Spring is in the air which means there are plenty of hot new fashion trends just waiting to be discovered.
For fashion lovers, the most eagerly anticipated item each summer is the simple summer dress. This year there are some great new twists on the perennial favourite and leading the pack is the humble pinafore. Long-time fashion classics, pinafores are back this season and look set to be the summer going out dresses of choice for 2014.
Pinafore dresses, once the domain of young school girls, were seen on the catwalks at the fashion shows in Milan, London and Paris this Spring. And with an exciting sartorial twist, the pinafore has been updated but still retains an element of girlish charm. Features such as texturing and embroidery have been added to bring the pinafore up to date. Many pinafores come in a stylish black although pink is set to be a hot colour this season. Denim pinafores will also be a very popular summer dress choice as will black and white monochrome varieties.
Who Can Wear a Pinafore?
Pinafores are fairly universal, meaning they work for a variety of shapes and sizes. They look particularly great on those with straight 'up and down' figures, helping to create a 'nipped in' and curvier figure. They also look good on pear shapes, emphasising the top half of the body and waist.
The pinafore is an ideal all-rounder as a summer dress. Perfect for a chilled out picnic in the park or forest stroll, pinafores are hard-wearing and can even be thrown over a swimsuit as you make your way to the beach. Adding a polo shirt and some trainers turns it into a sport luxe style.
The fact that they are modest in the chest area also makes them a discreet, but trendy, look for work. On chilly days (let's be honest – we'll still have some) they go perfectly with black or grey tights and a pair of on-trend buckle shoes. They can be smartened up with a polo neck or shirt underneath or made to look casual with a stripy tee and a pair of casual loafers. And they make the switch to evening wear quite easily, too. Simply glam up with a blouse and some sparkle, the right shoes and you're away. It's a low-key but chic evening look for the discerning fashionista.
If wearing a pinafore seems a bit too girly and childish for you, then why not give it some edge? A great way to wear a pinafore dress is to 'grunge' it up by choosing plaid designs or adding grungy accessories. This fusion 'skater' look is contemporary and funky.
If summer going out dresses are all about versatility and comfort, then the pinafore dress is a definite style stakes winner for the Spring/Summer 2014 season. Updated and reworked, it's proving itself as a style item that no longer has an upper age limit.