By Amanda Ferrara, Student at New York University

It’s finally time to start shedding some layers and enjoying the upcoming summer heat!

For many of us, though, the transitional period between spring and summer is a time of tough fashion choices. Trying to decide which items to put away and which to bring out is hard when the weather is stuck in between two seasons.

Here are a few tips to help you utilize both your spring and summer wardrobes to create weather-appropriate outfits for the transitional period as well as some fun ways to transform spring pieces into summer looks.

1. Wear a tee or tank top layered with a light cardigan in bold, summer colors. During the transitional period, it is often chilly in the morning until the sun’s heat kicks in during the day. A cardigan will keep you warm in the early hours and can be easily packed away in a bag or carried over your arm as the temperature rises. Choose a cardigan that is a lighter material and that is a bright color such as yellow, coral or turquoise. Within the next few months, you can get use out of it on colder, summer nights and breezy days as well.

2. Add bright colors to other aspects of your wardrobe using accessories. When wearing jeans, throw on a neon skinny belt (like this one from Express) to add a taste of summer to your outfit. You can also try using bright statement jewelry like necklaces or hoop earrings.

3. Turn your old jeans into new shorts. If you have a pair of jeans that just won’t make it to next winter (especially if they are a 2011 statement color such as fire engine red or cobalt blue), turn them into shorts! Here is a step-by-step guide from Academic Chic to make your own denim cut-off shorts and add a few months onto the life of your old pair of jeans (and save some money, too).

4. Don’t stop at the shorts, you can change up your tops, too! The perfect transition piece is when you change up a spring item to look completely different for the summer. Here is a DIY guide to turning an old spring T-shirt into a cute summer top (like this DIY one from the Brigid Catiis blog). Follow the steps to make an off-the-shoulder top that looks like something you could have bought brand new.

5. Find a pair of perfect transition shoes. I don’t know about you, but I find wearing closed-toed shoes unbearable once May hits. I recommend finding a pair of vibrant espadrilles (like these ones from Aldo); they look cute with most jeans, skirts and dresses and can be worn all summer long. As far as flip-flops go, try to find something that is not completely flat (like these sandals from Guess) so it does not look like you’re wearing sandals that are only meant for the beach.

[Image from Aldo.com]