Spring Starts Here

These Toteme pieces will anchor my City Spring Wardrobe.

Happy Spring! The one thing I find when you live in a climate that has four distinct seasons is that you truly appreciate the approach of each new weather change. It’s always a time to refresh mentally, physically and of course, how you dress.

I need (being a relative word) very few new pieces for Spring, which means for me they need to be the right few things. I recently wrote about my love of Toteme’s newly launched “classics” collection, Garderob, because it is filled with the kind of clothes I would reach for repeatedly. I have a fair amount of Toteme in my closet—coats for Winter and trenches for Spring, pants, dresses, tops, boots, sandals. I think their quality has improved tremendously over the last couple of years, and nothing I buy from them ever looks dated. You could call Toteme mid-priced quiet luxury, but I think that term is misleading, for me they offer classic clothes for people who want to be well dressed but not “fashion-y”.

I never ask brands for anything, but I have promised myself from now on to keep this newsletter hyper authentic and only focus on what I truly am interested in (so it might get a little one note). With that in mind, as a first, I asked Toteme if I could come play in their Soho store with Garderob, and they agreed. From the collection, I came home with a few anchors for my closet.

My standout piece from the collection is the https://go.shopmy.us/p-14845057. I wrote about this coat recently, but felt it was dressier than I normally am and knew I would get more use from the blazer. I love the somewhat fitted waist (I am wearing a size 34) which seems to be a harbinger of the blazer silhouette coming for Fall, and it is a perfect piece to wear with trousers, jeans, a pencil skirt…literally everything. (They don’t have a full run online, but Toteme says reach out to the stores, they do, and they can ship.)

I am wearing it here with Toteme’s Spring pants and a great layering knit from Garderob. The sandals are my own old Toteme.

I loved a pencil skirt last Spring and the admiration continues. This leather one is yummy. There is also a longer straight wool-blend midi trouser skirt from the collection that is a good silhouette; if you’re on the fence about it, I suggest you try it, it’s quite versatile and fun to wear. I bought one from Carven in Paris so don’t need two, but the way I want to wear it is super classic, with a button down. It reminds me of this photo of gallerist Paula Cooper from the early 80s that is always on my inspiration board.

Paula Cooper

I wanted the button down in pale blue (and it is the one I will ultimately get, size 32), but a pale blue button down seems to be everyone else’s obsession, because they keep selling out. (There was one on a FedEx truck coming to the store when I was there but it sadly didn’t make in time.) In fact, Garderob in general keeps selling out, so if you don’t see your size, they are continually restocking.

Then shoes, in particular these croco-embossed slingbacks in black. These are my favorite dressier shoe of the season. Super comfortable. To wear with skirts, trousers, jeans.

And speaking of jeans, I have been searching for a pair of slim, darker denim jeans that feel polished and would take me from day to night. Toteme’s new Low Straight Denim in Indigo were the most flattering I tried. Normally I take a 30” length, but this time I opted for 32” (size 27); those extra 2 inches completely change their look.

I like how they break at the foot in the slingbacks, it feels fresh. If I wear them with flats, I will give them a wide cuff. The Crisp Summer Trench is a new alternative to their signature Pisa trench (which I have from a few years back) and the Day Tote is easy and chic.

In the end, I was gifted the leather blazer, and bought the jeans and slingbacks. Soon I will add the blue shirt to my closet and that should do it for my city dressing til summer hits. I really happy with everything and have already worn the blazer a couple of times. (A general note on sizing: due to complaints of oversize fitting, Toteme has recently sized everything down; I was a 32 in a lot before, now I am a 34, and even a 36 in pants.)

Thank you to Toteme for letting me play!

x

Jennifer

All photos (except Paula Cooper) by Emma Silke.

Follow me on Instagram @theflairindex. Some links are affiliates, and I may earn a small commission from them.