Spring / Summer 2007 Trends Guide - Womenswear

What shape skirts will be in? Will the city short trend finally end? Francesca Morris traces the key trends for spring summer 07.

Womenswear -> Volume

So, bigger is better. The dress shapes this season are described as ‘tent', ‘trapeze' and ‘sack'. This is not an easy trend to pull off, if you are skinny and with no bust you can avoid the maternity look, but the shapes can drown you, larger hips or bust and the garments can hang wide in all the wrong places, exaggerating areas we would rather disguise.

To achieve a flattering look, and so we don't look like clowns, play around with where you wear the volume in order to find the balance that suits your figure. Whether it be loose slouchy trousers with a fitted shirt or T-shirt, or if you have wider hips, go for a straight-legged trouser and something with more volume on top. Mixing more tailored garments with looser pieces, or choosing garments in the shops which use the volume trend in areas, for example the sleeves.

Alice McCall

Fashion Fringe

Zandra Rhodes

The Tulip shape we are seeing can add bulk at the waist but a fuller skirt shape is a good bet for a slim-waisted, full busted figure. There are so many silhouettes coming from the volume story, that we can mix and match how we choose to create a shape to suit.

Knitwear using the volume theme takes a fine knit, slouchy and layered construction, and again pushes this idea of easy, relaxed dressing. Weardowney knitwear has used the idea in creating tops which have a more fitted body but exaggerated sleeves. This is something we are more likely to see on the high street, as it is more wearable for most of us than all over volume.

This forward-thinking trend has a modern, Japanese-influenced feel: contemporary and cool.

Esther Franklin

Spijkers en Spijkers

Weardowney

Womenswear -> The Spring Coat

The catwalks showed the possibilities for our new spring coat, the reinvented trench, untailored, loose-fitting and with the freedom to wear it how we choose. This key item is a versatile part of the spring wardrobe. The trench coat has been adapted to give more volume and less of a tailored structure. Use a belt to give the coat shape and femininity, but at the same time keeping this relaxed, easy feel.

Future Classics

PPQ

Katazyna Szczotarska

The simplicity of a lot of the jackets on offer are classic and Jean Muir, the queen of classic simplicity showed her range of really loose untailored jackets for the season, it's up to us to create the shape and tailoring with belts. Belts can be worn at any level, but a trend running through a lot of womenswear is the high waist. The use of high waist belts is being used not only with the spring coat, but over cardis, trousers and shorts.

Sleeve lengths vary, from full-length, which may adopt the volume and kimono style we are seeing in other key items. Three-quarter and short-length sleeves are around as well. The high street should offer us some more contemporary styles as well. Detailing through embroidery is used in Katazyna Szczotarska's coats, floral patterning in gold and silver on light neutral coats with and without collars have an oriental touch. Richard Nicholl and Future Classics have more edgy takes on the spring coat, using high necks, rolled sleeves, and big detailing with buttons.

Womenswear -> Bold Prints

Print is big, bold, and 60s inspired. Colours are bright and clean, matched together in a geometric patchwork and definitely have a sophisticated edge. Oversized prints appear on dresses and tops and, if having these bold designs all over is too ‘in your face', you can opt for the refined versions where the design is sectioned to a part of the garment. The big prints are well matched with the loose fluid shapes we are going to see in the shops and will definitely make a statement.

Future Classics

Ashish

Zandra Rhodes

Topshop Unique has a range using this trend, and of course Zhandra Rhodes is back on the catwalk after 17 years and the prints are big and bold as ever. Antoni & Alison went really bold with this using fluorescents, a colour trend in the shops, and used in the bold prints, so remember to take your sunglasses with you into the shops this spring.

Womenswear -> The High Waist

High-waisted shorts and trousers explode into our wardrobe this spring. Tight and high up, but loose and baggy through the leg. This is a really casual sporty chic look, which can be dressed up to 40s Hollywood actress sophistication. Teamed with a tucked-in shirt or top it has a real androgynous sense and relaxed sexiness to it. With an hourglass figure you can pull off a really striking silhouette, teaming high-waisted skirts or shorts with fitted tops or shirts.

Alice McCall

Fashion East

Marios Schwab

Alice McCall adds to the already eye-grabbing shape of the high-waisted skirt with bold pocket detailing, outlining the pockets in white against the black of the skirt. High-waisted skirts also take on an A-line style which is a younger style for the high waist and gives a girly femininity. We are already seeing this trend testing the high street, and over the next few months it will be everywhere.

Womenswear -> Metallics

Glitzy and shimmering, the new metallic is in our colour palette this spring. Accessories are using the trend as well which is good as they go with pretty much any outfit. We are still seeing lots of long-chained gold pendants. A lot of the shimmering fabrics will be seen in sport chic wear. Fantastic but not trashy, toned down from some of metallic we have seen before, it is more of a futuristic look. Tones have more shimmer, almost pearlescent effects, which give a sophistication to the trend.

Basso and Brooke

Unconditional

Hamish Morrow

Basso and Brooke used metallics in print designs on dresses in their collection, adding to reflections metallics can achieve. Hamish Morrows's metallics used on light weighted draping tops, add to the qualities of the fabric, to appear as a slippery second skin.