I blame the Iron Lady. Whilst we may not all agree about her politics, Maggie most certainly had an eye for a matching skirt suit. My obsession for all things matching started here, and it seems as though the fashion world is with me on this one: whether it be plain or printed, co-ordinated clothing is shaping up to be a major trend for Spring/Summer 2012. Having spent a large part of my childhood resisting my mother’s desire to dress me (and my sister – doubly matching!) in what I saw as hideously naff outfits, I now spend my time buying one item whilst plotting how to get my hands on enough money to purchase it’s delightfully similar counterpart. Indeed, this is the dark side of shopping – the pitfall of the co-ordinated item is that you are inevitably compelled to buy not one but two things at once! This aside, there’s something on the one hand extravagant but on the other oh so simple about wearing matching items. For starters, you don’t really have to decide what to wear beyond picking which particular take on the trend you wish to follow. With this in mind, I present my top picks to make sure that you start Trinity 2012 in suitably fabulous summer style…
1) Thatcher inspired skirt suits: Excellent for more formal events such as formal hall or the inevitable summer garden parties that next term will bring, a skirt suit is incredibly versatile. Make sure you buy one with a nice skirt so that it looks as good with or without the jacket on, making the day to evening transition with ease. My favourites are a turquoise suit with pearl buttons from ASOS or Topshop’s salmon pink Chanel inspired boucle jacket and skirt.
2) Prints: If you want something a bit more informal, patterned suits are a good way to incorporate this season’s bold prints with the trend for co-ordination. For something understated, Whistles offers a range of matching Wisteria printed items.
3) Shorts: A summery and more practical alternative to the skirt or trouser suit, there are plenty of stylish short suits on offer. My (costly) favourites are the brocade high waisted shorts and boxy jacket from SeeSun at ASOS but a cheaper and oh so delightful version of this trend can be found at Zara, which offers two different versions of a printed shorts and shirt combo, one floral, one Hawaiian.
4) Sequins: Given that you can never have too many (tasteful) sequins, what’s not to love about an embellished suit? This “Mimosa” sequined jacket and matching shorts from French Connection is quite possibly the best thing around this season. I for one will be keeping an eye out for the Spring sales…
