This is a multifaceted post so buckle up. It encompasses some of the new things I bought myself for my birthday which was yesterday (April 18th) and how I’m wearing these things with pieces I already own. Sometimes, I wonder if you are bored of my posting the same Toteme trench coat I bought in fall 2022 and other pieces but I think it’s important to show items that were great investments and I’m how styling them now. I also like showing you how I’m mixing and matching old pieces in case you bought them too and want to know how to update them each season.

This post can also be used as reference as how to dress for changeable and unpredictable weather. It was 80 degrees here on Monday and 50 yesterday. I feel like I need to have three seasons of clothing available at all times. And lastly, this is also your cheat sheet on what to wear in NYC and Paris, as well as any European city this spring. There is a French proverb, “En avril, ne te découvre pas d’un fil. En mai, fais ce qu’il te plaît” which essentially means not to uncover yourself in April because of the changing weather but in May you can do what you want. The French do not like to be cold and will always dress for the season and not break out sandals until May.

This is everything in the post above:

Attersee The Studio Jacket In Lucent Wool – This is a great transitional jacket for spring weather. I saw a lot of Parisians wear navy jackets with white jeans last spring as their transitional look but this would also work well with navy trousers too which is probably how I will wear it. I was able to size down one size from my usual size.

Attersee The Everyday Shirt in Silk Cashmere – The jacket is show layered with this blue cashmere shirt which I already own so I am going to try it this way too. A less expensive blue shirt option is the Tomboy Shirt. I can size down one size in it.

Navy Lightweight Wool Blend Flare Pants – Of course after I bought multiple pairs of these pants, they are now on sale. These needed a little bit of tailoring but now they are the perfect spring weight trousers and are the perfect work pants for those of you who work in an office. I took my regular size and they fit but were just a tiny bit too perfect so I also ordered one size up and had the waist tailored for those days when I’m feeling a little bloated. I also had the flare on them narrowed when I went to the tailor to have them hemmed. As I’ve said before, It’s hard to find reasonably priced navy trousers so I was willing to tweak them to make them perfect. They also come in black and I bought them too.

The Row Owen Runner Leather and Mesh Sneakers – I have these in taupe and since they are so comfortable, I decided to get them in ivory too. I love that they are plain with no logos or garish colors. They are sneakers for chic adults.

Chanel Navy and Black Tweed Slingbacks – It’s a little hard to tell but these are navy tweed with a black grosgrain cap toe. I bought them at Le Bon Marché in Paris but the Real Real and Vestiaire always have a good selection of Chanel shoes. I found a new pair of navy and black leather slingbacks that are a great alternative.

Celine Red Teen Triomphe Bag – This is my smallest handbag but I find it liberating to go out without being weighed down by too much stuff. The problem with the size is only really a problem if you want to run errands which is why I own the following item.

Brigitte Tanaka Organza Bag – I’ve kept this store and their Organza Bags under wraps for my Paris Guide buyers but they’ve had a lot more press lately because they were seen on the Undercover runway show during Paris Fashion Week. They are great to keep in your bag for unplanned shopping trips and this one is the only one that will fit in my tiny red Celine bag. You can also find them at Merci in Paris. You can order online from both stores and have them shipped to the US.

Printed Silk and Cotton-blend Voile Scarf – This is the time of year where you always have to keep a scarf in your bag, and probably an umbrella, just in case. I went out a few days ago and it was warm early but the temperature dropped significantly during the day so I was glad I threw a silk scarf in my bag last minute, although I could have used a wool one since it was so cold.

Hermès H Heure Watch – I went to Hermès this week for a new blue strap for my watch. It feels good to refresh things you already own for spring. There is an exact version of mine online if you want to get one for less than the cost of a new one.

Mason Pearson Blue Pocket Boar Bristle Hairbrush – I really took the treat yourself motto to heart this birthday season. I upgraded some items and in other cases, I bought myself things I’d been eyeing for a while. I’ve had Mason Pearson brushes forever but I liked the idea of adding a little color to my bag with the pocket sized blue one. I also switch bags a lot so I can now leave this one in one bag and my other pocket brush in another. They really are the best brushes and while they are expensive, you will have them forever if you take care of them.

Prequel Lucent-C Brightening Vitamin C Serum – I started following Mrs. Derm a few months back and this is one of the vitamin c serums she recommends. I just had a Clear and Brilliant laser last week so I’ll start using it soon and will report back soon but I like that it’s not insanely expensive like the other brand that shall not be named.

Mixed Hoop Earrings – I went to a very expensive jewelry store a few weeks back and they had a convertible pair of earrings that I loved. I didn’t realize this pair were very similar until they arrived. You can wear the plain hoop alone or with the white side of the link showing or the back gold side showing so you have three earrings in one. They are great for travel when you don’t want to pack a lot. I didn’t realize until today that there is a matching necklace too. I can’t say for certain but I think you might be able to turn it over and wear it on the white side or the gold side for two necklaces in one.

Buly Baume des Muses – I bought these Buly personalized lip balms in Paris for all my friends for Christmas. I also bought them in a bunch of colors for myself. They make a great gift for yourself and others while you are in Paris but they can also be ordered online.

Great Houses of Europe – Someone posted this book from 1970 on Instagram and of course, I wanted one too. You can find them for very inexpensive prices online.

It feels like it’s been very rainy and grey for the last six months in NYC. I’m a bit over it but at least I have the right things to wear to make myself feel slightly better about the situation. I would also wear this is Paris or other cities so keep this in mind if it’s planning to be grey and rainy during your own trip.

Toteme Signature Cotton-blend Trench Coat – This really is the best trench. I love that the fabric always looks good and doesn’t wrinkle that much. I sized down two sizes but check the dimensions just in case. I also had to have the sleeves and length hemmed so if you are tall, you will love it.

Naadam Men’s Fancy Cashmere Long Sleeve Crewneck – I’m so mad at Naadam since I just received another order and now everything is 25% off. UGH! But my loss is your gain. I love their fancy cashmere but hate that they don’t have more colors so I ordered the men’s version in navy which they don’t offer for women. It’s the perfect weight for spring and I swear the cashmere is nicer than the women’s version. I always size down one size down in men’s sweaters so I think you can use that rule of thumb too.

Navy Lightweight Wool Blend Flare Pants – same navy pants as above with the full description there.

Target Tee Shirt – Still wearing my favorite $6 white Target Tee Shirts but I also love the J.Crew Vintage Jersey Crewneck Tee Shirt. If I’m wearing a white tee under a sweater and you can see it, I let that act as the “necklace” and then I don’t wear a necklace over it.

Jack Trainers – I’ve been eying these white sneakers for a while and finally decided to try them. I can attest that they are very comfortable and lightweight which also makes them perfect for traveling.

Hermès Kelly Gulliver Retourne 35 in vert foncé from 1999 – I bought this vintage Kelly from Vestiaire as a birthday present to myself. I was afraid that the 35 size would be too big but the retourne style and softer gulliver leather make it the perfect day bag. It fits a lot and the shoulder strap means it never gets heavy unlike a Birkin. There is a similar Green Hermès Kelly 32 available now but you often have to wait for your dream vintage bag to come up. I’m also not someone who is too precious with the nice things I own. As long as it’s not a monsoon, I will carry my nice bags on rainy days.

Umbrella – The good thing about the 35 size Kelly is that it fits my favorite umbrella. It has an automatic open and close button and everyone who buys it loves it, even my haters who I’ve seen post it too.

Hermès Jardins de Versailles Silk Scarf – I actually sent this scarf link to a friend who was at Versailles at the same time I was last year. She didn’t end up buying it so I bought it as a reminder of my trip. It comes in different colorways but I can’t find any online now. I have had a lot of luck finding silk scarves on Etsy but just received an alert on eBay for the Hermès L’Or des Chefs scarf in the exact colorway from A Perfect Murder. I almost posted it for someone else to buy but it’s my favorite scarf that I wear all the time so I bought myself a back up. Sorry, not sorry.

Jacques Marie Mage Sunglasses – I saw my Instagram friend Andrijana wearing these sunglasses and loved the look but didn’t ask her about them. Then I came across them online. They are a dark green so I had to have them as a nod to my new Kelly bag. If you don’t know about Jacques Marie Mage, they are a luxury limited edition glasses and sunglasses created by a Frenchman in Los Angeles. This is my second pair and once you start down this path, it’s hard to stop because they are very chic and feel one step below bespoke glasses. One note about colors. I have a rule where I try not to wear more than two items in the same exact accent color. For some reason, three or more just seem too much to me but you can add in another item if it’s patterned.

Green Velvet Ring Box – I’m going to write more about some of the new things I’ve purchased for my home soon but I ordered this velvet ring box for the top of my dresser to wrangle my rings and earrings. I love that it has a removable top and not a hinged one so I can leave it open.

Buly Huile Antique Scandinavian Red Currant and Peruvian Tomato – I was intrigued by the Buly Les Jardins Français fragrances when I was in Paris in November 2023 because of the beautiful packaging but the store was a madhouse so I didn’t buy one. I recently came across a fandeck of the scents from that trip and realized they had scratch and sniff circles of the scents at the top. I loved this one for summer and the Caribbean Sweet Potato and Afghan Carrot for winter so I decided to order one for my birthday along with my favorite soaps.

Buly Baume des Muses – same as above but in the water green color. You can choose the outside color and also the top color and choose what letters or small word you want embossed in gold on the top. They also come in little velvet pouches.

One of the hardest things to do is dress for unseasonably warm weather in April because I’m old school. I follow the French rule of dressing appropriately for the month and season and not necessarily for the temperature.

Cotton Linen Jacket – I have a lot of jackets from this brand and knew I would love this one the moment I saw it online. It’s perfect to pair with jeans or trousers. I can size down one size in all their clothes.

The Ultrafine Merino Ribbed – I wish this sweater came in more colors since it’s the most perfect layering piece for transitional weather.

Curvy Vintage Slim-straight Jeans – I was at the hair salon recently at the hair washing station and I was the only woman not wearing jeans. To be honest, I kind of hate them. I think I look more pulled together wearing trousers with sneakers and can go anywhere in that outfit instead of jeans. But I have this pair when I need them.

Gabriela Hearst Lynn Fisherman Sandals – I have these sandals in the pale nude color but I think they are not the right color for my skin tone so I’m debating whether I need them in this more flattering tan color. They are extremely comfortable so it might be worth it. I also like them as a sandal for April and October when it’s warm but it’s not appropriate to wear very bare sandals.

Celine Triumph Medium Basket – This was my pandemic birthday present that I bought in March 2020 before everything shut down and it’s still going strong. I’m glad I bought it when it was $200 less expensive too.

Celine Aviator Sunglasses – I bought these at CDG but rarely wear them but I’m trying to rectify that this summer.

Volume Hoop Earrings – To add some color to my spring and summer outfits, I bought these faux coral earrings and matching Volume Design Ring.

Rōz Root Lift Spray – When I posted about Rōz hair products in January, this root lift spray was not out yet. I’ve been using it for a while and I love how it adds volume without heaviness or stickiness.

Rōz Discovery Kit – Yes, I can decant products into little travel containers but I love when I find them from a brand so they are ready to go for a trip. If you’ve been on the fence about trying their products, this is a great way to try them too. I’ve been using them since January and love that they don’t weigh my hair down and everything smells amazing.

Chanel Les Beiges Sheer Healthy Glow Highlighting Fluid – I wrote about this in January too and I’m still using it to add a glow to my skin. The pearly glow was out of stock them but it’s back now if you want to try it. I also think it would be great for those of you who don’t like to wear makeup to create a glow on your bare skin.

Neptune Papers Issue Six – My friend Daytona Williams founded Neptune Papers, a chic independent interiors and lifestyle publication based in Paris, during the pandemic in 2021. Issue six is available to order online now.

Buly Baume des Muses – I wasn’t joking when I said I bought one of these in a bunch of colors. Lol.

I never wear black on sunny days. I always think it’s too harsh and the sunlight can expose blacks that don’t match and cheaper fabrics. The exception is a black sundress. But I do wear black on grey and rainy days and for evening in NYC and Paris.

Black Waisted Knitted Cardigan – If you bought this black cardigan that matches the long Knitted Midi Skirt, you can wear them together but also separatetly with the lace skirt and trousers here. I sized down one size in the knit cardigan and skirt.

Black Lace Skirt – This skirt is not lined so you need to be aware of that before you buy it. If you are brave, you can wear it with solid black boy shorts but I bought this black slip to wear under it. I’m a little worried about the slip riding up, especially if I’m wearing a coat, so I might sew it into the skirt myself but you can also have a tailor sew in a lining too. I will also wear it with a thin black cashmere sweater.

Black Lightweight Wool Blend Flare Pants – I also bought the black version of the navy trousers above to wear with black sweaters.

The Row Claudette Black Satin Pointed Toe Ballet Flat – I have The Row Claudette Pointed Toe Ballet Flat in black leather and love them so when I decided to buy the satin version too. They are perfect for when you want to look dressed up but don’t want to wear heels. Fashion stylist Jamie Mizrahi said she also owns these shoes in multiple colors and wears the satin for evening instead of heels so I felt vindicated in my choice.

Black Hermès Box Leather Retourne Kelly Bag in size 32 – I used to take my jersey Chanel bag out for evening but since I bought it, I’ve used my black box Kelly bag. The size is not too big or small and I can fit a tiny umbrella in it too.

Leonisa Truly Undetectable Comfy Shaper Panty – I had a few pairs of these panties but they were no longer available on Bare Necessities so I googled just in case they were available somewhere else. I was delightfully surprised to find an entire website for the brand. These panties are similar to a thong but better since they don’t ride up and they are a shaper that hold you in without being too tight. They are completely invisible under clothing. I bought a bunch of new pairs. I wish the nude color was better but I’ll take what I can get.

Pearl-effect Crystal Earrings – I bought these as something new and fun to wear out with black.

Lié Gold-plated Bracelet – I really want a solid gold link bracelet but the prices I’ve seen are anywhere from $3,000-10,000. I’ll be saving up for one but in the meantime, I bought this gold-plated bracelet. It’s exactly what I was looking for and I love the invisible clasp. Most inexpensive and reasonably priced bracelets have terrible clasps that make them look cheap. Even when I do buy a real gold bracelet, it will be nice to have this one for travel.

Regime des Fleurs Là Bas Perfume – I’m still loving this new perfume I bought in March but it is strong. I can only spray a little bit but that means you definitely get your money’s worth out of the bottle.

Chanel Longwear Liquid Eyeshadows – I cannot say enough good things about these eyeshadows that really are longwear. They are the only eye shadows I’ve ever used that last the entire day. They even made it through a good cry recently. They are amazing. I use a tiny bit of the rayon color on the first quarter of my eyelid and the darker desert wind color on the outer three-quarters of my eyelid along the lash line and in the crease. I usually just use the applicator and my finger but sometimes I’ll use a brush. It dries quickly so you need to be fast. It might look a little sparkly when wet but it will dry down a little less sparkly but it’s the sheen that makes it so special. It honestly make me look like a makeup artist did my eyes and it takes me less than 30 seconds to apply.

Buly Baume des Muses – Yes, I have black too.

A few things you could also wear with the black trousers to jazz them up are this Gold Blazer and ivory Double Breasted Blazer. I own the ivory one and wore it with black pants and jeans last year. I also bought the Open Placket Blouse this spring and it would look great alone or under a jacket.

Long-Sleeved Gianna Dress – I wore the navy wool seersucker dress on Monday when it was 80 degrees and was definitely a bit warm. If I had known it was going to be so hot, I would have worn last year’s linen version but I was out walking in full sun. It will be perfect for those of you who work in air conditioned offices this spring.

Mini Velvet Jewelry Case – I ordered the small blue jewelry case for travel but it will also be great for when I need to take my jewelry off for a facial or spa day. They can be monogrammed but think they look better without it.

Celine Medium Triomphe Classic Panier – This basket bag in soft blue is one that I bought last April 2023 in Paris. It’s such a pretty color.

Bartels Lou Striped Sandals – Kelly Rutherford posted about this shoe brand and when I went to their website, I found these fun striped sandals. The light color perfectly matches the color of the Celine basket bag so they will fun to wear this summer.

Ukrainian Embroidered Linen Dress – My Instagram friend Andrijana is the one who originally found this linen dress online and she’s even posted in the listing. You can choose your color and fabric weight and even give them your measurements so it fits perfectly. I haven’t ordered it yet for myself since I went a little crazy for my birthday but I will probably end up buying it for summer.

Celine Teen Triomphe Classic Panier – I bought the smaller basket bag in Paris in April 2022 and it’s a great size if you don’t like a big bag. They best part of the three Celine paniers I own is that they nest inside each other for easy storage.

Hermès H Heure Watch – I love wearing my watch with the blue band in the summer when it’s too hot to wear other jewelry.

I look good in pink but rarely wear it but I wanted something to coordinate with my pink Chanel sandals for this spring and summer.

The Original Cashmere Sweater – I bought this pink cashmere sweater since it was an exact match for the shoes. I thought it would look great with the Navy Lightweight Wool Blend Flare Pants too.

Embellished Circle-cut Midi Skirt – I wore this skirt with a charcoal grey sweater on a rainy day but it will be perfect with the pink sweater and shoes too.

Chanel Pink Suede Sandals – These are a few seasons old but I did see a pair once on the Real Real. New options I would suggest are these Pink Sandals and Pink Ballet Flats.

Sant Ambroeus Principessa Cake – Even my birthday cake this year matched this outfit.

Living Beautifully in Paris – I am very happy to have an advance copy of this book this spring.

Diptyque Chantilly Candle – I bought this limited edition candle for my friend Marguerite and the Biscuit candle for myself.

Tweezerman Pink Perfection Slant Tweezer – When I went to order new tweezers, pink was the only color available so maybe pink is my new look in everything this spring.

My birthday present to you is this post filled with everything you could possibly need this spring so I hope it helps you get dressed for whatever the weather throws at you.

Bon week-end !

XOXO,

HC