Style file Time for a spring fling
Breezy pants, chic pleats and cool colour clashes are all on the new season style agenda.
Last week, South Island fashion stalwart Ballantynes held its annual fashion week, a showcase of what’s on offer for the new season, accompanied by a busy schedule of talks and events with the likes of Karen Walker and Paula Ryan. I caught up with Ballantynes’ in-house stylist Josie Pasane for a chat about what she’s seeing and loving style-wise as we move into spring and summer.
EASY BREEZY SHAPES
“Wide leg pants are back, and they are everywhere,” says Pasane.
“There’s such a variety of options out there for customers – cropped, printed, denim… And they are perfect for all body shapes.
“The skinny jeans and skinny legs you need to squeeze into are now gone. It can be a minefield trying to find the perfect skinny jeans, whereas with a wide leg you can get away with a multitude of sins.
“The beauty of them is that they are trans-seasonal. You can wear them towards spring and summer and then bring them back for winter as well.”
Pasane says footwear is the most important thing after you’ve found your perfect pair of wide-leg pants, but again, there’s plenty of scope.
She loves wide-leg pants with “a relaxed T-shirt and a nice pair of trainers”, and cites
New Zealand footwear queen Kathryn Wilson as a “firm favourite”.
“She always has some jewels or something interesting on loafers or trainers.”
And for a more corporate, high-end look, Pasane says try to pair your pants with stilettos or heeled mules.
Another on-trend way to wear wider trousers is as part of a power suit, with a matching blazer.
“I’m definitely into the power suit at the moment, and we’re seeing a lot of them on the catwalks in Europe and in magazines,” says Pasane.
PLEATS PLEASE
Pasane says this trend is already in play and it’s one that’s here to stay a while.
“It’s a trend I’m not seeing going away for spring. It’s also another item that is trans-seasonal, that you can pair up with anything and everything,” she says.
“It fits all figures – curvy, slim, straight, go for it!”
Like wide-leg pants, pleated skirts can easily be dressed up or down with different tops and footwear.
The length of skirt you’re looking for “depends on each individual – we’re all different body shapes, so it’s important to know what suits”.
Pasane says your height is the most important consideration when shopping for a pleated skirt. “You don’t want your skirt to be wearing you, you want to be wearing the skirt.”
PAINT THE TOWN RED... AND PINK
Pasane originally hails from South Africa, so she says a love of wearing colour was already in her DNA. But when she moved to New Zealand it was “almost like black was the uniform.”
“I’m a big believer in introducing some colour into your wardrobe, and encourage my clients to not be afraid of colour – even if it’s just a lipstick or a belt or a bag or nail polish.
“You don’t have to go for that bold red suit – just introduce a little bit of colour here and there to brighten up your day. And once you see that it works, you can maybe upgrade to a blazer or something.”
Pasane’s favourite colour combo this season? Pink and red.
“The rule from years ago was do not ever mix pink and red,” she says, but she’s all about the on-trend colour clash, citing Kate Sylvester’s last collection as a great example of how to wear it well.