Improve your new season style IQ with our ultimate guide to the hottest SS17 fashion trends to know now
Words Joy Montgomery
Navigating the new fashion season can sometimes be overwhelming. Which runway trends are actually appropriate for lunch with your mother-in-law? Will ruffled shirts make us look less Alexa Chung and more Elizabeth I? Are crocs really making a comeback? (Short answer: no). All this, plus negotiating the temperamental weather, is a recipe for sartorial shutdown. Symptoms include: wardrobe avoidance and wearing the same jumper for two weeks straight.
To save you from this affliction we’ve rounded-up seven of SS17’s chicest trends that will slot into your wardrobe with ease. Memorise it, print it out or make a note on your phone to avoid seasonal shopping meltdown.
KHAKI
There’s nothing we love more than a colour trend. They’re easy to incorporate into our wardrobes and can be adapted according to our taste. Khaki is one of this season’s key colour trends. This military-inspired hue is suitable for all complexions and lends a utilitarian spin to any ensemble. Last season it was all about the shacket, but for SS17 we’re loving khaki culottes and feminine midi dresses.
MODERN RUFFLES
Ruffles are this year’s trimming du jour. Quirky yet pretty, fashion-forward yet chic for any age, if done right ruffles can transform an outfit. Ruffled shirts were big news last season, with pie crust blouses dominating the rails, thanks to a certain Ms Chung. This year, however, ruffle hem trousers are an easy way to give a nod to the trend. The high street has also offered up a generous serving of asymmetric ruffle skirts, which offer flamenco cool to any look.
ROBES
Thanks to the elegant jackets of Italian brand Attico, floor-skimming robes have entered the mainstream this season. Generally rendered in luxe fabrics and rich colour-ways, street stylers have taken to juxtaposing their robes with faded jeans and low-maintenance tees. The perfect light cover-up for cool spring evenings.
DECONSTRUCTED SHIRTS
The classic tailored shirt has been given the deconstructed treatment this season. Cold-shouldered, flared-sleeved and frill-adorned, this trend is an easy way to add a fashion-forward twist to a minimalist look. Pair yours with everything from high waisted jeans to midi wrap skirts for instant style points.
STANDOUT STRIPES
Gucci’s sellout stripe knit hailed the return of geek chic – worn with thick-rimmed glasses and pleated skirts. The quirky cool stripe is now here to stay, offering an injection of colour to your spring wardrobe. A stripe dress is a cool girl alternative to a floral frock, and is perfectly complemented by box-fresh white trainers. Candy stripe shirts are also an easy way to try the trend – red and blue are our faves.
THE NEW TRENCH
You can’t go wrong with a classic trench coat. Although it has never technically gone ‘out’ of style, for SS17 they’ve been shaken-up with new cuts and silhouettes. Take your cue from Avenue 32’s Roberta Benteler and try a bottle green iteration. Alternatively, go retro with an oversized trench for ’80s appeal a la Taylor Hill.
LA LA LAND YELLOW
The fashion world fell head-over-heels for Emma Stone’s marigold yellow dress in the Oscar award-winning La La Land. Now designers have followed suit with a renewed love for the sunny hue. From dark mustard to vibrant lemon, the key is to find the shade that flatters your complexion. An easy way to brighten your day.
