After a long winter, springtime signals all things fresh: flowers, squeaky clean homes, and bright colors. While spring is an obvious relief, it can sometimes be difficult to figure out what to wear during this transitory period. Here at Frock Files, we’ve decided that everyone could use a little bit of help in picking out the basics for their springtime wardrobe. Here’s what we’ve come up with:

 Wellies. You know how it goes: “April showers bring May flowers.” It’s absolutely true! Be prepared for the biggest spring showers…in fact, look forward to them, with a cute pair of wellies. J.Crew always has a few in stock, which come in a variety of colors and designs, and hold up excellently during the rainiest of rain storms.

trench. Even though it’s getting warmer and you’ll want to be inspired by those crazy people who are running around in t-shirts as soon as the thermometor hits 40-degrees, it’s always a good idea to have a lightweight coat on hand. The classic trench is perfect for spring and goes with everything. Head to the Gap for a trench you can count on.

romantic frocks. Okay, so even if you don’t plan on having a spring fling, the season does bring on the feeling of cheerfulness in a dreamy, romantic kind of way. Stock up your closet with lots of pretty, lightweight dresses that can transition easily between spring and summer. As always, we recommend Forever 21 so that you can get as many pretty dresses as you want this season.

 umbrella. Just like with the wellies, having a cute umbrella will actually make you happy when the rain starts falling! For years, I kept buying cheapo umbrellas from the drugstore, but one day I got caught in a storm on Newbury Street and the only shop with umbrellas was Burberry. Yikes! But I must say, it’s one sturdy umbrella. On top of that, the darling thing was so expensive that it’s unlikely that I’ll forget it on the train, like I have with my past five umbrellas…