HOW TO WEAR PASTELS IN SPRING 2012

In Your 20’s

Spring in 2012 will be light and feminine as the runways were filled with soft sherbet and ice-cream parlour hues. Ice cream shades in candy floss, sorbet, baby blue, spearmint and lavender will bring a touch of flirty femininity to you spring wardrobe if you wear in the form of hotpants, one of ss12 top trends (if you’re brave enough) and sheer dresses. Pastels should be worn in constrasting colour blocks to add depth to the overall look. If pastels feel too ‘girly’ for you, toughen them up by choosing a tailored piece such as a blazer, or keep it soft and simple with draped tees in silks, sequins or cotton. It’s all about the softer, more feminine colour palette in ss12.

Topshop £40

River Island £30

In Your 30s

Toughen up pastels to ensure you’re taken seriously at the office, by using loose feminine tailored cuts and colour blocking with two or three different colours to add depth, such as peach melba tee, white drape jacket and cafe latte trousers. Maybe even add another pastel shade in to the mix with your nail varnish or accessories if you’re loving the pastel palette. The colours may say girly, but the cut will say feminine and fearless.  A pop of colour here and there is just as effective as an entire block colour; so if you want to add a bit of colour to your work look without looking too bright and playful at the office, just add a cute coral or spearmint patent belt to your black, grey or neutral coloured shift dress to acknowledge this trend.

Reiss £225

In Your 40s

Look to work with two key shades of pastel such as blush and latte and use a third pastel accent colour in your accessories, for example a white handbag and neckpiece to tie in the look. As women get older, I feel they have to be careful with pastel shades in terms of the style of garment they pick as pastels can be associated with older ladies who wear matching pastel suits, so keep it modern with the styles and fabrics you choose and how you accessorise the look. For those looking for a neat, chic cover up for upper arms, try a pastel bolero or shrug to finish off your look.

Adolfo Sanchez - POR

Tip for All Ages

Balance your figure and achieve a more proportioned look by wearing darker tones on areas you want to slim and lighter shades where you want to enhance. For example, for ladies who least like their hips and thighs, wear darker shades on the bottom half of the body and then draw the eye up with a lighter shade up top. To avoid looking washed out especially if you have an older complexion, mix warm and cool tones of pastels together in modern fabrics and shapes. If the outfit appears too bland add a ‘wow factor’ accessory such as a bright clutch. Warmer tones such as blush, cream, latte and peach melba tend to look better on people with blonde, red, brown or black hair with reddish or golden tints to their hair, and skin with a warmer undertone.  Cooler tones such as baby blue, lavender, candy floss and spearmint, look better on those with more bluish or pinkish skin tones with fairer hair.