue. The fully lined body with lace overlay and the unlined sleeves make it a very elegant look for evening. It would be perfect for a business cocktail hour or dinner, a dressy date night, or a Spring formal occasion like a wedding. Pair it with pearls for an uptown look or with a long gold tassel necklace for a more bohemian take.
Which of these pieces is your favorite? Have any great styling suggestions for any of the pieces above? I’d love to read them in the comments!
Check out Confidently Elegant on pinterest to see more styling options the outfits featured in this post.
