IMAGE Spring Summer 2017: Part One

If ever there was a spring/summer season likely to appeal to Irish women, 2017 is it. Designers took a refreshingly pragmatic approach, creating clothes that are both stunning and serviceable. Shirtdresses, cropped pants and elegant sportswear all speak to women with multiple roles to play, from mother to mentor. The warm, rich colour palette of earthy terracottas and electric blues will appeal too, bringing depth and character to whitewashed pastels.

CREATIVE LAYERING

There’s a slightly ?anything goes? approach to how you piece together your look for SS17 – shirts under slip dresses (Prada), bralets over polo shirts (Miu Miu) and skirts over skirts (Thakoon). This trend is about embracing your own personal style and creating a look that’s unique to you. If you’re not a fan of layering, then mix up two or three prints within one outfit for a similar effect. Staying within one colourway creates a more coherent outfit. Be inspired by Toga and No 21.

FASHION DIRECTOR MARIE KELLY’S TIP:

Taking this trend into an office environment is easy. Try a traditional shirtdress paired with cropped trousers or a tank top over a button-front shirt. Sticking to monochrome is a good way to remain conservative-looking but not boring.

BELTED SILHOUETTES

Belts are back – both the traditional type and the reimagined belt bags of the 1980s (see The Accessories Edit, page 30). Emphasise your waist with a super-wide or extra-skinny belt (anything goes), but keep the look relaxed by maintaining a little fluidity to your silhouette. Belted but unbuttoned coats (Altuzarra) are a more laid-back-looking affair, while loose-fitting shirts (Balenciaga) and skirts with pockets (Salvatore Ferragamo) add a touch more nonchalance to this look.

FASHION DIRECTOR MARIE KELLY’S TIP:

Nailing this look is about balancing structure and fluidity. Belting up is not about creating an hourglass silhouette this season, it’s about tempering the wildness of a full-length kimono or deconstructed shirt.

This article originally appeared in the March issue of IMAGE magazine, on shelves nationwide now.