Spring Awakening: How NYC Girls are Transitioning to Spring 2025
Six trends I spotted, what I bought, and why NYC girls always get it right
Transitioning a wardrobe from winter to spring is, in my opinion, the hardest shift of the year—the weather is unpredictable, you need a mix of heavy and light pieces, and footwear is always a dilemma. Boots feel too heavy, but open-toed shoes are premature. There’s no perfect way to navigate it.
New York girls, however, traverse this landscape more effortlessly than they do a rush-hour subway platform—and truthfully, if New York girls were leading the way, I’d probably follow them off a bridge.
Below are six transitional trends I observed in New York last week, along with everything I purchased as a result.
Let me start by saying: New York girls are effortlessly cool and I am jealous of them. They are, without question, the most fashionable cohort of modern women, and every trip to the city leaves me inspired. I see better outfits within 20 minutes of landing at JFK than I do in a full calendar month in Los Angeles.
I am sure there are plenty of redundancies, because that is the world we live in (see: this excellent article from Julia Hobbs about how social media has flattened personal style). But as a tourist, I couldn’t help but see each outfit as entirely unique, all quietly signaling that winter is over. And, if you pay attention, there are common threads that shape the season’s key transitional trends:
Zebra Print
I saw this print everywhere—almost always in a sweet, warm sepia tone. And somehow, it was subtle. Subtle Zebra print. A flash of calfskin ankle boots, the shine of a resin bangle, a micro bag slung over a shoulder. I believe leopard is always in, but zebra is having a real moment, and I am subscribing.
Subtle wasn’t my approach, though. Instead, I picked up this vintage J. Crew set (for under $40 on Poshmark) while online shopping on the plane home:
Supporting my hypothesis, back in LA this week,
hosted an event at Reformation, where she told personally me that these $248 heeled sandals are “the only shoes you need this spring.” I’m on the waitlist.Museum Merch
Those who partake will insist, “it’s not a trend, it’s a lifestyle.” Fine. Call it what you want, but New York girls want you to know that they appreciate art. And fair enough—New York is home to some of the greatest museums in the world. I love seeing so many people support the arts. But statistically speaking, not every New Yorker can be a MoMA member…they just all love wearing the hat:
$34 for non-members, $30 for MoMA members. See also: New York Magazine tote bags, phone cases featuring famous paintings (I ordered one with The Goldfish by Herni Matisse), and oversized t-shirts with quirky art prints. Any trend that promotes the consumption of culture is a win in my book. We would do this in LA if we could, but we have no museums. Joke’s on us.
Cuffed Jeans
I’ve been noticing this for a while, and I’m here to confirm—it’s still happening, and it’s still cool. I resisted until now, but see above, I would follow New York girls off a bridge. And since these were everywhere, I finally took the plunge.
Veronica Beard has some on sale right now for under $200 (limited sizes), and J. Crew also has a great pair for $148:
Beads (glass beads, beaded necklaces, beads on bag charms)
This was a real treat—so many vibrant, oversized beads, like a jewel box come to life. And it wasn’t just jewelry, although stacked necklaces (like this $370 Lizzie Fortunato one) were everywhere, each one unique:
Beaded details popped up on shirts and jackets, along with entire handbags made of beads, but my favorite by far? The bag charms. I picked up a fun, one-of-a-kind bag charm for $39 from Etsy maker Lenora Dame, and her shop is full of similar smile-provoking pieces:
Fish
This is a welcome expansion of the tinned fish illustrations that made waves in summer 2024. It’s playful, cheeky, and feels like a foreshadowing of a summer vacation to Greece. I spotted fish patterns everywhere: prints, bag charms, and little amulets on keychains and bicycles. Back in LA, everyone seems to be wearing this $280 viral fish Farm Rio dress.
The dress is great, and I adore Farm Rio, but I think it’s time to collectively return to an era when showing up in the exact same outfit as someone else was a little embarrassing. A bit of creativity, please. I found this tote (for $9!) on Poshmark that is perfect for running errands on Abbot Kinney:
And I am eyeing this $195 Simon Miller fish clutch for an upcoming trip:
(Edit: When I started writing this article, that Simon Miller bag had just been released. It is now sold out on Revolve. I would skip it if you want to maintain any originality.)
Interesting Jewelry
I’m sure this ties back to the bead trend. We’ve finally broken free from the yellow-gold, minimalist, Mejuri-era snooze-fest that had held us hostage since 2018. Bold, interesting jewelry is back on, and I couldn’t be happier.
When I was little, my mom took up jewelry making as a hobby, and her kitchen table was always covered in piles of beads she bought in bulk on eBay. If I was ever bored, I’d sit down, sift through the colorful piles, and string together a necklace or pick out charms for a bracelet. I learned the names and types of beads (“millefiori” means “thousand flowers”), and I can still picture some of the pieces I held in my hands as if it were yesterday. Reminiscent of that, I just picked up this lampwork beaded sterling silver bracelet for $41 on Poshmark:
Aside from jewelry with beads, I also saw large statement cuffs, mismatched metals, and a lot of heritage vintage brooches and cocktail rings. Both are fun ways to add some color over warmer layers when you’re mentally in spring but physically still sub-sixty degrees Fahrenheit.
Honorable Mentions
Silver sneakers (these Adidas Sambas, if you can find them, or these Dolce Vita sneakers are a great option for under $100), suede jackets (this $748 Zadig and Voltaire one is now on my wish list), and lots of east-west bags inspired by the Bottega Long Andiamo clutch.
And, of course, an honorable mention to my friends and family who actually read this.