The seven summer trends you need to know about
or reasons I can only attribute to excessive amounts of vitamin C – and possibly too much rosé – summer is peak timing for hideous fashion sins. Sometimes these arise from desperation. When it unexpectedly turns tropical, the black sweater dress and matching opaques you donned at 7am constitute human abuse. Ergo you had to buy that one-shouldered, rufflednecked, bell-sleeved, asymmetric-hemmed dress.
With planning, however, ruffle necks, bell sleeves, asymmetric hems and all the other inappropriate fashion victimy guff can be avoided. The time for planning is this very weekend, because the Holy Tricorn of Summer is upon us. 1. The Met announced its official commencement on Thursday. It must be here. 2. Amazon is launching yet another initiative to get us to take its fashion offer seriously. This time, it’s a weatherreactive service that recommends “fun and useful products” to buy based on climatic conditions in your area. (The debut was attended by X-factor winner Louisa Johnson, so I think we can assume Amazon is not aiming this one at the Balenciaga or Celine crowd.) 3. The summer sales are here.
Not officially, of course. But for the past 10 days, sales assistants have been discreetly tipping off customers about “secret” bargains. On their US websites, matchesfashion.com and net-a-porter.com are already offering up to 50 per cent discounts – which always strikes me as unfair on everyone outside the US. Still, it can’t be long.
All of which makes this the moment to assess your summer arsenal. Dispose of those items that have outlived all purpose: William Morris’s diktat about having nothing in your home you neither believe to be beautiful or know to be useful has yet to be bettered as wardrobe advice. If he were alive today and working as a fashion editor, which I feel sure he would be, he’d add that it should also be categorically flattering. Then the enjoyable part: gap filling. What follows is a Non Fashion Victim’s Guide to This Summer’s High Fashion Pieces (with thanks to William M).
1. The wrap shirt
While there’s not too much wrong in theory with trailing sleeves, cold shoulders (shoulders being one of those body parts that look pretty good for the duration) and wonky necklines, they have become ubiquitous in 2017 – and we can do better than ubiquity. There are other ways to make a statement with your shirt. Crisp ironed cottons can look as smart as a jacket. Ties – a small detail with a big impact – will accentuate a trim waist. This is a timely buy that will look good next year and beyond.
2. Camis over T-shirts
OK, this is very 2017, tapping gently into the corset trend and slip dress without being literal. Add some frayed hem and/or faded denims and you have a perfect weekend-plus outfit.
Even if this doesn’t make it through 2018’s filter, for those who don’t do prints, it’s a clever way to add definition and interest to a plain outfit this summer. And since essentially it’s two classic pieces layered over one another, it passes the longevity test.
3. The ruffle skirt
If you really can’t resist the 2017 ruffle, at least avoid it around the neckline, where it’s starting to look dated. On skirts, it’s a bit of a classic. Lovely in soft, fluttery chiffons, it’s dramatic and sophisticated in stiffer fabrics such as satin – but only if the fabric is pressed, pristine and below the knee. Short ruffled skirts are strictly for pre-schoolers.
4. The kimono jacket
A feminine way to add colour and glamour to jeans or dresses, this is this summer’s ultimate day-to-night piece. A kimono dress is also a lovely, universal flatterer, but there seem to be more reasonably priced, decently made jackets around. Wear the latter open or tightly belted. A definite keeper.
5. The excessively exuberant scarf
If patterns and flounces aren’t your thing but this summer’s penchant for both is starting to make you feel like the kill-joy, hate-child of Oliver Cromwell and Jimmy Carr, the exquisitely printed scarf is both your emotional and aesthetic Mountie, riding to the rescue. Worn as a hair tie, halter-neck, bracelet, a belt, a bag adornment, or even an actual bag (look up “one trillion things to do with a silk square” on Youtube), scarves are so versatile, so now, so always, that if the world were sensible, every party manifesto would promise us all a free one from Hermès.
6. Khaki
Whatever the weather, this works with everything you can throw at it, including pale pink or powder blue, and makes them all look 10 times cooler.
7. The (fake) furry slide
This is the one here-thissummer-gone-next summer item I’ve allowed on the page. Then again, because it combines so much playfulness and joy with that delightful feeling of simultaneously wearing slippers and making a major fashion statement, it seems a worthy inclusion. Also know this: I bought a pair 18 months ago, thinking I had finally lost it, but they have been the most worn, comfortable footwear I’ve ever owned, enjoyed not just by me but by all who survey their lovable silliness. Practical too.