According to the calendar, spring 2015 is still a week or so away. But, if you’re anything like me, the minute the temperature rises above freezing you go to your closet and pull out a few cheerful pieces from your wardrobe that might help hurry it along. Whether it’s a favorite light-weight scarf, or a colorful sweater or shirt, you just can’t beat the lift in spirits a stylish item can bring to your day-to-day outfit choices. I went shopping at Goodwill recently and came across three instant early- spring fashion ideas anyone could get into. All of them feature key elements that are on trend and in style right now. Adding these to your fashion mix will definitely kick-start your spring transformation!

It may be a little early for lots of pastel colors, but one thing you just can’t beat is the freshness of a great black-and-white print. The contrast it brings to other solid colors is vibrant to say the least! I found a great infinity scarf (a circle scarf where the ends are connected) in a terrific black-and-white pattern for $2.99. The utter simplicity of this type of scarf is pure genius. There’s no guesswork on how to wear it, simply drape it around the neck a couple of times and fluff.  That’s it! This scarf looks great with a blazer, dress, or, as an accent to a denim jacket. You could also perk up that black winter sweater, or dress by transforming it in a printstant! TIP: Always scan the scarf rack and accessory bins at Goodwill. An awesome $2.99 fashion fix may be yours for the taking!

On the dress rack, I found this great tunic dress that was also done in a black-and-white print, BUT the cool thing was that it had this great embroidery in colorful thread on the front of the bodice. This particular dress has kind of an ethnic vibe with the subtle snakeskin print, and the embroidery really makes it of the moment. This kind of detail elevates the style quotient exponentially! Honestly, you could not find a better way to spend $5.99! Tunic styles, like this one, are great at this transitional fashion time of year. They look great when worn with heavier tights, and they can go great with sandals later on in the season when the weather heats up. This could also be paired with colorful leggings, and other accessories, to bring out the color of the embroidery, too!

Lastly, I found another great scarf for $3.99, but this one was a large-rectangular black scarf with gold-sequin detail down each side. This could be used as a wrap for an evening out for sure, but I’m going to show you how simple it is to create more of a statement by doing the “New York Pretzel.”  The NYP is really just another way to tie a scarf, but one that always looks very special.  

1. Fold scarf in half and place over shoulders with loose ends on one side, and the loop on the other.

2. Take one of the loose ends and pass it through the loop from the TOP.

3. Now take the remaining loose end and pass it through the loop from the BOTTOM of the loop.

You may have to fluff and pull your NYP knot around a little to adjust, but you can see from the pictures that it now looks really cool!

Welcome spring with some texture and pattern by using some of my tips this week, and head to Goodwill to find some new- to-you inspiration to create your own unique style! Make sure to check back next week for my Spring Closet Clean Up tips. I’ll be doing that this week, and then I’ll give you the low-down on how to pull together an organized fashion front in your own home!