Dressing romantically is our spring moodboard, we asked a stylist how
Inspired by H&M’s Conscious Collection.
It’s been three — maybe four — solid months of double-layered tights, wind-chill and only leaving the house to go to work. Pop the iced coffee: spring is here. And like all warm seasons, it’s brought with it a magnificent parade of lightweight fabrics in even lighter shades.
H&M has released its Conscious Collection — a range that celebrates current fashion, but is made with sustainably-sourced materials such as 100% organic cotton, Tencel and recycled polyester. It’s possible the collection was designed specifically for frolicking in the sunshine with a freshly squeezed lemonade, because there’s lots of off-the-shoulder necklines, balloon sleeves and tiered lace.
Best of all, each piece in the collection is an effortless statement-making number that you can slip on and be done with it, while also being interchangeable with the rest of the collection for full-blown spring goddess vibes.
We’re here for the campaign too, which stars thirteen inspirational women from all around the world, including Naomie Harris and Rosario Dawson.
We recently caught up with stylist and creative director, Jam Baylon, and asked her to shed more light on what she’ll be wearing this spring, and hype us up for the warm weather ahead.
Jam, there’s something about spring. What is it?
It definitely has an impact on how we see things and how we dress. In spring, the sun is out, we’re getting more Vitamin D and we want to wear more colour. Even the people that don’t wear colour want to wear more colour! We start choosing more lightweight, carefree pieces. It’s psychological — we’re just generally happier and more spontaneous, even with our fashion choices.
Which styles do you see enduring again for this season?
Many of the soft, sorbet tones we loved last spring summer are back for another turn — like lilac, mint and lavender. If you’re not into so much colour, I’d go for an earthy colour palette made up of neutrals and crisp white. These tones are great as they never date. The soft pink pleated top is a great pick — a super flattering shape and can be worn back easily with everything from denim to lace.
Seventies day dressing has been enduring on the runways for a while now, which I love! It’s a little bit hippy and a little bit Scandi, too. A lot of it is to do with the draping: there’s a lot of oversized dresses, wrap dresses, asymmetrical proportions, drop waists and bell sleeves. There’s a couple of pieces from the Conscious Collection that would be perfect for recreating this trend, including the floor-grazing floral maxi skirts in neutral tones. I’m also loving the brown tube top with halter neck. So seventies!
Matching sets and anything coordinated is still going strong this season, which is great because it means you don’t have to overthink your look.
Lastly, I’m really into crisp shirt dresses. They’re edgy however you wear them, but especially when worn with sneakers.
Trends are great for kickstarting our seasonal look, but it’s important to add your own twist. Any tips?
It’s all about comfort — for a change! In fact, these days, the more comfortable you are, the more stylish you are. Take a beautiful dress (for example, the Conscious Collection soft pleated sleeveless maxi dress with floral print) and pair with sneakers, or at least opt for shoes with a lower heel. Play around with dressy handbags and bum bags. I’m also a sucker for layering accessories, like layered chains and crucifix earrings. Whatever I’m wearing, I’ll pop on earrings and a necklace as a finishing touch.
If you could pick just one item to invest in for spring, what would you choose?
When investing in clothes, I always think about making sustainable wardrobe choices, choosing timeless pieces and asking where your clothes are made. This is what we should be focusing on.
In terms of spring, you really can’t beat a nice crisp shirt dress. It’s timeless, anyone can wear it regardless of style or shape and it goes with anything.
Liked this? You’ll love these...
