Spring/Summer 2010 Trends: Sorbet Colours?

If you've read any fashion magazines recently you will have no doubt noticed one of the growing trends for spring/summer 2010: sorbet colours. Although pretty pastels for spring don't really feel like a new one, it was really a refreshing change from the doom and gloom of winter trends to see them on catwalks all around the world. I'm still debating whether I'll be buying into it but I can't argue that designers did give us many gorgeous examples, a few of my favourites included:

Burberry Prorsum

I've been a huge fan of Burberry Prorsum and Christopher Bailey for a while now so to see them leading the way with a very sorbet-heavy collection really gave me a wake-up call to this trend. I love the draping, I love the thigh-high cuts, I love the big chunky heels with socks (a trend I really love, I'm so happy it's been seen so frequently throughout fashion weeks around the world this season) and the top-heavy jackets; it really is just an all-round great collection, however I'm not 100% sold on this 'pretty' look. The colours feel a bit too 'wishy-washy' for my liking, there's nothing bold there, nothing strong. I think I like the design more than I like the chosen colours here.

I'm so glad that Burberry have decided to relaunch trench coats in a big way this season, not just with classics but also mixing it up and giving more of a contemporary feel with some unusual colours and gorgeous detailing. I'm already desperately hunting on ebay and in charity shops for a classic Burberry trench that doesn't cost the Earth (the more classic trenches on Burberry's online store are upwards of 1000pounds). If you, like me, are a fan of this classic coat's comeback then be sure to check out the recently launched Burberry website http://www.artofthetrench.com/ which offers photography from a variety of sources chosen by Burberry (most notably one of my favourites, photographer Scott Schuman of The Sartorialist) of people wearing the coat in question.

Although I'm still not fully sold on sorbet colours as a trend, there were a few standout pieces from the collections that I do feel like I need that I suppose could be described as candy-coloured.

Always one for pretty feminine looks, Luella offered up this beautiful pale pink sixties-inspired number:


I can't talk about Spring 2010 and sorbet without touching on Christopher Kane's collection, although I can't say I'd want to look like I'm wearing a tablecloth no matter what label was sewn inside it. This one dress did stand out for me though as it mixed in one of my other favourite on-going trends of experimenting with underwear as outerwear and the connotations of sheer materials.



Also of note in my book are Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger,Versace, Valentino, and one of my favourites Louise Goldin who all touched on candy colours for Spring. I just have to also mention this Dior dress because when I saw it my heart skipped a beat, it's just so perfectly romantic and again it touches on one of my favourite trends of experimenting with underwear as outerwear and the illusion sheer fabrics can create (plus blue is my favourite colour). I also can't get over the 1940's styling, without question my favourite time for hair and beauty. But let's face it, we're not all Lily Donaldson.


Candy colours were rife on catwalks across the globe but can the everyday woman pull them off with as much panache as the models? Seeing as I sadly didn't win the lottery this week, I've tried to find out what the high street brands have to offer me in place of high fashion labels.

Topshop Unique really surprised me this season, a far cry from the out-there shark prints and spaceship adorned zippers of last year, it really stepped up with some goregous wearable pieces. In particular I loved this pastel-print maxidress - I'm really feeling maxidresses for Spring for some reason (I'm 5ft4 though so I guess I'll be doing a lot of hemming). I really can't wait to get my hands on one. I love the laid-back styling and minimal make-up of the model juxtaposed with the pop of a bright pink lipstick; for me it's an all-round winner.

The colours of this dress kind of remind me of the relaunched Ray-Ban wayfarers from a couple years ago which are also a good, more cost-effective way of buying into this trend. I just can't decide between the turquoise or the pale pink, a fun twist on a classic.

Also for under one hundred pounds you can get yourself into a pair of Vivienne Westwood heels. I think this trend just won me over with these pale blue peep-toes. I already have the white pair of these Melissa jelly heels with the red heart on them and they are some of the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn so I'm really excited by these - in my favourite colour no less!


I'm not a big one for trends as they tend to come and go but I have seen some exciting things from this one. Perhaps I will be buying into it a little and incorporating it into my look, I mean who can argue with Vivienne Westwood? However I don't like changing everything up too much; classic will always be classic so why argue? A few modern twists here and there never go amiss just to keep things fresh and interesting of course but for the most part I'll be sticking to my tried and tested, largely colourless wardrobe. Which leads me on to one of my next discussions; nude tones are back in a big way and that really is a trend I can get on board with. More soon.

All catwalk photos from Style.com