Ah, Spring: Time to Mix and Match Trends to Your Heart's Content

When it comes to spring style, we all may be looking forward to the same thing—namely, peeling off all those suffocating layers and scoping out new-season wares at Bloomingdale’s—but the actual trends we incorporate into our new-season looks tend to depend on the specific style tribe we’ve pledged our undying, or at least generally unwavering, allegiance to. (You, for instance, may flinch at the sight of my slime-green turtleneck; I get it, but you’re wrong.)

Seriously, though, we understand and encourage this—variety being the spice of life—and have thusly decided to deliver your spring style forecast by way of two very cool, very different women we think of as mix masters, thanks to their ability to seamlessly pull trends together. On the West Coast, we rang up fashion influencer Jill Wallace of Little Black Boots, who can always be counted on for sleek, forward looks that radiate California cool, and in New York City, we tapped fashion and travel blogger Olga Slesarenco of All Bueno Things, who favors elegant looks with a boho edge.

Both were nice enough to indulge me, answering all of my Very Important Questions, like whether it’s possible to overdo it with animal prints (Jill’s answer: "Honestly, you can go HAM”), and the pop-culture reference points guiding their spring style vibes (for Olga, it’s Blake Lively’s fabulously suited character from A Simple Favor—excellent choice). And with some help from Bloomingdale’s, they also delivered six seriously good spring looks that seamlessly blend the season’s must-try trends and nail that high-low mix we’re always after. And with that, I now present you with Exhibit A…

First off, what’s the goal of this undeniably posh look that masterfully mixes not one, not two, not three, but four trends? "Looking like someone Victoria Beckham wouldn’t be embarrassed to be photographed with,” the West Hollywood based Wallace tells me… Nailed it. She’s added a Dalmatian-esque printed skirt to her kelly-green sweater, slipped into a pair of naked sandals, and finished off the look with the pièce de résistance… ("Be that fully grown adult who will not apologize that her purse is the shape of an elephant,” she advises.)

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Where, I asked her, did she imagine wearing this delightful floral minidress? "I’m thinking the farmer’s market on a Saturday,” she tells me. She’s also styled her outfit with these very on-trend pumps, adding that accessories with a woven texture instantly make any look more playful and fun (’tis the season, right?). I might not have otherwise thought to mix that bold red bag with that rather whimsical dress, but that’s why I called in the pros.

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"I just spoke to Marie Kondo, and she confirmed that cheetah sparks joy,” Wallace says of her go-to print, which she’s paired with bright-white frayed-hem jeans and a PVC bucket bag I’m only pretending I won’t be adding to cart immediately. I inquire further about styling tips for giving this look an edgy touch, but Wallace, as usual, has sage advice: "You’re wearing a cropped cheetah-print jacket. Your work here is done.” (Point taken.) Add in an elegant yet understated pair of SJP by Sarah Jessica Parker heels if you’re keen to effortlessly check off one more trend we saw everywhere during New York Fashion Week without looking like you tried too hard.

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Now onto Olga, who’s getting the party started with a mixed-print dress that screams boho chic. Paired with an equally of-the-moment PVC bag ("a throwback from the ’90s”) and woven slingbacks, the look feels like a fun, forward twist on the prairie dress trend I’ve been eying on Instagram the last few months. In other words, it’s another not-so-obvious combination of trends I’ve bookmarked for the coming months.

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"Feminine and elegant” is how Olga describes this spring-ready dress, making it perfect for a weekend stroll through SoHo that inevitably ends with a round of oysters on chic patio (just add prosecco). Follow your mom’s advice and don’t forget to drape a pastel blazer over your shoulders—you never know how chilly it’ll get as the sun sinks over the city skyline. And if you’ve got Miranda Priestley’s oft-quoted florals-for-spring rant bouncing around in your head, just know that Olga’s made things a bit more groundbreaking by way of her statement-making wicker Celine Lefebure bag.

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I know you guys might not believe this after a few seasons of peak legging looks, but off-duty dressing doesn’t actually have to involve athleisure. Instead, follow Olga’s lead and pair your favorite cropped dark-wash flares with a silky tank in a fun print. It’ll be comfortable for walking around the city by day, and when night falls, all you’ll need is a good leather jacket (hint—so many good ones at Bloomingdale’s right now).

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Looking for more spring style must-haves? Head over to Bloomingdale’s and get to shopping.