The Effortlessly Chic Spring Outfit Formula Stylish People Are Living in Right Now

fashion collage featuring influencers Anouk Yve, Lucy Alston, and Lorna of Symphony of Silk wearing effortless outfits with trench coats, basic tops, and jeans

As those in my inner fashion circle know, there is nothing I love more than an easy look that doesn't sacrifice style. This season, there is one outfit formula I plan on wearing on repeat that fits the bill perfectly. It includes four key pieces: a trench coat, a basic top, straight-leg jeans, and a pair of classic flats. This mix is elevated, expensive-looking, and super simple to pull off, so it's a no-brainer for spring.

I recently rounded up some examples of the outfit idea from stylish people I follow on Instagram to keep handy for a future rushed morning when I am not sure what to wear. I love that the formula is foolproof. You can see with each look that they followed the same idea but can incorporate varying styles of each key piece. This proves that the combination is incredibly hard to mess up and still allows for everyone's personal style to shine through. Keep scrolling to check out five effortlessly chic spring outfit ideas and to shop each look.

stylish French woman poses on steps in Paris wearing black sunglasses, a trench coat, white T-shirt, jeans, and black ballet flats

(Image credit: @symphonyofsilk)

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a stylish woman poses for a mirror selfie wearing a green trench coat, white button-down shirt, skinny belt, straight-leg jeans, The Row Margaux bag, and pointed-toe flats

(Image credit: @anoukyve)

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a female fashion influencer poses on a gray sofa wearing an effortless outfit with a trench coat, gray sweater, straight-leg jeans, and red Mary Jane flats

(Image credit: @lucyalston_)

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fashion influencer Felicia Akerstrom poses on a sidewalk in Paris wearing a stylish outfit with oval sunglasses, a long trench coat, a gray sweater top, a Chanel tote bag, straight-leg jeans, and slingback black flats

(Image credit: @fakerstrom)

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fashion editor Kristen Nichols poses in a stylish outfit on the streets of Paris wearing black oversize oval sunglasses, a trench coat, a asic black top, straight-leg jeans, a Chanel bag, and black suede slingback flats

(Image credit: @kristenmarienichols)

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This story was published at an earlier date and has since been updated.

Jennifer Camp Forbes

Jennifer Camp Forbes is currently an editor at Who What Wear, where she has worked in a variety of capacities for over a decade, including creative director and various editor roles. She’s well-known as a shopping expert that’s sought out for advice and insight on the latest trends, outfit ideas, and fashion picks thanks to her thoughtful shopping roundups, digital moodboards, and extensive knowledge of up-and-coming brands, plus the new arrivals sections of the chicest retailers. Jennifer has had a lifelong interest in fashion which led her to intern at Harper’s Bazaar as an undergraduate. Later, while working towards her masters degree in psychological counseling at Columbia University, she founded two digital fashion publications: Le Fashion and Olsens Anonymous. The popularity of both sites grew and after graduation she decided put her plans to become a therapist aside to pursue a career in fashion. While she has called Los Angeles and New York City home in the past, she currently works remotely from Massachusetts. When she’s not obsessing over and writing about her latest fashion finds, she is delighting in raising two little ones with her highschool sweetheart, perusing TikTok religiously, listening to podcasts and audiobooks, creating abstract photographs, and eating the best Mexican food she can get her hands on.