5 Key Transitional Pieces at the Top of My Shopping List
Guaranteed to get you out of your mid-season rut.
The below is from editor-in-chief Nikki Ogunnaike's weekly newsletter, Self Checkout. Subscribe here.
With close to 20 years in the fashion industry, I’ve not only seen it all—but also know how to parse through the endless sea of stuff. What’s worth buying? What’s not? In Self Checkout, you’ll find my highly specific recommendations with a few picks from my most knowledgeable, stylish friends.
We’re less than a month away from the official start of spring, but it’s still pretty cold here on the East Coast. So today, I’m sharing a few key pieces that get me through this weird, in-between transitional time.
Nikki Ogunnaike wearing a vest, a blazer, and a pair of jeans.
By now, we all know that you can wear white jeans after Labor Day. (And if you’re still hesitant, consider this your permission to reconsider—here’s how I like to style them.) But they feel especially good right now, with what I like to call season-pushing: getting your spring gear out there a little early. Good white jeans are terribly hard to find (my secret is avoiding any options with too much stretch) and my favorite pair are vintage men’s Levi’s that I bought big and got taken in at the waist. I also own these Citizens of Humanity options and have a hunch that these Everlane jeans would do the trick, too.
I haven’t had a visceral MUST NEED reaction to a shoe in an extremely long time. But when I saw this pair of buffalo leather moccasin-meets-boat shoes on the Bally runway six months ago, I damn near lost my mind. Since receiving them I’ve worn them with both dressy black pants (as seen here on my Instagram) and baggy Levi’s jeans. But you don’t need to spend a ton of money on this trend—these Sebagos have a similar feel (and for less than $200!) and these Sperrys are pretty close, too. If you do want to splurge, I also suggest getting these Miu Miu boat shoes before they’re sold out everywhere.
Another moment from the Bally Spring 2024 show that really got me going: the black leather blazers. I loved them because they reminded me of the ’70s (a big style inspiration decade of mine) but also because they’re a nice alternative to leather moto jackets, which I’ve never really figured out how to pull off. A leather blazer is good if you’re one who wears all black (no matter the season) and want to play with various textures to keep your outfit from looking flat. I bought this Deadwood one at $350, which I thought was a pretty good price comparatively speaking, and it’s on sale now for even less!
This hyper-specific window of time is the moment for your least practical tights and socks to shine. They’re not here to keep you extremely warm, per se, but more so to be an extra, light layer that adds visual interest and a slight bit of coverage. The idea is to wear them with knee-high boots, ballet flats, or brogues, paired with longer kilt-like skirts or layered under jeans.
I’m a big cardigan girlie, rarely traveling without one. I find them to be the unsung hero of sweater styles: They’re incredibly versatile and never really go out of style. You can wear them fully buttoned up as top or as a middle layer between your coat and whatever you have underneath. If you really want to freak it, turn it around so the buttons go up the back for a little style surprise. I love the ladylike vibe of Commes de Garcon Play cardigans (imagine one tucked into a skirt and paired with knee high boots) but I adore the old man vibes of the And Daughter cardigan above.
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