Spring summer 2020
Spring summer 2020

The spring/summer 2020 fashion update

05 Mar 2020 | Updated on: 27 Sep 2022 |By Anna Prendergast

Tap into the spirit of the season with six bright and breezy ways to dress for lighter days and languid evenings

1. Colourful leather

Supple leather shirting became a cold-snap staple last season, but spring’s new popping palette (as seen at Prada, Louis Vuitton and Rocha) is sweeter than a bag of Skittles. Textures are soft and buttery, and silhouettes uncomplicated – take inspiration from Sally LaPointe’s ready-to-wear collection of two-tone pantsuits and monochromatic looks or Sies Marjan’s mock-croc lacquered leather separates.

Purple and blue leather jacket, £1,310, The Mighty Company, net-a-porter.com; Sally LaPointe Spring 2020; pink leather coat, £3,665, Miu Miu, net-a-porter.com; khaki leather jacket, £2,000, loewe.com; yellow shorts, £230, Remain Birger Christensen, net-a-porter.com; lime green bag, £250, staud.clothing

2. Lofty loafers

Scratch that ’70s itch with a chunky-heeled loafer in shades of plum, ecru and oxblood. On the catwalks, Lanvin combined three key trends in their square-soled, buckled mule, while Gucci added a platform and fringing to the classic house shape. They work harder than any other design beneath trousers, and styling them is easy – try with a new-season midi skirt.

Chocolate platforms, £705, Gucci, farfetch.com; ecru heels, £345, Manu Atelier, selfridges.com; orange loafers, £270, nomasei..com; camel loafers, £300, Yuul Yie, brownsfashion.com

3. Bright tights

Multi-hued hosiery in high deniers are doing the legwork this March. If you’re not ready for Stine Goya’s lime-green stockings in Copenhagen or Versace’s tropical prints in Milan, try a chunky cable knit or look to your favourite ’90s labels for logo prints. Wear with summery stilettos or metallic mules, as seen at Marc Jacobs.

Marc Jacobs SS20; Gucci SS20; two-tone pink and blue tights, £180, Marc Jacobs, farfetch.com; curcuma yellow tights, £19, falke.com; white cotton velvet tights, £39, wolford.com; military green tights, £19, falke.com

4. Square necklines

A little bit Princess Diana, a little bit Jane Austen’s Emma (released in February with costumes by Alexandra Byrne) – the angular neckline du jour literally frames the face and décolleté, adding structure to billowy sleeves, gathered skirts and – dare we say it – padded shoulders. To sit snugly against the chest, get your tailor to tweak the armholes and shoulders for the perfect fit.

Ecru jacket, £458, Rejina Pyo, modaoperandi.com; Rosie Assoulin SS20; Cecilie Bahnsen SS20; off-white dress, £195, meadows-store.com; floral dress, £122, meadows-store.com; sateen blouse, £425, Orseund Iris,net-a-porter.com;

5. Big bows

Cast off your combs, scarves and sliders: this summer, wedding guests and whimsical dressers alike will be accessorising with a romantic hair bow. Check out Bonsergent for carefree, oversized styles, or Jennifer Behr’s neat-as-a-pin barrettes.

Copper velvet barrette, £105, jenniferbehr.com; logo print bow, £60, Marc Jacobs, libertylondon.com; white crepe hairclip, £185, Emilia Wickstead, matchesfashion.com

6. Tailored waistcoats

Move over Gareth Southgate: Greta Gerwig has triggered a new wave for waistcoats. Call it the Little Women effect, and look to the Marsh sisters for layering tips. Button up double-breasted styles beneath your usual tailoring, or wear open over an embroidered cotton blouse for big ‘I’ve got tickets to Glasto 2020’ energy.

Sequin waistcoat, £1,755, ysl.com; Max Mara SS20; camel waistcoat, £380, nililotan.com; deconstructed waistcoat, £2,060, gucci.com

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