Embracing Spring Fashion with Colors and Prints

Congratulations, you've made it to the other side. It's officially spring, and even if you haven't completely thawed, the days are longer, the sun is out and it's time to brighten (and lighten) up. Start by embracing color and print, and wear something with a dash of humor - say, a sweet pair of emoji slippers. This is the happy season.

The First Rite Of Spring: Embrace Color

Tights under wool trousers shall be a thing of the past. As a first step in showing skin again, get back into a skirt. This spring, attention-grabbing color combos, demure pleats and longer lengths look fresh. They're easy to dress up or down. Wear one now with, say, a turtleneck and leather jacket. For warmer days ahead, style super-casually with flats and a T-shirt.

Score Points With Breezy Fabrics

Given the major sportswear influence in spring fashion, it follows that mesh, fishnet and eyelet tops would be having a big moment. This eyelet shirt by Jonathan Simkhai, to wear with prints or a skirt on this page, is an effortless way to be on point for the season. The tie front keeps the look relaxed.

Lighten Up With a Pastel Tote

Think of this city-chic bag from the New York designer Reece Solomon as a gateway piece for someone who would normally shy away from spring's soft pastel palette. The pale mint will pair perfectly with sharp black and white.

Wear Your Vegetables

Just in time for spring, Audrey Louise Reynolds, known for her artisanal one-of-a-kind fabric dyes, has joined forces with the leather-goods designer Maximum Henry Cohen of Maximum Henry on a collection of sunny hand-painted belts. The belts are made in Brooklyn from vegetable-tanned Belgian leather, which Ms. Reynolds paints with colors she mixes by hand (with the help of rose water, pink Himalayan sea salt and a brush). Colors include yellow (turmeric from India, marigold from her garden), blue (Moroccan indigo), green (green earth from Verona) and pink (local beets and flowers). Vegan options are available upon request.

Let Your Feet Do The Talking

Other than a Debbie Downer here and there, who doesn't love an emoji? The Moda Operandi collaboration with Del Toro, a young Miami footwear company, is pure fun. Choose a pair of slip-ons embroidered with kissy faces or hear-no-evil, see-no-evil monkey emojis. Each style also has a corresponding Edie Parker handcrafted clutch ($1,595) with a hashtag on it (#BigKiss and #NoEvil, for example).