This is a review of the importance of blue as a top fashion
colour for spring and summer 2012. This article describes in
detail many blue based fabric styles
in dresses and printed pants.
In a restricted palette such as Pantone's rich Sodalite Blue or navy with white you
instantly achieve a wearable, attractive and classic look or can
be the
prettiest blue babe.
Pretty pastels may be important this season, but so is vivid
cobalt blue and every tint and shade either side of this
glorious hue. Add white to Sodalite blue for some wonderful
softer pastel blue tints.
Top Blue Colour Trends To Watch
Bold Blues - Cobalt Blue looks on trend teamed with white and
gold.
Left - Catwalk Fashions - Paul Smith Cobalt Blue Shirt.
Right - The Skinny Alternative. Phase Eight SS12 Royal Blue
Skinny 7/8th Jeans Pants £59, Hemming Stripe Top £49.
Accessories - Leanna
Strappy Shoe £125, Snake Tie Necklace £25.
Stockist Number: 0207
471 4422 or phase-eight.co.uk.
For 2012 blue teamed with white offers a fashion
aware, but show stopper crisp clean look that recognises the
freshness of breezy spring and summer days.
Above - All Set For Carefree Summer Days SS12 - Dorothy Perkins
Womenswear.
Every woman should own a striped matelot style top that she can
bring out every year for casual holiday breaks. A top like this
fits in so easily at the beach or on days just messing around
doing nothing. Teamed with a bit of red this top would be a
quick way to add a little patriotic Union Jack flag flavour for
the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in May 2012.
Make those blue eyes even bluer with the reflection of a blue
dress or top.
Left - Heatons Women's Lifestyle Spring 2012 -
Cobalt Blue White Butterfly Dress - £18/€22.50, Straw Crusher
Hat - £5/€6 - Stockist Number: 01 4630100
Right - Cobalt Pleated Skirt SS12 Austin Reed Womenswear
Stockist Number: 01845 573 135. Ivory Chiffon Pleat Jersey Top
£49 Cobalt Pleated Skirt £129.
Team your blue buys with other contrasting colours from bold
brights, startling neon hues to delicate pastels. Select and
additional colour from the pretty sugar sorbet pastels of pink,
peach, lemon and lilac. Or, stick to the harmonious palette of
soft powder blue, aquamarine, light lavender or palest turquoise
for a coordinated look.
Left - Amazon Blue Dress £40/€62 Due April
Monsoon - Stockist Number: 08448110068.
Centre - House Of Fraser SS12 Cobalt Blue Dress.
Right - Blue Half Peplum Dress by F&F Limited Edition. F&F
Womenswear Spring Summer 2012 £20 Stockist Number: 0800 505555 -
www.tesco.com/clothing.
Left - Love Label Lattice Detail Blue Blouse £25 - Very.co.uk
Love Label.
Right - Blue Sheer Peter Pan Collared Blouse £23 - Want Her
Dress Stockist Number: wantherdress.com.
The simplest quick way to add blue to your
wardrobe is with an easy top, jeans or a new blue handbag, grab
bag or a shopper tote as shown here. There is choice for
every woman or girl with bags ranging from £8 for the shopper
tote bag to £159 for the lovely grab bag.
Left - Inexpensive Accessory Ideal For the Beach. Matalan Bag -
Bright Blue Tote Shopper Bucket Bag £8 Matalan Stockist Number:
0845 330 3330.
Right - J Jeans by Jasper Conran Canvas Kettle Bag £49/€76 -
Debenhams Stockist Number: 08445616161.
Modalu - London Artemis
Gorgeous Sky Blue Grab Bag £159.
Blue Prints
For Spring and Summer 2012 check out the huge variety of
print fabrics from:-
Spring Floral Blooms
Art Scene Prints - Think Rodarte/Vincent Van Gogh, Jill
Sander/Pablo Picasso.
Afro Tribal/Jungle Mix
Tropical Paradise - Pineapples, Palm Trees, Butterflies & Birds
Paisley Patterns
The use of blue is reinforced in the prints behind the
concept of ethereal Water World or oceanic inspired prints as
well as washed out or tie dyed and batik effect fabrics.
Below dresses featuring border prints that meander and soften
in motif size and colour depth.
Left & Centre - Oasis SS12 Blue Print Dress. Also shown in
header.
Right - Primark Flower Print Dress £15.
Primark UK Ladieswear Stockist Number: 0118 9606 300.
»
Peter Pilotto's fashion show had the most beautiful prints with
detailed sculptured shapes making each garment a piece of art.
More print was at Jonathan Saunders with paisley print shots
and frocks in pastels that spread in Ombre wave bands from
richer tones at hemlines softening to paler shaded above. Polka
dot bib dresses offered softer more classic pattern for those
scared of big prints. But big prints are everywhere in the from
of the scarf print most usually seen on silk foulard scarves.
Paisley
Exotic Silk Scarf Print Patterns
Paisley patterns combined with delicious deep blues add a
richness to print that is enhanced by simple tunic shapes where
the print takes centre stage as in the example below.
Simple tunic shift dresses show prints to best advantage when
the dress is shorter. The high street has their version of silk foulard styles.
Left -
Blue/Gold Scarf Circle Kaleidoscope Border Print Tunic Dress.
Right - Viyella Ocean Paisley Short Dress £175 - Viyella SS12
Ella - Stockist Number: 01845 573 120 or Viyella.co.uk.
The horse emblem, paisley and leather hardware imagery was used on many pieces of clothing and
accessories and fitted perfectly with the history of Gucci in
its 90th year. It looks especially good in scarf print blouses.
But expect to see scarf prints across the whole spectrum of
garments including dresses and pyjama styled trousers.
Beautiful blues feature in many prints and plains and
especially in pyjama style pants.
Printed Pyjama Palazzo Pants
Printed Pants have captured the imagination of
fashionistas.
Left - Blue Floral Trousers €50/£38 - NEXT. NEXT Stockist 0844
844 8000.
Centre - Gucci Tropical Printed Silk Pyjama Trousers - Farfetch.com.
Right - Blue & White Scarf Print Pyjama Pants.
Choose from patterned pants that are skinny or wide. Both suit
print fabrics.
Paisley prints offer incredible variety in SS12. In multi
colours the paisley motif looks joyful and trades on its Indian
heritage of spectacular colour mixing.
±
Bows & Butterflies Print Blouses
Left - Print Bow Blouse €35/£30 Dunnes Gallery Spring 2012.
Right - Butterfly Top £99.90 - Austin Reed SS12 Womenswear -
Stockist Number: 01845 573 135.
Lost Atlantis Waterworld Prints
At Alexander McQueen, Chanel and Givenchy the sounds of
the sea gave inspiration to designers who interpreted a world of
the Lost Atlantis.
Left - Monsoon Optical Psychedelic Sleeveless V-neck Oceana Dress £100/€155 - Due May 2012.
Monsoon Stockist Number: 08448110068.
Centre - Butterfly Print Dress - Monsoon SS12 -Stockist Number:
08448110068.
Right - Claire Sweeney Tie Dye Maxi Dress £55 - Fashion
World SS12 Womenswear - Stockist Number: 0871 984 7550
fashionworld.co.uk.
At McQueen Sarah Burton showed ethereal gowns that were
inspired by coral reefs. Mermaids and clamshells gave
inspiration too - think fishy and waterworlds.
Feminine Floral & Lace Blues
Right - Oasis SS12 Blue Flower Dress on White.
Centre - Kaliko SS12 Blue Cotton Lace Dress £120/€192 Kaliko
Spring Summer 2012 Stockist Number: 01582 399809.
Right - Apricot SS12 - Rich Blue 50's Floral Pencil Skirt Dress.
Bold Blue Floral Print Blouses
Peter Pan collars grace many blouses, tops and dresses. Contrast
white cpeter Pan collars add a real 1960s retro fashion touch.
Left - Peter Pan Floral Print Top £10 - George at ASDA -
Stockist Number: 0800 952 0101.
Right - George at ASDA Blue Large Flower Print Loose Blouse £12.
Stockist Number: 0800 952 0101.
Frightened of Print? Take The Easy Way Out - Try
The Spots and Stripes Trend.
Stripes
Ocean Blue Depth - Stripe Prints
Left - Blue Brushstroke Stripe Dress £16
George at ASDA.
ASDA SS 2012 Stockist 0800 952 0101.
Centre - Blue/White Stripe Dress £45 ISME SS12 WomensWear.
Right - M&Co Boutique Blur Seaside Stripe Dress £85. M&Co SS12
Womenswear.
‡
Darker Blues - Navy/White Digital Nautical Prints
Printed Palazzo Pants
Palazzo pants have a holiday feel and all that air makes them a
good bet in a hot climate where coverage is good for insect
protection.
SS12 Culture Clash M&S Top £22.50, Navy & White Wide Print
Trousers £35.
SS12 Culture Clash Per Una Speziale Top £45, Trousers £59, Shoes
£29.50, Necklace £9.50, bracelet £7.50 - All Marks & Spencer.
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