Mastering the art of spring layering

Spring is a season of fresh starts and unpredictable weather. One minute, it’s sunny and warm; the next, there’s a brisk wind that makes you wish you’d brought a coat or sweater. But spring layering isn’t just a practical way to navigate shifting temperatures—it’s also a stylish and subtle way to feel more confident in your clothes, no matter the occasion.

Layering is your friend if you want to stay warm, look more polished, or gently cover parts of your body you aren’t loving today (we all have those days). The key is to do it in a way that flatters without adding bulk, feels current but isn’t slavishly trendy, and works with what’s already in your closet.

Carmen @carmen_gimeno above layers a shirt over her t-shirt, throws a sweater over her shoulders, and adds pops of pink to her outfit.

Check out this similar tank top, linen topper, skirt, cardigan, sneakers (another option here), bag (another option here), belt and sunglasses.

Your fabric choice is super important

Fabric choice is always important, no matter the season—it should give you a chic look and keep you comfortable. For spring and summer, you’ll want to ensure you choose fabrics that you can use for layering but that are breathable and won’t make you too hot. Avoid anything too bulky. Look out for linen, silk, and cotton. Instead of denim, chambray is a good choice as it’s lighter weight.

Choosing various fabrics will add texture to your outfits, adding style and interest.

Open Edit Everyday One-Button Linen Blend Blazer – MANGO Cotton & Silk Organza Top – Madewell Stripe Boxy Cotton & Linen Muscle T-Shirt – Caslon Chambray Button-Up Shirt

Popping a blazer over your tank top is a great option when the day cools to night. For extra warmth, you can add a linen or silk scarf.

Open Edit Everyday One-Button Linen Blend Blazer – Eileen Fisher Stretch Silk Jersey Scoop Neck Tank – PAIGE Anessa High Waist Raw Hem Wide Leg Ankle Jeans – FLY London Yoxa576fly Wedge Sandals – The Sak Los Feliz Crossbody Bag – Karine Sultan Medallion Disc Drop Earrings – Eileen Fisher Striped Organic Linen Scarf

Think about the lengths of your layers

Different layer lengths can shift the visual focus on your outfit. For example, a cropped jacket over a longer top draws attention to the waist, elongating the legs. In contrast, longer outer layers—like duster coats or cardigans—can create a virtual line, which is especially useful for lengthening the body or adding drama to a simple outfit.

You’ll find more on layer length in our articles on how to dress if you’re petite, and how to look taller and slimmer.

Think about how your outfit works…with or without your layer

The good thing about layering is the ability to take layers on and off as the temperature changes. You’ll feel better when the outfit works independently without the layer. Of course, if it’s cold enough, you can also choose to wear your complete layered outfit all day.

Start with a comfortable base

Okay, so now that you’re thinking about fabrics and what visual effect you want to create, let’s move on to some outfit choices. Start with your base—choose a comfy tank top or T-shirt. Then, you can either wear it as it is with your bottoms or start to layer when you want to add some coverage.

Eileen Fisher Organic Linen Jersey Scoop Neck Tank – Eileen Fisher Stretch Silk Jersey Scoop Neck Tank – Eileen Fisher Organic Linen Cotton Square Top – Sanctuary The New Girl Split Neck T-Shirt

Remember that you can also wear a blazer over your shorts. Update your neutral layers with a pop or bright color.

Eileen Fisher Organic Linen High Collar Jacket – Eileen Fisher Organic Linen Cotton Square Top – Eileen Fisher Fine Jersey Shorts – FLY London Teif577fly Sandals – HALSTON Tasha Crossbody Bag – Eileen Fisher Watercolor Organic Cotton Gauze Scarf –

Add a flowy tunic or shirt

Tunics and long shirts are fantastic for layering. You can wear your tunics over other layers like leggings, wear your shirt as it is, or open over your camisole, tank top, or t-shirt. You can also use a long shirt as a cover-up for swimsuits, so it’s a great item to pack for vacation.

Eileen Fisher Organic Cotton Lofty Gauze Classic Collar Shirt – Eileen Fisher Sheer Silk Georgette Belted Shirt – MANGO Asymmetrical Striped Blouse – rag & bone Holland Tie Waist Linen Blend Tunic Top

Sharryn @thestylishwoman above (read her style interview here) opts for a lightweight jacket over her jumpsuit.

Get her look with this similar tank top, tunic shirt, pants, sneakers, handbag, belt, turban (another option here) and earrings.

Use a lightweight jacket or cardigan

As the weather starts to warm up, you won’t necessarily need a heavy, long coat, so look out for lighter choices and cardigans. Short cardigans and jackets are flattering as they help define the waist and visually elongate your legs, which enhances proportions for most body types. You can also look for a mesh sweater over your tank tops, on top of dresses, or with a long shirt underneath. Longline cardigans are also super flattering, creating lovely, long, lean lines.

Eileen Fisher Organic Linen Cotton Cropped Cardigan – Eileen Fisher Peruvian Organic Cotton Cord Crew Neck Top – Eileen Fisher Garment-Dyed Organic Cotton Denim Jacket – AllSaints Kaito Open Stitch Sheer Mesh Open Front Longline Cardigan

See below how you could style your sweater over your long shirt. We’ve matched the sweater to bright sandals.

Eileen Fisher Peruvian Organic Cotton Cord Crew Neck Top – Eileen Fisher Organic Cotton Lofty Gauze Classic Collar Shirt – Eileen Fisher Organic Linen Wide-Leg Trouser Pants – FLY London Yelu454Fly Wedge Sandals – The Sak Los Feliz Crossbody Bag – Karine Sultan Medallion Disc Drop Earrings

Scarves, kimonos, and wraps are ideal for spring layering

As well as your jackets and cardigans, think about a wrap or scarf as your final layer. Ponchos and wraps are great for travelling, and a lightweight scarf is ideal to add interest to your outfit and keep you a touch warmer if the temperature starts to dip. You can wear the scarves as lightweight wraps over your shoulders on summer evenings.

Eileen Fisher System Sheer Silk Georgette Wrap – Eileen Fisher Striped Organic Linen Scarf – Eileen Fisher Watercolor Organic Cotton Gauze Scarf – AllSaints Travelling Ruana

The outfit below is ideal for travelling. Wear it as your plane outfit. Then, you can incorporate the different elements into different outfits while you’re on vacation—like the shirt over your swimsuit or the jacket over your summer dresses.

Eileen Fisher Garment-Dyed Organic Cotton Denim Jacket – Eileen Fisher Sheer Silk Georgette Belted Shirt – Zella Live In High Waist Leggings – FLY London Dufy671fly Sneakers – The Sak Los Feliz Crossbody Bag – Eileen Fisher Striped Organic Linen Scarf

Pants and leggings

Of course, layering isn’t just about your tops. A couple of pairs of leggings are ideal for making layered outfits for spring. Wear with your long shirts and tunics, underneath your summer dresses if it’s still too cool to wear alone, and for traveling. Lightweight cotton or linen pants are also great for spring layering – wear with a tank, your shirt open over the top, and your sandals. And, of course, jeans are always on trend – choose wide legs that end at the ankle for an on-trend look that’s a little cooler than full-length jeans.

Zella Live In High Waist Leggings – Lyssé Denim Capri Leggings – Caslon Tie Waist Taper Linen Pants – PAIGE Anessa High Waist Raw Hem Wide Leg Ankle Jeans

Look out for asymmetric styles for a flattering look over your leggings.

Eileen Fisher System Sheer Silk Georgette Wrap – MANGO Asymmetrical Striped Blouse – Lyssé Denim Capri Leggings – FLY London Yoxa576fly Wedge Sandals – The Sak Los Feliz Crossbody Bag – Karine Sultan Medallion Disc Drop Earrings

Layers go with shorts too

While you tend to think of a shorts outfit as relatively simple, don’t forget that you can layer over your shorts, too. Adding a long shirt over a tank top or t-shirt with your shorts is a good sightseeing outfit, while you can take your shorts from day to night by adding a blazer and a silk scarf.

Eileen Fisher Fine Jersey Shorts – Eileen Fisher Organic Cotton Lofty Gauze Walking Shorts – J.Crew Harbor Shorts – MANGO Dart Bermuda Denim Shorts

Jona @the50plusgirl above shows how you can pop a blazer over your shoulders for a stylish spring or summer evening look. Add a clutch bag and sandals with a block heel.

Recreate her outfit with this similar tee, blazer, shorts, sandals, handbag and sunglasses.

You can layer under or over a dress

While you tend to think about layering ‘over’ your outfit, think about layering either under or over to get more creative with your outfits. So, you could wear a white shirt under your dress or a T-shirt, layer a cardigan over the top, or layer your dress over leggings. Or, if you have a dress you can unbutton all the way, you could wear it over the top of your outfit as a duster jacket.

Eileen Fisher Stretch Jersey Knit Round Neck Dress – Eileen Fisher Crushed Silk Band Collar Long Shirt – Everlane The Fine Knit Cami Dress – Nordstrom Tunic Shirtdress

We love the color combination of duck egg blue, beige, and red below. Wear a shorter cardigan over a sleeveless dress.

Eileen Fisher Organic Linen Cotton Cropped Cardigan – Eileen Fisher Stretch Jersey Knit Round Neck Dress – FLY London Dufy671fly Sneakers – HALSTON Tasha Crossbody Bag – Petit Moments Teardrop Hoop Earrings

Choose a brand you love

One easy, stylish way to layer is to choose a brand you love and then add a few new pieces from that brand each season. Eileen Fisher is a great option, as the designs are all carefully created to complement each other, so you can’t really go wrong when you team it all together.

Eileen Fisher Organic Linen High Collar Jacket – Eileen Fisher Organic Linen Wide-Leg Trouser Pants – Eileen Fisher Organic Linen Round Neck Long Vest – Eileen Fisher Puckered Organic Linen Shirtdress

Eileen Fisher Puckered Organic Linen Shirtdress – Eileen Fisher Organic Linen Jersey Scoop Neck Tank – MANGO Dart Bermuda Denim Shorts – FLY London Teif577fly Sandals – The Sak Los Feliz Crossbody Bag – Karine Sultan Medallion Disc Drop Earrings

Choose clothes that do the layering for you

If you love a layered look and aren’t worried about being able to take layers off and on for any temperature changes, then choosing clothes where the layering is already done for you, like those below, is a good choice. The chiffon pants (below), for example, would be a great option if you have weddings or events to attend, and we love the asymmetric hemline on the cream dress.

Karen Kane Mixed Media Layered Crewneck Sweater – Alex Evenings Wide Leg Pants with Mesh Skirt Overlay – Mistress Rocks Skirt Panel Pants.- AllSaints Leia Harley 2-in-1 Longline Sweater Vest & Asymmetric Slipdress Set

shoes

For spring and summer, we love FLY London’s shoes and sneakers, which all look great with layered outfits. The chunky styling adds an edge to your outfits while also being super comfortable. And, they’re all great options to go with transitional outfits.

FLY London Yoxa576fly Wedge Sandals – FLY London Yelu454Fly Wedge Sandals – FLY London Teif577fly Sandals – FLY London Dufy671fly Sneakers

See below for how to wear a long cardigan over your dress for spring and summer. Ensure the cardigan is around the same length or a little longer than your dress.

AllSaints Kaito Open Stitch Sheer Mesh Open Front Longline Cardigan – Everlane The Fine Knit Cami Dress – FLY London Teif577fly Sandals – HALSTON Tasha Crossbody Bag – Ettika Cubic Zirconia Link Necklace

Accessories to go with your spring layers

Think about your accessories as an extra layer to finish off your outfit. A statement necklace could be worn instead of a scarf. Add chunky jewelry, metallics, and bright colors.

HALSTON Tasha Crossbody Bag – The Sak Los Feliz Crossbody Bag – Karine Sultan Medallion Disc Drop Earrings – Petit Moments Teardrop Hoop Earrings – Ettika Cubic Zirconia Link Necklace

Nora @juststylela above (read her style interview here) layers a waistcoat over her shirt and matches her scarf to her handbag and nail polish.

Steal her look with this similar shirt, vest, pants, sandals, bag, earrings, scarf and sunglasses.

Brands great for layering

• Eileen Fisher
• COS
• J.Crew
• Splendid
• MANGO
• Natori

Your spring layering capsule

Below, you can see the outfits already showcased together in one capsule so you can see there are lots of other ways to wear these spring and summer layers. You could wear the sweater over the black dress to create a more casual outfit, for example, and switch around any of the jackets and cardigans. It’s a perfect capsule for any trips you have coming up.

Continue reading:

1. 2025 spring capsule wardrobe with everything you need to create countless outfits
2. How to dress after 40 and look hip?
3. Stylish travel clothes for women that are chic and comfortable

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Feature image by Carmen @carmen_gimeno

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