Confidence in your Closet: What my Most Stylish Friends are Wearing for Spring

Butter yellow, bohemian details, and the secrets to getting designer deals—here’s what to buy (and how to shop) this season.

Today’s post is about spring fashion, which might sound trivial for a nutritionist’s Substack, but I believe in the power of the trivial—the cloth napkins you break out on an average weeknight to make a simple meal feel elevated and encourage conversation with your family, the new sneakers that motivate you to get to the gym and try a new workout class, the blazer you wore to an important meeting. Sometimes, a small boost helps us show up as our best selves.

I’ve had no less than five new clients in the past month tell me that one of their goals is to feel more confident in their clothes. Fashion is not the primary reason we’re meal prepping and lifting weights, but that doesn’t mean how we feel in our clothes doesn’t matter. Getting dressed is a form of self expression and gives us confidence, which is critically important for our overall wellness.

The benefits of confidence and high self-esteem are astounding. (If there were a supplement for this, we’d all be taking it!) Confidence can:

• Reduce stress, leading to better heart health, a stronger immune system, increased energy, and improved sleep.

• Improve relationships by fostering better communication, healthy boundary-setting, and greater self-assuredness.

• Decrease anxiety and depression, enhance mood, and promote positive thinking.

• Boost performance at work, in the gym, and in other areas of life by encouraging risk-taking, new experiences, and skill-building.

• Increase motivation and ambition, reinforcing healthy habits like exercise, nutritious eating, and self-care.

Of course, this confidence often comes with a price—literally. Over dinner with some very dear (and very fashionable) friends, we found ourselves discussing how we’re less interested in trends and more focused on value. (Also, WTF—why is everything so expensive now?) This got me thinking: How can I feel current and confident in what I wear while prioritizing quality and longevity in my wardrobe?

While I’m a nutritionist, not a fashion expert, I know people who are. So, I tapped a few of my most stylish friends to share what they’re eyeing for spring—and their best tips for making wardrobe purchases that truly deliver value.

La Ligne pale blue cardigan (I also love this pale blue sweater from Guest in Residence or this navy option from Doên recommended by Natalie) | Taller Marmo green fringe dress (pants found on TRR from the same designer) | Bode backless fringe dress from Noora’s wishlist (also a better priced fringed option) | Dorsey pear cut drop earrings | Butter yellow sweater (Toteme or Everlane) | Frankie Shop Sheer Skirt | Vibi Venezia blue velvet mary janes | Suede fringe jacket from Lizzy’s mood board (this and this look similar, or get on the wait list for one on TRR) | Butter yellow clutch (Khaite or Porto, which I discovered from my friend Meg)

Lizzy Seguin, stylist, author of Currently Craving, and my personal shopping guru (I never buy anything without her approval), says we’re moving into more feminine vibes this season. Think pastels like butter yellow and pale blue, bohemian pieces with embroidered or fringe details, and sheer fabrics (for better or worse) are sticking around. My very chic friends echoed these sentiments through the links they eagerly shared with me.

She also suggests shopping your closet first. “At the start of a new season, go through your closet before buying anything new. It’s a great exercise to remember what you have, try on your clothes, and put together some looks. Look at your inspiration images, then shop your closet to create outfits you hadn’t thought of before. After that, shop for the pieces you feel like you’re missing.”

Noora Raj Brown

, founder of NRB Creative and author of the expertly-curated Substack Object of Desire, is eyeing this bohemian Bode dress for a spring or summer wedding. But she’s not just buying everything off the rack. “I'm a RealReal stalker. And because the aforementioned Bode dress isn’t cheap, it led me straight to the site to see if I could fulfill my bohemian fantasies with something else from the brand. I'm not sure who curates the Editor’s Picks on TRR, but they are really, really good. If I want to do a quick search without scrolling through pages of listings, I search for a brand I like and click the Editor's Picks filter. If there’s a gem to be found, it’ll surface. I then ‘heart’ the ones I like. TRR does price drops and sales constantly and will email you if one of your ‘obsessions’ drops in price. I’ve found incredible deals that way, from a fuzzy mohair Prada sweater (with the tags still on) to a vintage Jil Sander jacket.”

Natalie Newquist, personal stylist and high-low queen who always nails a daytime look, suggests adding a pastel sweater to update a more wintry look. “I try to encourage my clients to treat soft colors as neutrals. Don’t feel like you have to match them with tan shoes, white jeans, etc.—just throw them into an outfit you’d typically wear in winter, and it will instantly feel more stylish.”

She’s also intentional about her purchases: “I usually go into a season with the goal of buying just a few key items. That way, I don’t feel behind on trends, but I’m also not tempted to impulse shop. When adding something new to my closet, I come up with three real-life ways I could wear the piece—ideally, all a little different. If that’s easy to do, I know it’s a great addition.”

Doên pascual jacket | Black loafers | The Frankie Shop trench (also loving this cropped trench from Frame) | Raffia bag (this one is The Row and sold out everywhere, but here’s a sturdier option from Khaite and a reasonably-priced one from Sezane) | Khaite x Oliver People’s sunglasses | Chan Luu rope & pearl Necklace | Toteme suede ballet flats | AEYDE peach satin and suede Mary Janes | Nour Hammour suede trench on Nan’s wishlist

Nandita Khanna, VP of brand at Doên and a close friend since our early days in New York, has been texting me about this suede trench—an investment piece she envisions wearing on a chilly spring night in LA with a mini skirt, oversized white shirt, and ballet flats or loafers. Like Noora, she’s a RealReal expert. “A saved search (and a lot of patience) on TRR has resulted in some of my most treasured pieces. I set my saved searches, and I patiently waited, refreshed, and sometimes scrolled at 2 a.m. I swear some of my long-held wishlist purchases appear in the middle of the night…”

Shannon Beale, founder and chief brand officer of SB Factory (and one of my favorite people and most stylish friends), is petite and always looking for height without wearing a proper heel. She has her eye on these Dries Van Noten platform sandals but generally takes a “buy less, buy better” approach—along with plenty of price comparison. “After many years as a luxury merchant and brand manager, I’m big on price comparison shopping and rarely pay full price for designer items. Farfetch is a great resource for finding global deals, and I use it as a digital catalog for sourcing pieces from around the world at competitive prices. Every season, I create a list of pieces I want and save them in my Farfetch cart. I track them throughout the season for price drops (fingers crossed). It also helps me figure out how badly (or not!) I actually want that piece—and what I’m willing to spend to get it.”

I thoroughly enjoyed researching and writing this. If you also like the occasional dose of the trivial, please give this post a heart, share with friends, or consider becoming a paid subscriber. Thank you, as always, for being here xx