Hello! I didn’t intend for the month of March to be a disappearing act (I love blogging in March, it’s a month that’s got all those ‘new beginning’ vibes), but my head wasn’t quite in the right space to blog as I had some life and career goals to focus on… Thankfully it all paid off and I’m back for now! I thought I’d ease myself back into the swing of things with a post that I actually started planning (in my head and phone, like a true millennial writer) over a month ago – Spring and Summer 2021’s trends, or at least the initial ones that have slowly been creeping up here and there. It’s tricky to write about Spring/Summer trends so early on – mainly because I choose not to look at any publications or reports as I like to draw my own conclusions from what I’m seeing. Secondly, I feel like in the UK Spring is essentially a watered down version of Winter. As I’m writing this it’s 8 degrees – not a temperature I would associate with what Spring should be. I’m not heading out much these days because hello, eternal UK lockdown, but when I have been heading out I’m still in coats and knitwear. It’s such a brief season – in the blink of an eye you go from what feels like a few days of wearing cute tops and trenches and blazers to summer dresses and cardis and denim jackets. Hence why I really don’t think there’s any point in doing a separate trends report for spring and summer – here in the UK, how you dress for these two seasons is so linked because the weather is so inconsistent and Spring is practically non-existent. Anyway, let’s get into what are shaping up to be some of key trends for Spring/Summer 2021…
SWEETHEART NECKLINES
Inspired (read: copying) by the US brand Khaite, knitted tops with a sweetheart neckline came into full force last winter and definitely have a place in the early stages of Spring. I honestly adore them – they are ridiculously sexy and flattering on a lot of people. Finding the right fit if you haven’t got a budget for Khaite (almost £1,000) is tricky, but my personal favourite is this one that Misgguided brought out.
It’ll be interesting to see if the Khaite-inspired sweetheart neckline will transcend beyond knitted tops and maybe make it to lighter tops and summer dresses? It would be a yes from me.
BUBBLEGUM PINK (& PASTELS)
Pastels for Spring? Again? Personally I’m more than happy to be seeing a ton of sage green and lilac all over the place again – I’m especially a lilac convert and will continue to wear it whether it’s in or not. I think baby blue, slate blue and lemon yellow are going to have their moments too, and this could be due to the British brand Olivia Rubin. Beautifully aesthetic, colourful and cheerful, the brand’s Instagram page is pure positive vibes and an absolute pastel dream for us colour lovers.
But if there’s one colour that I think, hope and for me definitely will have a moment this season and the next that’s bubblegum pink. Cheerier, sassier, and unapologetically more nineties than millennial pink, bubblegum pink may have got a bad rep because of Barbie – but surely that’s not entirely fair? Say what you want about Barbie, but that doll had some pretty bangin’ outfits. I’m a lover of pink in all its shades so naturally I’m here for this awesome colour and would love to see it explode over the next few months.
HARDCORE ACADEMIA
I may be in my thirties but I don’t care – this is a look I cannot resist. It’s where all the Gossip Girl / Clueless / Mean Girls references come into full play, and what’s not to love? It’s fun, it’s cute, it’s easy to recreate. Tennis skirts. Argyle cardigans. Matching blazers and skirts (more on that later). Cute collar shirts (or just collars) with pastel knitted vests. Nineties baguette bags. Socks and loafers. Socks and trainers. Or slightly edgier vibes if you get the essence of Dark Academia (I don’t). It really is the trend that keeps on giving and can be interpreted in so many ways.
BRIDGERTON NUANCES
I’m going to start off by saying that yes, I binged-watched Bridgerton back in December and no, I didn’t love it per se – but it was an easy watch and I literally had nothing better to do. I can’t say I loved the fashion in it either – strange, I know, as it was girlie and dramatic and romantic AF and I usually dig all that shizz. But the fashion historian in me (which so ostentatious of me to say because I know f*ck all about fashion history) found it OTT, offensively inaccurate and overall appalling. So no, I wasn’t the least bit inspired by Bridgerton‘s fashion – but I’ve been seeing corset tops EVERYWHERE and like the rest of us I can’t help but link them back to Bridgerton. This personally is not a look for me – I honestly wouldn’t know what to style them with other than jeans, and my love for jeans isn’t strong enough to buy a top to be worn with just these. But, I 100% understand their appeal and have seen some truly beautiful pieces that look incredible on other people. In fact, if you are a ‘jeans and a nice top’ kinda gal, then corset tops are for you.
I’m curious to see if Bridgerton could water down into other shapes and styles – although how the heck is that kind of fashion meant to translate into 2021? Stranger things have happened I suppose.
CO-ORDS (ESPECIALLY CROPPED BLAZERS + SKIRTS)
I feel like there are essentially three ways to hop onto the co-ord trend. Firstly, you can take an uber cool and minimalistic approach a la Jacquemus – a brand I know practically nothing about but suspect that is what set off the current frenzy for cropped blazers. Secondly, you can link it to the Academia aesthetic and go all out with cute check prints and girlie hues in the form of blazers and skirts. Thirdly, there’s the springy, summery, slightly retro, kinda cottage-core look you can indulge in over the late spring and whole of summer – floral, gingham, fruity and basically pretty prints and shades on matching little tops and shorts or shirts. I’m thinking Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe on a picnic – it’s a look I’m obsessed with.
PRADA-ESQUE CHUNKY LOAFERS
I say Prada-esque, but it is specifically the chunky Prada loafers that I’ve been seeing a lot of bloggers go ga-ga for. They’re not for me, but I can more or less see why people like them – they compliment the Academia look perfectly and it’s a style that could translate very well onto the high street. In fact I feel like Topshop (RIP) would have done this trend brilliantly.
NAUTICAL STRIPES & THE PINSTRIPE SHIRT
Personally nautical stripes, as timeless as they may be, make me yawn. But it seems like they’ve had a bit of a Lady Di off-duty makeover and are now one of the biggest looks for Spring 2021, with bloggers and Instagrammers going wild for them (specifically a Zara jumper that I believe everyone lost their sh*t for). Then there’s the item that I wholeheartedly dislike but that all the stylish peeps are fully embracing – the eternally boring pinstripe shirt. Effortlessly chic is how I’m guessing cool people would describe it – and yes, I know it can look very effortless. If your style is more paired-back and indeed all about creating timeless looks, I’m sure you can make it work. But that whole “I stole my wanker banker boyfriend’s pinstripe shirt for an oversize feel” look isn’t for me.
MINI PLEATED SKIRTS
LOLing at myself for describing tennis skirts as a micro trend last summer when it fully blew up and carried through to autumn, winter, and now spring and probably summer – but kudos to me for at least picking up on it, right? So yes, the humble but sexy tennis skirt is here to stay for now. It’s a look I’m here for, but I’m taking a less tennis, a little bit Academia, more me approach – I wore one the other day (on a rare hot Spring day) with a racer top and a chunky cardigan and felt like a million bucks (maybe not a million, but close enough). Girlie yet surprisingly versatile, it’s an item of clothing I’m genuinely excited about styling and wearing this spring and summer.
ARGYLE
Possibly more of a micro trend, I couldn’t help giving this (very) classic pattern a shout-out. Part school vibes, part rich grandad going golfing, the humble argyle print definitely has potential for a sweet, somewhat tongue-in-cheek look if taken down the academic route. I have to admit I did see some very cute argyle knit pieces that I was tempted to try, mainly because they came in some very appealing shades – but, for now, I’ll leave it to others.
ZEBRA PRINT
One for the nineties and Y2K lovers, I first mention zebra print as a potential trend for Autumn/Winter 2020. It never caught on in the same way that, for example, knitted vests did, I’m still seeing it doing the rounds on Instagram (mostly on ridiculously cool girls who, like me, have a love for colour, statement dressing and quirkiness). It’s probably its boldness and OTT vibes that stop it from being a biggie (It’s a no from me), but I love seeing how people style it with colourful pieces and cute nineties bags.
LOUNGEWEAR AS OUTERWEAR
Let’s face it – loungewear was the style du jour for a big part of 2020 and for a lot of people it’s going to be hard to let go of those comfy pieces when coming out of lockdown. Following the likes of sportswear, athleisure wear and even underwear-as-outerwear, which really blur the lines of streetwear, it’s only natural that loungewear will be taken to the streets in the form of stylish, pyjama-resembling joggers, sweaters and hoodies. Yes, that’s pretty much already a thing, but I think it will be even more of a thing – let’s go with the term elevated loungewear.
CUT-OUT AND TIE-UP DETAILS
I’ve noticed Zara (as well as other brands I’m sure) has been doing a lot of pieces – especially tops – with cut-out and tie-up details – once again a direct reference to Jacquemus. This isn’t something I particularly like as it reminds me of the nineties and girl brands (not necessarily a bad thing, it’s just not for moi) – but I do think it looks very, very cool on people who have a penchant for all things Jacquemus.
BAGGY JEANS AND A NICE Y2K TOP
I honestly can’t believe I am writing about this – and you know the worst part? I had to look up Y2K because I had no idea what it meant. Yes, I’m officially ancient. Anyway, I already expressed my distain for baggy jeans in my Autumn/Winter 2020 report – but it looks like I’m the only one who feels this way because baggy jeans don’t seem to be going anywhere. Like a good millennial, I’m a skinny jeans girl through and through, with the odd dabbling into paper-bag styles and subtle flares, and an ongoing search for the perfect mum jean. That’s where the denim experimentation ends. But baggy jeans? My absolute idea of a nightmare. I’m not into slinky 2000s-inspired tops either, so I can’t think of anything worse than this look. But alas, I like to include trends that I dislike too because that is the beauty of fashion – what works for me might not work for you, and vice versa. So for any peeps who do wish to revisit the nineties and noughties, this is your time to shine.
Conclusion? The overall vibes for SS21 seem to be either Jacquemus or Clueless, no in-between. But then again, because the brand of the moment and iconic film encompass so much there really is an incredible spectrum of style for everyone to feel inspired. And at the end of the day, trends are just there for fun – you do you.
Body, Lorna Luxe x In The Style (new). Skirt, Stradivarius (new). Earrings, New Look (old). Ring, Zara (from last year). Boots, Primark (last season). Hat, Stradivarius (old). Bag, Truffle Shuffle (old).
I’m sure other trends will be popping up here and there, which I’ll regret not having noticed and included in this report. What I might do is write another post, should any of them really catch my eye. As for my own fashion ‘plans’, I’ll be sticking to my usual girlishness with a little bit of Academia, hopefully some co-ords and of course pink and pastels. I think the outfit I’m sharing here really sums up my ‘Spring in London’ style – I’m obsessed with this Lorna Luxe x In The Style pink body, which I’m sure I’ll get to use for at least another few weeks. But in all honesty, I just want to fast-forward to Summer, go full-on cottage-core and get my summer dresses and floral baskets out. Some things don’t change.
Pictures taken in Notting Hill, London on March 23rd, 2021.
xxx