I know I’m not the first to complain about the dreaded ‘January blues’ but it’s not helped by the fact it feels like it’s been raining for about a month straight. Not to mention every shop I walk in to is a sea of bright red SALE signs… anybody else over the whole sale thing yet? I think I was by about December 27th. This got me thinking, what would brighten up the gloomy cold mornings? Florals. Lots of florals.
Back in September, at New York fashion week, Kate Spade showed us how to do florals in her SS16 presentation where she brought us into her pop up flower market decorated with nearly 30,000 flowers. Her collection was an array of florals and vibrant colours. I mean, if she was trying to get us excited for summer, she got it bang on. Other designers such as Erdem, Gucci and Elie Saab also showed collections with beautiful bright florals and glamorous shapes. This gave us a glimpse into what the high street might have on offer throughout the Spring Summer season.
Given the way the fashion industry works, those Spring Summer florals are about to land and I’ve done all the digging to get you ahead of the game. I’ve dodged the sale rails and found some amazing bits guaranteed to freshen up that dreary winter wardrobe and brighten up your day, despite what the weather man might say.
1.Warehouse Silk Botanical Dress
Let’s start with my favourite, this beautiful silk midi dress from Warehouse. I mean, what’s not to love, that print is just dreamy. I am also loving this midi length; bare legs if you’re brave or throw on a pair of tights. Team it with a nice pair of boots, or if you’re wanting to dress the look down you can throw on a pair of trainers whether you like a Nike Air Force 1, a pair of Converse or Adidas originals these are all perfect for the ultimate laid back look. With a nod to the Victoriana trend, this dress also has a lovely high neck detail, adding a touch of elegance to the whole look.
Silk botanical dress, £120, Boots from ASOS
2.Topshop Silk Floral Jumpsuit
Okay I’m kind of in love with this amazing pyjama style jumpsuit and with the dark florals this is perfect for this time of year. When Topshop Unique showed their SS16 collection at London Fashion Week back in September I had my fingers crossed they would bring something similar to their main range – this well and truly ticks that box. Maybe you don’t want full on bright florals which is where this jumpsuit is ideal. Transitioning you from winter to spring gently with less of a shock to the wardrobe. The pyjama trend is popular across the high street at the moment and let’s be honest who is going to argue with a trend that has the word ‘pyjama’ in it?!
Twinkle Twill Jumpsuit, £120, Boots from ASOS
3.& Other Stories Dress
Another midi dress but another classic addition to your wardrobe going into Spring. I love how & Other Stories know how to maximise a print, they know this is a winner so have given us the options of a midi dress, short dress, top and skirt – where do we even begin; I’ll take the lot! I can already see girls rocking this look at Glastonbury come June time, with a pint of Brother’s cider in hand, sun beaming down, and Hunter Wellies out in full force. Not that I’m counting down the days or anything…
Spirited animal print dress, £79, Boots from Topshop
4.H&M Floral Skirt
Can you tell I’ve got a soft spot for a midi length? Let’s get straight to the point, the real reason we love a midi is that you don’t need to shave your pins (as long as you’re wearing ankle boots)… I love the autumnal tones of this meadow floral print and the way it mixes the two different prints together is really unique and different to anything else on the high street. Also a big shout out to the elasticated waist band, it’s like you knew I was still carrying those extra few Christmas pounds…
Also let’s address the colour clash, I’m really searching for those summer tones here, if you’re scared of a mix match print combo team this skirt with a simple black top or baggy jumper.
Striped jumper, £29.99, Peplum top, £24.99, Skirt – Not on website (yet) new in store, Boots from ASOS
5. Urban Outfitters Frill Detail Dress
Enter the dancing girl emoji… okay turns out Urban Outfitters don’t cater to the #changingroomselfie girl like myself therefore I have to create positions such as this... It’s a good job I don’t take myself too seriously, hey! I adore this dress and the daisy print is the absolute selling point, another one I can see stood in the crowd at a festival. I’ve styled this with my jeans but if you’re brave, and it’s not too cold, you could always go bare legs as this is a knee length dress. The shape of this is really flattering and would suit for a desk to dinner outfit if you’re heading straight out after work. Or maybe you just want to go and lie in a field of daisy’s and blend into your surroundings; let’s not get ahead of ourselves here, it’s only bloody January.
6.Topshop Floral Skirt
One for the girls who like to dress smart for work hangs head in shame wearing a pair of beat up Converse and ripped jeans. This is a blooming (sorry I had to, at least I left it until the last outfit) gorgeous print and could be worn more casually with a big baggy knitted jumper with some flat ankle boots or dressed up as seen here with a tighter fitting knitted top and heeled boots. A lovely little nod to the 70’s getting us all excited for summer.
Flower border wrap midi skirt, £36, Clean fringe funnel neck jumper, £42, Boots from ASOS
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Follow Katie on Instagram: @katieevans19
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.