Loading…Spring!

By Annette Sanfilippo. Photos: Yanni

Spring is a time that instantly makes us feel hope, change, happiness, anticipation and you can’t help but think, colour! Bright sunny hues of yellow, pink, orange and happy tones of the rainbow. I’m feeling it, now we need to wear it.

We have just come out of a season where the palette seems to keep us unexcited, sleepy and hidden, like chocolate, grey, forest greens and lots of black. We all seem to park those bright knits at the back of the cupboard and promise ourselves we will wear them next winter.

I hero anyone that can bring their colour game to the forefront of their dressing. It’s brave and it says something about you, like an announcement: ‘I’m here. Look at me’ and that is a good thing. Dressing is all about announcing something, that’s why we spend so much time pondering about what goes with what and how we want to look each and every day.

I hero anyone that can bring their colour game to the forefront of their dressing.

There is a lot to be said about fashion and wellness, creating happy hormones by surrounding ourselves with pretty things, and I’m in for all of that. A top hat makes a magician feel like a master. A veil transforms the girl into a bride and a briefcase maketh the businessman. Fashion is everywhere. It creates confidence, a mood, and a unique style can give someone their special identity. Too many of us just want to blend in these days so why not ‘fit out’ instead of ‘fitting in’. Start a conversation just by wearing something like a brooch or a groovy pair of glasses.

Spring is also a great time to try a new hair style, add new highlights or shave off that winter growth. What we do heading into the warmer months is change our mindset and it can make us feel fabulous. Preparing the body is how we make our clothes look and feel better. A spray tan, new makeup, or a good day spa and massage can help shake the winter chill off.

Everyone seems to get spring excitement as it’s a fabulous time of the year. Shops get new stock, we get out more, and invites to weddings, parties, and such come our way. There is a sense of newness in the air and we get a bit more playful adding a few new investments and ‘must haves’ to our wardrobe.

One of my passions is flicking through the fashion mags both new and old. My collection is extensive and I love getting lost in all the imagery looking for styling inspiration and new trends on the horizon. I have been a bit spoilt over the last few weeks as I got a first-hand look at what to expect while walking the streets of Barcelona, Rome, Amsterdam and Singapore.

The one thing I noticed is just how powerful trends can be and how shops dictate what we need to buy based on what is available to us. There is a lot of same-same but different on the racks in larger retail stores. It seems brands are choosing to play it safe and so as a result we have been getting a lot of boring fashion. Perhaps their designers have been lacking inspiration.

We have come to know that each season mainstream designers usually look to the luxury brands like Gucci, Dior and Chanel to emulate something they are doing for their own designs ,making these looks accessible and more affordable for mainstream fashionistas. Over the years these couture houses have been able to share the limelight congenially as they all seem to have their own signature styles.

Of late, and with the fast pace of change with the internet, there seems to be a race to see who can go viral in the media the quickest. As a result, haute-couture has jumped a few levels into a new category…costume! Most of what we see hitting the runways around the world is ostentatious and rather unwearable for the average person. Great if you are heading to ‘Met Gala’ but designers are clinging onto their clients with a thread as the designs are not at all practical for those who are just wanting to own a piece of these iconic brands that have become renowned for styling the rich and the regal. Exaggerated silhouettes and unflattering attention-seeking designs are too expensive to mass produce so we have to settle for mimicking popular selling styles and staying with safe colours.

In saying all that we do have some wonderful Australian designers that even though they may have a common-sense approach to designing, still try and produce elevated styles that suit our lifestyle… so keep the faith!

Elevating your basics with good styling and accessories is the key this spring to utilise your wardrobe favourites. A quality bag, like the trending ‘crescent’ shape in a leather, will see you through for years. Statement block metallic jewellery will add a touch of contemporary modernism and a glimmer to lift your look! Quality pieces are the smart approach to building a great wardrobe.

This spring we will enjoy a softer palette of warm peach tones, washed back yellows and blues and hints of pink. Don’t get too scared of pastel shades as the tip to highlight them is to contrast softer tones with bold accents of tan, raspberry, denim blue and look out for strong pops of orange that will appear at every turn. We will notice the two-toned trim debuting again bordering collars, cuffs, hems and most excitedly shoes and bags.

The surprising return this season, and something you can have some real fun with, is the classic vest. Worn easily over a t-shirt or teamed with a great shirt, this piece will get you pulling your wardrobe apart to find some fabulous combinations.

If you haven’t already succumbed to a trench or a fine woollen coat, the most versatile addition will be the ‘lady-like’ jacket usually a tweed or boucle fabric with fancy buttons, fabulous colours and strongly resembling the signature Chanel 50’s style suiting. This elegant cut works so well with jeans, or over a pretty dress and looks chic no matter where you are off to. Just try and stop at having only one though!

Finish the look and add a touch of sass with a standout pair of sunnies and complement them with your version of the best hair trend ever…the ponytail! I’ve spotted some absolute gems on my travels lately and our smaller boutiques have the ability to pick, choose and filter their stock with pieces that define their ethos, brand and objective for their customers. Our fashion houses on the peninsula have owners that are on the ball and hopefully have a keen eye on all that is on offer.

As each day gets warmer and we bare more skin and wear lighter weight fabrics, get out and about and visit our wonderful fashion arena and start hunting your spring staples. A good cut on the bias skirt is a must have. Flattering on all body types. A loose weave cotton knit, a raffia hat, a statement shoe, and you’re set!

Hmm, most of these are all you need to throw into a suitcase and take a little weekend spring staycation somewhere.

Now there is a whole new conversation!

Happy spring.

Fashionably yours,
Annette

Peninsula Essence – September 2024

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