May is hands down the sexiest month in Canada. For almost half a year, we’ve been hunkered down by layers and layers of fabric like half-assed interpretations of the Michelin Man, and then suddenly the sun comes out letting us expose our Vitamin D-deprived skin to its rays and – more importantly – to each other. It’s easy to get turned on by the sight of an ankle when you haven’t seen one in months. Don’t even get me started about wrists and knee caps. There’s something about our borderline “Amish Gone Wild” culture that makes Canadians appreciate spring/summer trends more than anyone else in the world. We don’t have all year to rock shorts and sleeveless shirts, so when we’ve got the chance, we make it count. Here are five summer colour and pattern trends for summer 2013 to update your wardrobe.
Bold Red
Don’t let anyone ever tell you that pink is the new red. Pink is never the new red. And did you know that the colour pink is merely an optical illusion and doesn’t even exist? I’m pretty sure that’s a scientific fact or something… but back to red. Designers like Diane von Fürstenberg, Christian Dior, and Ralph Lauren all embraced the vivid hue this season, and why not? Red is always a hot colour to sport if you’re looking to garner a few extra head turns, but we suggest opting for a blue red if you’re complexion is fair and a more orange red if you’ve got a darker skin tone. And if you’re going to do justice to the bold hue, it’s not about throwing on a red T-shirt; go bold or go home in a red jumper like this one from Sisley.
Graphic Black and White
We’d make a bad joke about how designers are seeing things in black and white this season, but we’re pretty sure that’s been done already, so consider yourself spared. That said, Alexander Wang, Jason Wu and Marc Jacobs all had bold black and white looks on their spring/summer 2013 runways that seemed to take their inspiration from an escaped convict from the days of Yore. Think oversized checkers, unmissable stripes and zigzags and insane colour-blocking. If we wanted to see grey from a distance, we’d go to a Seurat exhibit. This season’s black and white is like “Jail House Rock” on a mushroom trip.
Bold Stripes
Think candy striper, but instead of volunteering in hospitals, you’re going to be resuscitating street style because it takes a city to bring sexy back. From classic button-downs with vertical stripes to Paul & Joe to shift dresses with brightly coloured stripes at Dolce&Gabbana, this season’s bold stripes are made for everywhere from the office to the park picnic. Take the trend to the max by opting for head-to-toe vertical stripes, as seen on the spring runways at Tommy Hilfiger. Added bonus: This look is ultra-slimming, so forget Spanx. If I wanted to feel like a pig-in-a-blanket, I’d get back together with my condescending ex-boyfriend – amirite, girls?
Emerald
Not only is emerald the official gemstone for the month of May, it also happens to be the Pantone colour of year, which is a hell of a lot more versatile than last year’s tangerine which made the non-supermodel population look like walking piñatas. If you want to pledge allegiance to the official colour of 2013 on a daily basis, invest in an accessory like Rebecca Minkoff’s M.A.B. Leather Tote in emerald, but an awesome emerald maxi dress will make you feel like a true flower child even if you don’t recycle.
’60s Flower Power
We know, we know. Saying floral prints are in for summer is like predicting that ice cream will have a major comeback in June. This summer’s florals, however, are less romantic and more psychedelic with a dose of Warholian pop art je ne sais quoi. Think ’60s daisies, oversized poppies and rock n’ roll roses. Designers like Erdem even opted to embellish florals with appliqués for a 3D effect this season. Think Studio 54 meets ‘60s groupie culture. Everyone’s going to want to lay you down in a bed of roses (but, take my word for it, it’s far less awesome than it sounds).