Let’s be real, it’s been a tough few years. From staying home for weeks on end, to wearing the same grey sweatpants and oversized shirt combo during your Zoom meetings. All this combined has forced many to dial back on their fashion game and revert to outfits that leaned towards being more practical than fashionable.
As we enter our third year of the pandemic, the world has turned to fashion to convey and inspire some much needed optimism. The Spring/Summer runways presented us with some of the boldest colours we’ve seen in years and a sight for sore eyes after the neutral, minimalistic clothing trend that dominated the industry for years. Think hot pinks and orange shades so intense you could almost taste it.
Whether it’s electric blue making an appearance in Loewe, or the sunshine yellow shades vivifying the runway at Max Mara and Moschino during Paris Fashion Week, it’s hard to ignore that colours are back in full effect. This multi-coloured trend has injected a universal dose of euphoria and hope in the bleakness of the pandemic, and it’s time we embrace them in our spring/summer wardrobe.
Delight your colour-loving heart with the six biggest colours (and its various hues) of 2022 so far, with key pieces and bags to include in your outfit rotation this season.
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Electric blue
You can’t possibly feel the Monday blues in this saturated blue hue that made its appearance in the collections of various fashion brands like Loewe and Mithridate’s Spring/Summer 2022 shows during Fashion Week.
Colour block it or polka dot it, there’s no denying that this colour captivated designers to include them in their collections – just take a look at the double blue moment at Drome and Genny’s striking halterneck dress. With a colour as shocking as electric blue, it’s best to pair it with simpler colours like white or black, or go full on monochrome to really stand out.
We doubt anyone saw this colour coming after Pantone announced that the colour of 2022 would be a warm, soothing shade. You’ve probably seen this energetic pink hue on celebs such as Saweetie and Justin Bieber, but its popularity rose thanks to its appearance in collection of brands like Dior, JW Anderson and David Koma, which showed us how to do hot pink with a matching sequin bikini top and pants. This colour definitely gets our hot summer girl’s stamp of approval.
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Cerulean
Yes, it’s that iconic colour from that even more iconic scene in The Devil Wears Prada. This shade of blue is entirely different from the electric blue we introduced earlier, with a cooler, lighter hue that leans more towards cyan. In fact, this was Pantone’s colour of the year in 2000.
Nina Ricci, Balenciaga, Rodarte and Rokh featured this colour richly in their Spring/Summer collections, though we think you should head to Miranda Priestly’s sublime delivery on the origins of cerulean to find out its true history.
Darker or pastel shades of green were all the rage last year, but it’s time to switch to a more zesty, optimistic green this season and lime green is the answer. Brands like Acne Studios, Tom Ford and Blumarine served us this shade in the shape of corset-style dresses with matching chunky sandals and cropped cardigans. And let’s not forget the double lime green maxi dress moment Valentino gave us with their Spring Summer 2022 Women Ready to Wear collection during Paris Fashion Week. Give this colour trend a go for your next night out to the club or date night instead of an LBD.
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Sunshine yellow
No colour could be more fitting for optimism and joy than yellow, and we’re glad that 2022 has reintroduced this colour and its hues, be it neon or butter yellow. Max Mara, Loewe and Bmuet(te) showcased a muted version of the sunshine shade by way of outerwear, bandeau tops and sleek dresses, while a more neon-yellow was present at Roksanda and, unsurprisingly, Moschino’s Spring/Summer shows.
We love how designers have even incorporated this joyful colour into their bags and shoes too, a la Nina Ricci. No matter how you don this colour, it’s bound to add a little pep in your step and get you out of any funk you’re feeling.
You’ve heard that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. We’re here to say that oranges work just as well to that effect, with bright oranges taking dopamine dressing to a whole new level. Oftentimes, shades as bright as this are used to add a pop of colour to an outfit, but designers are saying no to shunning away from bold colours this year.
Spring/Summer runways saw a myriad of bright oranges, from Aquilano Rimondi’s neon orange tops, Vetement adopting a more saturated orange to complement their prints or MGSM just going full on citrus mode with checkers and a soft pastel orange crop top. With a colour as striking as orange, pairing it with simple accessories and contrasting colours (take a cue from Qasimi and Emilia Wickstead) works best for this colour to really shine.
