H&M’s Latest Collection Has Landed—Here are 6 Perfect Looks to Elevate Your Spring Wardrobe

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As fashion editors we’re often asked a lot of questions on what to wear for different events (and if you’re looking for wedding guest dresses, seasonal updates, or wardrobe refreshes, we’ve got you covered). But one thing I’m easily asked the most is what to wear to work. It might seem like an easy answer, but after lockdown threw our routines out of sync, as soon as I started going back into the office I realised how easy it was to fall into the same cycle of jumper + trousers + loafers that began to feel a little bit samey. While there are some high street names I know I can go to for the minimalist, foundation pieces that are the building blocks of a wardrobe, the pieces I was missing the most were inspiring, exciting buys that put the fun back into getting dressed again, and H&M has been lightyears ahead of the competition for finding elevated pieces on a budget as of late. 

Take a look through my wardrobe on any given day and you’ll find everything from party dresses to casual jeans from H&M, but one thing they always get right is tailoring, so as soon as news of a new Studio collection landed, I wanted to find out more—could this be the elevated yet affordable capsule we’ve been hoping for to upgrade our spring wardrobe? Who better to ask than Linda Wikell, concept designer at H&M Studio as what it is making H&M look so good these days, and why the Studio collection is even better.

“We launched H&M Studio just over 10 years ago as a stand-alone collection developed by a dedicated design team at our Stockholm atelier. It’s our most fashion-forward collection, created in durable, high-quality materials at an affordable price.” Wikell told me ahead of the launch. “For the last decade we’ve released two collections per year, in-line with the international fashion calendar, then last year for the 10th anniversary we decided to expand the concept and release a series of drops throughout the year under the H&M Studio umbrella. It’s a line with a distinct personality, always with elements of bold tailoring, beautiful evening dresses and eclectic accessories in beautiful fabrics and materials, with a real attention to detail and an emphasis on versatile designs.” So, in short, do not expect t-shirts and leggings from this capsule, this drop is about upping your game while still looking effortless. Win, win. And what was the inspiration behind spring 2024?

“For S/S24 we envisaged a 1970s musician on the road, taking pieces from her tour wardrobe, borrowing a jacket from her best friend, a dress from her mother, and mixing it all up in her own way. We wanted the collection to have a feeling of freedom and lightness. We were thinking of dusty landscapes and blue skies for the colour palette, and relaxed shapes for the silhouettes, with an easy chic vibe. As I mentioned, we always try to design super versatile pieces that go into your existing wardrobe and can be worn in lots of different ways, so for S/S24 there are some great wardrobe heroes that comprise a bold look on their own, or can be layered up to make more of a statement.”

And statement pieces there are, as alongside the shirts, skirts and tailoring we’d hoped for are some standout moments that I’m already preparing to see all over socials in the coming months. But as bold as they may be, there is still a longevity to these core pieces, as H&M is investing in staples that will work hard in your wardrobe for a long time to come (and the wide-leg trousers I bought 3 years ago and still wear are a testament to that). “More than ever, we’re aiming to design great fashion to help you express yourself. It’s less about trends, more about personal style, creating pieces you’ll love and cherish and want to wear again and again,” notes Wikell. “These are wardrobe favourites that make you feel like the best version of yourself.”

The best way to test this for myself? To try it on of course, and as a fussy shopper I have to say, I’m impressed, H&M. From the maxi coat I audibly gasped when I saw it, to the leather shorts that I was unconvinced about on the rail but loved wearing, I got to try on my pick of H&M’s Studio collection, and it’s safe to say, most of them passed the test. If you’re looking for an easy to upgrade your workwear game without having to shelve your entire wardrobe and start again, keep scrolling to see what I loved from my H&M try on, any one of these is guaranteed to get compliments.

1. Faux Leather Trench Coat

Style Notes: Okay, this has to be one of those coats that everyone is going to love. Whether you’re a classic dresser who always has a trench at the ready, a fashion-forward magpie who is drawn to premium polish, or a bright colour fan who believes in the power of dopamine dressing, there’s just something about this sky-blue trench that will make anyone instantly happier. Although it has a pleasing weight to it and it isn’t paper-thin, it’s also the kind of perfect spring layer that you can put on over any outfit and be ready to go, in fact, this coat is the outfit. When the high street is full of 1000 cotton camel trenches, there’s very little difference between a good one and a great one, but this has me convinced that pale blue is actually far more versatile than you might assume. It’s also a key colour trend from the SS’24 runways, so expect this to be major over the next few months.

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2. Oversized Jumper and Leather Shorts

Style Notes: As previously mentioned, I’m not 100% sold on shorts—love them for everyone else, less so on me. Being bottom heavy I’m used to finding my comfort zone in loose skirts and wide-leg trousers, and shorts leave no room for hiding anything, but I’m pleased to say that stepping out of my aforementioned comfort zone led the discovery of these. Longer in the leg and a roomier fit, you could pull these up to the waist or have them sat lower on the hips, they’re just as comfortable as drawstring joggers but with a far dressier finish. Adding this super-light mohair knit feels like something I would wear to work and on the weekend with just the change of a shoe, so consider me converted to “styled-up shorts”, they’ll make far more sense than leather trousers when the weather warms up.

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3. Maxi Coat and Snake Print Dress

Style Notes: This coat was the first piece I saw from the collection and it set my expectations very high. While you might expect such boxy, oversized tailoring from the likes of the Frankie Shop or Raey, it’s not always easy to find it executed well on the high street, but this coat is proof it can be done. (Tell me you didn’t see it worn closed with a skinny belt in the campaign images and think it was designer!) Because it’s so roomy you can easily get chunky knitwear underneath, but for spring I wanted something a little lighter and this snake print dress did the job. Okay, you might not work in the kind of office where a V-neck mini dress is an obvious choice, but imagine it with a turtleneck underneath, or a slouchy knit on top? Out of one dress you can create numerous day, night, and party looks, so thats pretty good bang for your buck.

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4. Green Suit and Collared Shirt

Style Notes: I’m a sucker for a suit, but I understand why the formal co-ord might not be to everyone’s taste. If you find the thought of a work suit too “stuffy”, here is an alternative: fresh, fun tailoring in just the right shade of spring green thats still subtle enough to be considered a neutral. A blazer is a wardrobe staple for good reason, and you could wear this again with dark denim jeans, midi skirts, dresses, the list goes on. The best part is the fit that just as relaxed as the coats (and I personally welcome the return of big shoulders), and, should you be looking for a top to wear it with that has more interest than a plain white tee, try the collared shirt. The exaggerated details are the key to it looking so expensive.

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5. Sleeveless Jacket

Style Notes: Now this is what Wikell means by “fashion-forward”, the kind of piece that we might not have come up with ourselves but once we see it, we immediately love it. If someone had a suggested a sleeveless-cargo-waistcoat-meets-jacket to me, I would have wondered how it could be worn in a way that wasn’t safari-coded, and the answer is with structured trousers. Trying it on with my own pinstripe trousers made a good fit, but there’s also a remarkably similar pair in the collection, and a pair of pleated, sand coloured kick-flares that would be so good with this and some chunky flat sandals. Is it summer yet?

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6. Pinstripe Shirt

Style Notes: Ask anyone to assemble the dream workwear capsule and one thing you’ll find in the mix is an Oxford shirt. The post-lockdown 2020’s have been all about sized up and unbuttoned shirts tucked into jeans or more recently pencil skirts, and if you’ve been wearing the same white or blue shirt on rotation, you might be tempted by a pinstripe shirt thats just as versatile. I decided to keep things “business-casual” with trainers as they make such a smart print feel cooler than pointy heels, but the beauty of this wardrobe hero is that you can wear it all-year round, and with just about anything. Summer? Try it open over a tank top with shorts and sandals. Autumn? Under a knit tank with a skirt and knee high boots, and in winter a chunky knit. And, of course right now, with a trench coat and jeans—there’s no need to size up and it’s already got the perfect laidback fit.

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Shop More of Our Favourite Pieces from the H&M Studio Collection:

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