New Year’s Colour

Spring and summer 2012 is set to be a riot of colour waiting to burst forth into our wardrobes!

So let’s indulge in what’s hot to trot. The hot brights of last summer are set to continue with tomato red, grass green and orange strong stayers, but with yellow leading the way. From sunshine to buttercup, and scorching primary, yellow featured in almost all catwalk shows. While yellow makes great editorial it can be a bit tricky for the paler folk. My advice is put it next to your face making sure the tone does not wash you out. For instance I suit warm yellow, rather than citrus yellow.

White on par with yellow featured in most designer shows. It’s great to mix and match with what I call anchor neutrals like navy, rust and khaki, rather than wearing it head to toe. Burberry Porsum’s catwalk show - on www.style.com - has the best example of anchor neutrals. White mixed with hot brights, like red or green, is also a winning combination.

Blues, from azure through to cobalt, stand out as great go-to colours for citrus shy people. Diane Von Furstenberg provides a good example, as does Prada with a softer blue from her 50s-inspired catwalk show. Washed down, faded denim blue is key and one to consider for high summer.

Finally, I must mention pastels and new neutrals. Spearmint, lemon, pink, and baby blue were among the pastels appearing on the catwalk - a youthful colour scheme with a pretty edge. I suggest checking out Prada’s resort collection for a great way of working the pastels for the grown-up market. The youthful among you will be inspired by Christopher Kane and Preen. New neutrals include apricot and caramel, easy soft colours that anyone can wear; check out Chloe for the full story.