(See what we did there? Like the love child of ‘Got milk’ and ‘You’ve been tangoed’)
Laura Reynolds looks at the hype surrounding the collaboration.
Just a week to go until the man in red arrives...
Floral prints have become somewhat of a regular on the fashion circuit, blossoming beautifully in the Spring/Summer 2009 collections of House of Holland and Luella. It is also a favourite among regular festival-goers ‘roughing it’ in a muddy farmer's field somewhere in the middle of August. So why are floral prints all the rage?
This trend is universally appreciated with girly girls and it can easily be ‘toughened up’ with the right accessories to suit tomboys. Perhaps the obsession with floral is because it is the ultimate feel-good print, intentionally distributed throughout the high street to bridge the gap between Winter and Summer.
For me, glancing around a store at the beginning of February and catching sight of delightful flower prints instantly puts me in a good mood, and I find that the changing seasons of fashion can have just as much impact on our moods as the weather.
Floral prints come in all shades and sizes, ranging from ditsy print tea dresses to loud and large 60s prints, meaning there is something flowery out there for everyone. However, there are some ground rules to take into account which ensures this trend doesn’t make you look bloomin' ridiculous.
The ditsy print has to be the prettiest and most common floral print seen on the catwalk in 2009. Ditsy floral prints consist of hundreds of tiny flowers in a combination of hues, which cover the entire surface area of the top/blouse/dress. The best item to start with is a versatile floral blouse.
A plethora of ditsy blouses were on display on the Luella Spring/Summer catwalk. The palate of colours included soft reds, blues, oranges and greens. If you are not keen on a mixture of bright colours, look no further than Miss Selfridge for blouses which stick to two delicate colours like peach and pink. Blouses should preferably be short-sleeve and not tight-fitting, as you want to look relaxed in your floral blouse not frumpy.
Miss Selfridge is also good for a ditsy blouse withruffle detail at the front. Be cautious however as extra details like ruffles and bows can sometimes be too fussy and thus high on the grandma factor. Likewise avoid over-accessorising with floral blouses, as the main focus of your outfit should simply be the print. With ditsy blouses just remember to wear simple bottoms like a plain pair of jeans, or fitted shorts, to contrast with your busy top half.
For those wanting to go full on floral then a vintage style tea dress is the way to go. Think 1940s floral dresses worn by Sienna Miller and Keira Knightley ever-so-coolly in "The Edge of Love". Go for muted tones of grey, pink, peach, brown and sky blue. Choose pansy style flowers as opposed to huge roses… save those for Valentine’s Day! Topshop have an excellent range of ditsy patterned dresses in stock. Check out thispuff skirt dress in a mixture of grey, pink and green. Perfect for balmy Spring/Summer nights, or wear it now with a long-sleeved top underneath, a long baggy cardigan and winter boots.
If you want to avoid the demure English rose look then toughen up the ditsy floral dresses with a black chunky waist belt, fitted leather or denim jacket, and boots à la Agness Deyn.
If you want this trend on a budget then take advantage of floral accessories that are available as an alternative to blouses and dresses. For instance both Miss Selfridge and Topshop stock a range ofcorsages that you can purchase for under a tenner! These can be pinned to jackets and t-shirts for instant flower-power.
Also, there are a variety of rose style rings and beady necklaces on the high street that will cost a fraction of the price of a blouse but will give a subtle salute to the trend.
Flowers will naturally be everywhere this spring and summer, springing up not only in your back garden but in your wardrobe as well.
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