What to Wear This Spring

Spring is the season where men either overdress or underdress — a heavy coat at 9 a.m., a tee by 2 p.m. The fix is layers you can lose: an open shirt, a vest instead of a jacket, a sweater over the shoulders rather than on.

The four looks below handle the temperature swing without a separate wardrobe. Swap boots for sneakers as May approaches and the same formulas carry through.

1. Open stripe shirt and dark denim

The transitional default. A blue-and-white striped shirt worn open over a white tee, with dark straight jeans and white sneakers. Push the sleeves up when the sun hits — the shirt comes off entirely if the afternoon turns warm.

Layer

Blue-and-white striped shirt, worn open

Base

White crew-neck tee

Denim

Dark straight-leg jeans

Shoes

White leather sneakers

Why it works — An open shirt is a layer you can lose without going home. Stripes add interest without a heavy knit; dark denim anchors a light top half.

2. Cable-knit vest and cargo trousers

Cool mornings that still feel like winter at 8 a.m. A cream cable-knit vest over a grey Oxford shirt, with black cargo trousers and brown leather boots. The vest replaces a jacket until the temperature settles.

Layer

Cream cable-knit vest

Shirt

Grey Oxford button-down

Trousers

Black cargo trousers, relaxed fit

Shoes

Brown leather lace-up boots

Why it works — A vest gives warmth across the chest without sleeves you have to push up. Cargo pockets remove the need for a bag on errand days.

3. Striped shirt and black trousers

Smart enough for dinner, relaxed enough for a Saturday. A cream striped shirt tucked into black trousers with a leather belt, white sneakers and a cap. Swap the sneakers for loafers and the same outfit works for a meeting.

Shirt

Cream striped shirt, tucked

Trousers

Black straight-leg trousers

Shoes

White leather sneakers

Extras

Cap and leather belt

Why it works — A tucked striped shirt reads intentional without a blazer. Black trousers ground the look; the cap keeps it from feeling too office-formal on a weekend.

4. Shirt, sweater and light denim

The preppy spring uniform — a white button-down with a sweater draped over the shoulders, light-wash jeans and brown loafers. The sweater is there for shade and air-conditioning, not for warmth you cannot remove.

Shirt

White button-down, sleeves rolled

Layer

Navy sweater over the shoulders

Denim

Light-wash straight jeans

Shoes

Brown leather loafers

Why it works — A sweater over the shoulders is a layer you can wear or carry. Light denim and a white shirt are the spring baseline — the knit adds colour without bulk.

Three rules that cover most of spring

• Carry one layer you can remove by midday — open shirt, vest or light knit over the shoulders.
• Favour sage, cream and light denim over heavy black head to toe until the evenings warm up.
• Boots still make sense in March; by late April most outfits want a loafer or sneaker.