EVENING STANDARD THURSDAY 23 FEBRUARY 2017 43 What’s hot Why making the most of your midriff is one of this season’s biggest trends The main event They may be seen as the most feminine of styles, but florals and frills have found an edge. Olivia Lidbury reveals how to rock them with attitude In association with A h, florals. They’ve become such a perennial that it almost feels like cheating to chart them on the trend barometer. But unlike the recurring fashion suspects vying for space in our wardrobe at the first sniff of spring (cue anything stripy, remotely nautical or military-inspired), the beauty of floral prints lies in their most recent incarnation. And the good news is that for this season, the power of the flower lies in its new-found edginess. If the catwalks — notably the collec- tions of Alexander McQueen, Balen- ciaga, Preen and Coach — were anything to go by, you can rock a floral print with a large side of attitude. And that applies to that other typically feminine flourish: ruffles. It’s all about how you style it. Think less literally than Nineties-era ditsy-dress-and-DMs heroines Courtney Love and Drew Bar- rymore and look to more considered pieces that work hard to eliminate all suggestions of primness. Because that’s the last thing anyone rocking a hydran- gea print and holding a cup of tea wants to be considered. THE NEW FLOWER POWER If there’s two simple rules to bear in mind when wanting to steer well clear of Hyacinth Bucket-style territory (let’s be honest, who doesn’t?) it’s to look out for ready-made print clashes or unexpected details, such as jaunty hems. Ware- house’s new collec- tion is bursting with both these attributes. Emma Cook, the brand’s design director, says she wanted to create an offering that felt confident and modern. “I was inspired by a Sev- enties folk feel but wanted to update it for 2017. So we mixed and matched more Continued on Page 44 Pulse points: A charmed life The trend for yellow gold continues to grow. The latest must-have? A necklace charm. Whether you’re after a trendy new talisman or simply want to show off your star sign, here are three fab options. By Nadia Balame-Price 1. Katie Mullally This cute charm from London designer Katie Mullally says yes on one side and no on the other. Obviously though you still have to make the casting vote, so maybe stick to small decisions — such as whether or not you deserve that new necklace. Large choice charm, £300, katiemullally.co.uk 2. Annoushka The initial necklace charm trend has been around for a few years now but is seeing a sudden resurgence. This Annoushka charm in 18ct yellow gold with silver diamonds and black rhodium looks like a family heirloom but still feels modern. Alphabet A pendant, £450, annoushka.com 3. Links of London Whether you’re obsessed with star signs or confuse a Libra with a library, it doesn’t matter: these Zodiac charms are chic enough to wear either way. They also make a great gift for a new mum who wants to celebrate the birth. That’s Mother’s Day sorted. Taurus Zodiac charm, £60, Links of London Fantastically floral: dress, £59, Warehouse Oh you pretty thing
Transcript
EVENING STANDARD THURSDAY 23 FEBRUARY 2017 43
What’s hotWhy making the most of your midriff is one of this season’s biggest trends
The main eventThey may be seen as the most feminine of styles, but florals and frills have found an edge. Olivia Lidbury reveals how to rock them with attitude
In association with
Ah, florals. They’ve become such a perennial that it almost feels like cheating to chart them on the trend barometer. But unlike the
recurring fashion suspects vying for space in our wardrobe at the first sniff of spring (cue anything stripy, remotely nautical or military-inspired), the beauty of floral prints lies in their most recent incarnation. And the good news is that for this season, the power of the flower lies in its new-found edginess.
If the catwalks — notably the collec-tions of Alexander McQueen, Balen-ciaga, Preen and Coach — were anything to go by, you can rock a floral print with a large side of attitude. And that applies to that other typically feminine flourish: ruffles. It’s all about how you style it. Think less literally than Nineties-era ditsy-dress-and-DMs heroines Courtney Love and Drew Bar-rymore and look to more considered pieces that work hard to eliminate all suggestions of primness. Because that’s the last thing anyone rocking a hydran-gea print and holding a cup of tea wants to be considered.
THE NEW FLOWER POWERIf there’s two simple rules to bear in
mind when wanting to steer well clear of Hyacinth Bucket-style territory (let’s
be honest, who doesn’t?) it’s to look out for ready-made print clashes or unexpected d e t a i l s , s u c h a s jaunty hems. Ware-house’s new collec-t ion i s burs t ing w i t h b ot h th e s e attributes. Emma Cook, the brand’s
design director, says she wanted to create an offering that felt confident and modern.
“I was inspired by a Sev-enties folk feel but wanted to update it for 2017. So we mixed and matched more
Continued on Page 44
Pulse points: A charmed lifeThe trend for yellow gold continues to grow. The latest must-have? A necklace charm. Whether you’re after a trendy new talisman or simply want to show off your star sign, here are three fab options. By Nadia Balame-Price
1. Katie MullallyThis cute charm from London designer Katie Mullally says yes on one side and no on the other. Obviously though you still have to make the casting vote, so maybe stick to small decisions — such as whether or not you deserve that new necklace.Large choice charm, £300, katiemullally.co.uk
2. AnnoushkaThe initial necklace charm trend has been around for a few years now but is seeing a sudden resurgence. This Annoushka charm in 18ct yellow gold with silver diamonds and black rhodium looks like a family heirloom but still feels modern. Alphabet A pendant, £450, annoushka.com
3. Links of LondonWhether you’re obsessed with star signs or confuse a Libra with a library, it doesn’t matter: these Zodiac charms are chic enough to wear either way. They also make a great gift for a new mum who wants to celebrate the birth. That’s Mother’s Day sorted.Taurus Zodiac charm, £60, Links of London
Fantastically floral: dress,
£59, Warehouse
Oh you pretty thing
44 THURSDAY 23 FEBRUARY 2017 EVENING STANDARD EVENING STANDARD THURSDAY 23 FEBRUARY 2017 45
In association with In association withLike us on Facebook facebook.com/eveningstandardFollow us on Twitter @esfeatures
Underwear as outerwear is set to be big this season, with bralets poised to take over from the crop tops of summers past as
the midriff-bearer du jour. But there’s another lingerie drawer item looking to find a home in your wardrobe, too. Namely, the corset.
Cue flashbacks to Madonna’s Blonde Ambition-era Jean Paul Gaultier conical construction, or the basque and baggy jeans look as modelled by our favourite girl groups in the Noughties. But this time around, rather than the controversy-courting main event, the corset returns in a supporting role tying layered looks together — literally.
The current incarnation of the corset first appeared in the autumn/winter 2016 collections. Victoria Beckham, Preen and Alexander McQueen all showed corsets built into tops or layered over dresses. But it was at Prada we were treated to perhaps the most captivating take on the traditional undergarment.
Cotton, denim and tweed corsets were artfully unlaced atop almost all the layered looks, from gilded full-skirted dresses to heavy wool coats, with some models’ waists cinched even further by narrow leather belts layered on top of the corsets — talk about the ultimate way to accessorise.
Unsurprisingly, Prada’s corsets quickly found favour off the catwalk and on the waists of street style stars and fashionable celebrities. A brilliant way to update a look: favourite dresses, jeans, T-shirts and statement shirts were all given an update courtesy of Prada’s simple cotton canvas corsets.
And rather than being a single season staple, this new focus on the waist looks set to continue into the spring as key brands such as Loewe, Roksanda, Isabel Marant and Beaufille worked waist belts into otherwise long and languid looks.
That sense of ease is key when it comes to translating the corset into real-world dressing. This isn’t the
trussed-up take of The Night Porter-inspired Louis Vuitton autumn/winter 2011 collection by Marc Jacobs.
Waist-training — the practice of regularly wearing a boned corset-like construction in an attempt to change your natural shape and lose weight — might be rife among the clan Kardashian, but there’s no evidence
The corset returns in a supporting role tying layered looks together — literally
it actually works. Instead, opt for a soft corset-like belt: fabric is a more forgiving option than leather, especially when wearing over looser layers. Alternatively, look for pieces with built-in belts or ties that will emphasise the waist but take the headache out of achieving the layered look. Whichever way you wear it, this trend’s a cinch.
No one will notice if you rock the same all-in-one twice in a week if you mix up the layer beneath
1. Belt, £69, Hobbs; 2. Corset, £200,
Self-Portrait; 3. Dress, £185, Maje;
4. Skirt, £295, Paper London;
5. Top, £45, Marks & Spencer;
6. Black corset, £15.99, Zara
The trendFrom cotton corsets to built-in belts and ties, when it comes to this season’s top styles, it’s all about making the most of your midriff, says Rebecca Gonsalves
traditional florals and layered them to create a rebellious clash and added contrasting floral frills on to asymmet-ric hems,” she says. The result is certainly 1-0 on the rebel versus prim scoreboard.
There’s definitely a science that goes into pairing a print to a piece of cloth-ing. Henrietta Rix, one half of contem-porary London label Rixo, hand paints all of the bold patterns that adorn the brand’s subtly sexy, boho-esque designs, and explains how.
“If you place a gorgeous print on the wrong dress it can ruin the overall effect,” she says. “We think long and hard and have a natural eye for what print suits what shape.”
Rix regularly seeks inspiration from roots and bulbs just as much as petals for a fresh take on nature-inspired pat-terns. The brand styles its designs with vintage belts, layer upon layer of fine necklaces and fabric chokers to evoke the spirit of a night out over country garden party.
But what about floral prints for day? A look at how some of the snappiest dressers on the fashion circuit sport theirs is a good place to start. Kate Foley, the Brit-born, New York-based stylist has become synonymous with a flowery tea dress, but despite her long blonde hair and penchant for red lipstick, she manages to look nothing like the pages from a children’s
storybook. Instead, she pairs her frocks (prolifically from Prada and Marni) with chunky, peeptoe plat-forms, rollnecks and colourful, boxy handbags. She’s not one for cinching her waist, preferring loosey-goosey, often drop-waist cuts.
If Foley is the champion of cool flo-rals, then street style regular Veronika Heilbrunner is definitely the poster girl for grunge — but without the ripped fishnets. The German editor of e-zine Hey Woman! will take her bloom-printed pieces down a notch by teaming them with flat, white lace-up boots and jackets of the dark leather or denim variety.
Just consider the bottom line to be about taking away any obvious whiffs of daintiness — so throw on some quirky, preferably primary-coloured, sunglasses and reach for a pair of black ankle boots or dark trainers to add a cool-girl twist to the prettiest of prints. Oh, and there’s the new crop of appli-quéd denim shirts and jackets to con-sider, which do a striking job of marrying tough denim with a lighter, botanical edge.
CHIC FRILLSWhen discussing florals there’s no ignoring fashion’s current romance with that other most feminine of flour-ishes: frills. But while previous seasons have been dominated by whimsical, statement-making ruffles peppered with a Spanish influence, this spring
sees a harsher interpretation that’s perhaps more suited to Catford than the Caribbean.
Sarah Clark, fashion editor and founder of LittleSpree.com, gives thanks to one homegrown brand for this new wave: Preen. “The always-clever Justin Thornton and Thea Bregazzi are the masters of making feminine pieces cool — they pretty much single-handedly reinvented the tea dress,” she says. “They’ve given an edge to ruffles by adding them to more boyish pieces, such as a sweatshirt and tuxedo trousers.”
This high-contrast, never-too-pretty approach has already trickled down to the high street. At Topshop, the ubiq-uitous band T-shirt has been updated with a single, diagonally-stitched lace ruffle, while a frill-hem tunic is offset with loose, dropped shoulders that you’d associate with a boyfriend cut.
Again, surprising details such as cut-outs and offbeat positioning of frills take away the predictability of ruffles being saved for best by only the girliest of girls. If you bought into last season’s flamenco-themed shirting, try pairing said item with a sleek pencil skirt. Clark suggests juxtaposing heavy frills under a mannish coat or wearing a ruffle-detail skirt with a grey sweatshirt.
Tear up the rulebook and try cargo pants with a pie-crust collar blouse. You’ll be mastering the new balance in no time.
Visit westfield.com/uk for more of the latest must-have styles
Three strap shoes, £25, Missguided at Schuh
Gold tassle mules, £130, Kurt Geiger
Floral shirt, £105, Lacoste L!VE
Floral cross-body bag,£204, Kate Spade*
Floral skirt, £85, Lacoste L!VE
*Available at Westfield London only
Patterned jacket, £635, Longchamp*
Bralet, £26, River Island
Patterned tee, £55, LacostePatterned tee, £55, Lacoste
£330, Longchamp*
Patterned jacket, £635, Longchamp*
Shop the print trend at WestfieldTake your style ideas from our latest fashion campaign, inspired by Star Wars™. With floral prints and metallics, here’s where to shop the trend and capture the look
In association with
The influencerAnders Hayward, 22, is the dancer-turned-model-turned-actor who’s already bagged himself the greatest job there is: getting paid to see the world as a star of E4’s new sitcom, Gap Year. He talks pizza trends and travel tips with Ellen E Jones
I didn’t expect to love Beijing, but I really did. All of the Gap Year locations were totally different from anywhere I’d been when I was modelling. As a city, it’s just constant fog and it feels a bit lawless, especially when you’re going through the hutongs (the back streets). There’s all these amazing shops and cafés and temples. You’re constantly discovering things.
I don’t really get that whole go to a temple, become a Buddhist, find my chakra sort of thing. Because when you get back to England it’s totally back to normality, and you’re not wearing big baggy pants and flip flops anymore. I just really enjoy discovering things, rather than trying to become the next Dalai Lama.
I just made my first short film last Tuesday. It’s a dance-based film called Claro, which means ‘the clearing of the mind’, basically. With all my dancing stuff, it’s always character-based. I think that’s why I really took to acting.
Sadler’s Wells is the best place to go to see dance. I saw Netherlands Dans Theatre there and I cried. They’re just such beautiful, elegant and powerful
dancers. If we want a little boogie, it’s Ridley Road Market Bar in Dalston. It looks like someone’s living room, but they just play really good music in there — disco vibes.
I live in Crystal Palace now and I love it. There’s a shop called Crazy Man Crazy that’s owned by this guy with a cool Rockabilly style and it’s only open from Thursday
to Sunday. I’ve bought a ton of the best T-shirts in there and they’re all really cheap.
First date? It’s got to be pizza. Story Deli in Shoreditch is really cool. The base of their pizzas has a filo vibe to it, and it’s quite intimate
in there. There’s also a really good place near me called Four Hundred Rabbits. They’ve only got a tiny menu of about five or six pizzas, but they’re all really good. No rabbit pizzas, though. I don’t know why.
I had a summer where I just decided to learn to ride a unicycle.
It’s not a very efficient form of transport because it takes so long to get anywhere. It’s not a viable commute, that’s for sure. I don’t have one at home anymore. It’s at my parents’ house, rusting in the garden.
