Meg Ryan’s Very ’90s Cropped Vest and Maxi Skirt Combo Is My New Spring Outfit Blueprint — Shop the Look from $22

Welcome to The Blueprint, where we break down the celebrity looks we want to wear right now and build them back up, piece by piece.

Dressing for spring is tough — no matter how many times you check the weather, you seem to always be missing the mark. 

In addition to the weather woes, I’m feeling underwhelmed by my closet. After pulling out my spring clothes and assessing the mishmash of fussy dresses and casual tees, I’ve set out to overhaul my wardrobe. And Meg Ryan just gave me a burst of outfit inspiration. 

While promoting her new rom-com What Happens Later, the actress wore a cropped black vest, long camel skirt, and chunky black shoes, accessorized with a pair of round wire frame sunglasses. The ’90s-inflected look is my ideal balance of polished and wearable — it’s basically a tank top, comfy skirt, and walkable shoes, but with stylish details that give it an upgrade.

Shop Meg Ryan’s Outfit Blueprint

• The Vest: Wayf Annie Waistcoat, $41.50 (orig. $69); nordstrom.com
• Eileen Fisher Vest with Tie, $138; zappos.com
• Madewell Katrina Vest, $45.14 with code SPRING30 (orig. $78); madewell.com
• The Skirt: Lock and Love Flare Maxi Skirt, $21.75; amazon.com
• Mango Straight Long Skirt, $49.99; shop.mango.com
• Skims Soft Lounge Long Skirt, $60; skims.com
• The Shoes: Beau Today Chunky Oxfords, $80.99 with coupon (orig. $119.99); amazon.com
• Dr. Martens Holly Oxford, $109.95 (orig. $170); amazon.com
• Madden Girl Cheshire Oxford, $43.55 (orig. $69); amazon.com

Wayf Annie Waistcoat

Part of why Ryan’s outfit works so well is that it follows the rules of thirds: one-third top, two-thirds bottom. The vest's cropped length is an essential element here, and this little waistcoat from Nordstrom fits the bill perfectly. Like Ryan’s, it has tonal black buttons and a V-neck that isn’t too deep — just enough to showcase a necklace. 

Lock and Love Flare Maxi Skirt

To balance out the cropped top third, you need a full-length bottom to make up the bottom two-thirds — midi will not do. This easy skirt from Amazon is an inexpensive way to try Ryan’s look, and it has promising customer feedback, including more than 6,100 five-star ratings. One reviewer said of the skirt’s stretchy fabric: “[I] love the feel of this material, it’s soft and drapes nicely.”

Beau Today Chunky Oxfords

I wish sandal weather would arrive here on the East coast, but alas, I am still looking for closed-toe style solutions while my too-early pedicure chips away in obsolescence. All this to say: The chunky, platform shoe was another part of Ryan’s vest-and-skirt look that I liked. With its thick soles and laces that allow for a custom width fit, oxfords are basically fancy sneakers — and the platform is a smart way to keep the maxi hem from becoming a trip hazard.

Take a page out of Meg Ryan’s book and try this outfit blueprint for spring — I know I will. 

Eileen Fisher Vest with Tie

Madewell Katrina Vest

Mango Straight Long Skirt

Skims Soft Lounge Long Skirt 

Dr. Martens Holly Oxford

Madden Girl Cheshire Oxford