The return of florals and nautical





At last! The bane of any fashion editor’s life, the week-after-week trawl of new season previews is over! The bulk of the high street brands show last, so Arcadia, New Look, River Island and Urban Outfitters have all been unveiled in the last couple of weeks. I must say, I’m usually very picky but on the whole there have been some not-bad-at-all presentations. It never fails to surprise me however, just how short our memories are. Denim waistcoats, loose denim shorts, ditsy florals, wedge espadrilles and maxi dresses have been wheeled out for yet another spring season under the pretence of ‘new’ – even though it looks exactly the same as last summer. At least with skinny jeans we are seeing some new permutations (engineer striped at Urban Outfitters for example) and TopShop has managed some updated takes on the boxy boys blazer – a metallic gold one and a red schoolgirl one with a nautical spin. Ah nautical. Is there any other more predictable spring trend? Apart from White, Brights and Florals? In fairness, this time round ‘nautical’ stretches beyond stripy bateau-neck tops and sailor pants to include natty sailor shorts (by Tibi at Urban Outfitters), shiny yellow waterproof jackets (the new trench? At TopShop) and the cutest Peter-Pan collar bib-front tees and fine-gauge knits (everywhere).

A word of warning. The hot trend that the high street has taken firmly under its wing and everyone will be heartily sick of come May is ‘ombre’ the faded dark-to-light dyed effect initiated by Prada. This has been particularly flogged to death at New Look – it’s on shoes, T-shirts, skirts and dresses galore. Nice on a patent pump, but rather nasty on a cheap crinkle cotton tunic top.

Top to bottom:
1) TopShop red blazer
2) TopShop gold blazer
3) Tibi at Urban Outfitters shorts
4) TopShop waterproof jacket