Three new trends to try before they’re everywhere (according to LFW)

My daily conversations about fashion week with my fellow image.ie fashion writers begin with gasps of “Did you see…”, “What did you think of…” and end with a series of excited squeals over whatever topic excited us most this week (Victoria Beckham is still front and centre). This season I see a lot of newness interspersed with some repetition (don’t fix what isn’t broken, you can’t re-invent the wheel etc. etc.). Fashion Week brings with it both familiarity in the form of upcycled and recycled trends and new, distinctive style movements; half-trouser-half-short boilersuits, extreme sunglasses, bucket hats, for example.

There is a climactic push for greater environmental responsibility too and from a consumer’s standpoint, it’s always interesting to see how ethical fashion trickles from the catwalks to the high street. It’s the kind of zeitgeisty, of-the-minute trend that I will always get behind. And on that note, here are three more trends that I’m getting behind before the swath of fashion influencers clog my feed with them. Consider excessive sunglasses instead of teeny tiny ones and, in true patriotic form, go forty shades of green. It’s all ahead of us (and below).

Full-face sunglasses are a thing of beauty

Fashion East ss19 catwalk. Source, Jason Llyod Evans

The minute sunglasses trend that dominated much of 2018 will come full circle next year, so get ready. And it will be a welcome change from tiny and altogether impractical sunglasses (that don’t even cover your eyes??). This pair of exaggerated, extra-long sunglasses from Fashion East is the unexpected shakeup our eyes – and face – need and is unlike anything we’ve seen in recent years. It makes practical sense too: the fewer UV rays you expose your face to the less likely you’ll experience sun damage (= longer-lasting youthful skin). It’s a bold look, for sure, and not at all for wallflowers. Add some helter-skelter tie-dye into the mix, as seen at Fashion East, above, and you’re catwalk ready.

Before you buy leopard print, consider cow print instead

Burberry ss19 catwalk. Source, Jason Llyod Evans

Animal print will continue to reign supreme for the coming months, which is great for maximalists like me who like the challenge of balancing different animal hides together in perfect harmony (it’s a tricky art form, okay?). But what grinds my gears about this trend is that leopard print has become the go-to animal print of choice for many and, frankly, it’s becoming a little uninventive. It has swarmed our Instagram feeds and was all over the runways during fashion week back in February. Don’t @ me but, have we reached peak leopard print? I’m sceptical. Indulge your animal instinct with a modern splash of cow hide instead and revamp your wild side. Do it with smart outerwear or wear it mini, as seen at Burberry, above. Top it off with a pair of bejewelled hoop earrings. This trend is all about having a bit of fun.

Green should be Pantone’s 2019 colour of the year

Left-right: Rejina Pyo, Richard Malone, Delpozo SS19

I’m gearing up to hear what Pantone’s Colour of The Year will be for 2019, and if I were to put money on it my guess would be something along the spectrum of emerald, lime, parakeet, mint or forest green. The SS19 catwalks were awash with shades of zesty lime, disco-ready chartreuse and regal jade. Rejina Pyo is summer 2019 ready in sweet polka dots and a punchy lime crinkle shirt, and Richard Malone evoked excitement in luxurious satin. It’s said that wearing the colour green conjures feelings of renewal, harmony and safety, and we could all do with a bit of that.