Trends are cyclical. Sweater vests, trucker hats and tracksuits have all returned to popularity in the last year or so. According to James Hillman, flowers, however, never go out of fashion.
If you’re hoping to welcome the return of spring with a range of floral focused pieces, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve shone a spotlight on three different ways you can incorporate floral patterns into your wardrobe.
Hawaiian shirts
The Hawaiian Shirt has gotten a bad rap in the past. Traditionally, it’s been seen as the gaudy and garish reserve of fashion-averse uncles who want to wear something comfortable on sunny days. Lightweight materials, open-collars and a loose, breathable fit have all conspired to make Hawaiian shirts a warm weather staple.
Today, the Hawaiian shirt has been co-opted by some of fashion’s most venerated names. Tom Ford, Ralph Lauren and Casablanca have all released lines that reference
This spring, the trend has returned to its roots. Instead of being refracted through the gaze of Parisian fashion houses, it’s gone unabashedly to its bold, Aloha roots. Think fancy dress parties and Johnny Depp as Raoul Duke/ Hunter S. Thompson in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
If you want to replicate the look for a fraction of the price you’d pay at a sought after, high-end brand, go to a vintage shop, where they are sure to have an array of classic Hawaiian shirts in stock.
Flower-Power is Back – The X Floral Pieces That Are Trending Now
70s chic:
Rihanna’s latest capsule for her lingerie line Savage x Fenty leans heavily on floral patterns. The singer’s marketing campaign for her growing fashion brand has intentional overtones of 70s chic: from the way her face is delicately framed by her fringe to the hazy sun-soaked footage that is lined with psychedelic colours at the edges.
Savage x Fenty was recently valued at over $1 billion. And with that kind of financial interest in her company, the already influential singer and designer has shown no signs of letting up. Her Instagram post announcing the arrival of the new capsule was liked well over 5 million times. With that kind of support, floral designs are set to dominate the coming spring months.
Floral summer dresses:
Another mainstay of the music world, Cardi B, was famously photographed outside the Eiffel Tower in a head-to-toe flower-patterned outfit during Paris Fashion Week last year. Created by British designer Richard Quinn, it caused a stir on social media. An awe-inspiring if the impractical design (she claimed to not be able to see with it on) the outfit covered the rapper entirely in a swell of blue, white, and green flowers. It was social commentary too: she wore the outfit in contradiction of France’s controversial ban on veils in public spaces.
Floral patterns are ever-present on the runways – from bold all-encompassing outfits like Cardi B’s to mere accenting with floral-inspired accessories. The warmer weather and brighter colors of spring bring with it its own set of trends, but flowers are the one constant.
