I’ve found that floral patterns evoke a myriad of emotions with my clientele. Some wear them frequently as the focal point of an outfit. Others won’t wear them at all because they’re too twee, precious or frivolous. Some will wear them casually over the weekend, but not to work. And many will wear a very specific floral pattern in a more subtle way. It’s the subtle ways that I’m going to run through here because they might tickle your fancy for Spring and Summer dressing.  

1. Use Florals As a Layering Piece

The floral top on the left is layered under a topper on the right, so that a small portion of the pattern peeks through the open moto jacket in the front of the outfit. This style of jacket covers most of the pattern, but that’s not your only option. A blazer, cardigan or vest allows a little more of the pattern to peek through.

2. Wear Floral Footwear

If you don’t like to wear floral patterns close to your face, sport them on shoes. Floral footwear can be dressy like the slingback pumps on the left, or casual like the flat loafers on the right. I’ve chosen brights, but floral patterns in muted colour palettes are just as lovely. 

3. Sport a Floral Bag

The concept is similar to floral footwear. Wear a floral accessory away from your face and in smaller doses if you don’t like them enough to wear as a clothing piece. Like footwear, floral bags can be dressy or casual and are available in an assortment of colours.

4. Choose an Abstract Design

Instead of choosing a floral pattern that looks like a Spring garden, choose a design that’s barely floral. In other words the flowers are less recognizable and a lot more abstract like the dress and top shown below. The pattern mixed version on the left tones down the floral aspect of the design even further.

5. Choose A Monochromatic Pattern 

Monochromatic floral patterns that are made up of one colour and a neutral like white are what I call “floral-lite”. Versions with less contrast than these examples are even more subtle, like a black and dark grey floral, or blush pink and white floral.

I don’t wear florals frequently, but when I do, they don’t need to be subtle at all. I enjoy wearing bold florals in happy colours in warmer weather because they look fresh and put me in a good mood. They also feel fresh after a Winter of not wearing florals at all. Over to you. Do you wear floral patterns in subtle ways, or are you a bold floral wearer?

This outfit is almost an exact replica of the modern midi ensemble. I’ve worn it twice in the last few weeks: once on a mild Seattle Spring day while out shopping with a client, and once to host a dinner party in our home (leaving off the jacket). The happiness factor here is very high because I LOVE to wear midi skirts that move. There’s something about the way they swoosh from side to side as you stride that puts me in a jolly good mood. And they remind me of my late Mum. Comfortable, ladylike and graphic. 

I saw the black and cream Halogen striped skirt back in February and it was love at first sight. The stiff crisp fabric, dressy integrity, knee-covering length, stitched down pleats, and fun bold stripe instantly pulled at my heart strings. It is not a slimming silhouette at all. Bold horizontal stripes across your hips in a voluminous shape that covers half your body clearly has a widening visual affect. But I love it! If I wanted to wear a slimming silhouette, I’d wear a pencil skirt or sheath dress. But that’s not nearly as fun because straight skirts don’t swoosh when you walk, or pouf out when you sit down. With this skirt, it’s more about having fun with fashion than creating a slender silhouette. 

Tucking a tailored button-down shirt into a full skirt is a great way to slim down the silhouette. But that combination doesn’t feel quite as modern for 2014. That’s why I prefer to wear the skirt with an untucked welted fluid pullover — the same sparkly ink blue one that I recently paired with flared jeans. The refined gauge of the knit drapes back onto the body which creates some structure, as do the slim-fitting sleeves, tailored neckline and welt on the waist. I also like the softer effect of the dark blue against the harsh black and cream rugby stripe. I scrunch the sleeves for further structure. 

I like this outfit best sans topper, but it’s too cold to go without. I like my two-toned denim jacket with the combination because it’s boxy, which feels the most on trend. My two tailored denim jackets don’t feel as current right now, so they’re hibernating a little longer. This denim jacket, with its waxed black sleeves, provides a relaxed element to the dressy outfit, and a tiny touch of tomboy. 

This style of skirt screams to be paired with refined girly footwear, which amps up the ladylike and retro integrity of the outfit. I chose pointy toe ankle strap Okala pumps because ankle straps are trending and I love the style. I chose them in a cheetah print because I like cheetah matched with stripes. The black ankle strap, although horizontally cutting and leg shortening, somehow complements the black stripe in the skirt. 

I finished off the outfit with sporty neon clutch, apple green specs, a gold watch and my wedding ring. No additional jewellery required. I’m hooked on the watermelon lippie that brings out the colour of my bright specs, so I wear that shade of lipstick when sporting black and white, or ink and white outfits. Otherwise, I stick to nude lipstick. 

This outfit would have looked more conventionally flattering with a fitted and tucked shirt that showcases the waistline and lengthens the leg line. An untucked top tends to lengthen the torso thereby shortening the leg line. A fitted jacket would provide more structure. And ankle straps in a low-contrasting colour, or nude pumps sans ankle straps would have further elongated the leg line. But less conventionally flattering proportions feels fresher to me, and more 2014. Go Team Just Flattering Enough. 

These photos were taken by the water in Leschi where the cherry blossoms are extra gorgeous. On the way back home from the photo shoot, we saw our neighbour Danny enjoying the sunny weather with his two Schnauzers, Brady and Buster. Brady is seven years old, and Buster is seven weeks old. Both doggies are as enchanting and adorable as can be. Of course, we couldn’t go home before snuggling with them.

You are on Team Pack if you prefer planning your outfits and packing your suitcase for a trip. You are on Team Unpack if you prefer unpacking your suitcase when you’re back at home. 

I am on Team Unpack without a shadow of a doubt. I MUCH prefer unpacking our suitcases when we’re back home because it’s fast and requires little thought. Most of our clothes need to be laundered after a trip, which conveniently pops them into the “washing pile”. Clean clothes either go back into our closet or on the ironing pile. I put away our shoes and toiletries in a flash, and happily unpack a few treasures we bought along the way. Super efficient, plus I’m always happy to be back home which makes the unpacking process a pleasant thing. 

Conversely, I find packing for a trip extremely tedious and don’t enjoy the process at all. I procrastinate planning my outfits and packing them until the day before at best. Prepping and packing always takes longer than expected, and deciding which shoes will keep my fussy feet happy is not easy. Then there’s the part of fitting our stuff into our suitcases, which can be a challenge because travelling light is not our style. Plus I’m always a little stressed the day before a trip, which adds to my gloomy packing mood. 

Over to you. Are you on Team Pack or Team Unpack? Tell us why and no batting for both teams.

The upscale silk sweatshirt is what I call the modern pull-on blouse. The mixed media darling marries the Sporty Luxe trend with the bumper Knitwear trend, creating an elegantly relaxed look. It’s an interesting hybrid of dressy and casual and is as comfy as can be in a fashionably fluid or oversized fit. In true sweatshirt style, it’s frequently designed with magical raglan sleeves that can make wider shoulders seem more narrow and narrow shoulders seem more wide. 

We saw it come through last year and it’s gaining momentum as variations of the concept hit stores in an assortment of colours, patterns, and sleeve lengths. In some cases the sleeves and rib trim on the neck and hemline are knitted, with a silky woven front panel. The back can also be knitted like the sleeves. Sometimes the sleeves are made of a silky woven fabric like the body. Or the sleeves are silky and the body is knitted. Although raglan sleeves are the norm, set-in sleeves and dropped shoulder seams are other options.

The woven parts of the sweatshirt are usually made of silk, silk blends, or polyester. This provides a soft, breezy and luxurious integrity. It also makes the item drape well, which creates a flattering effect. A knitted fleece sweatshirt tends to look boxier and does not collapse back onto the body in the same way. 

I’ve been encouraging my clients to try the upscale silk sweatshirt because the silhouette can work across all body types and sizes, and has its advantages: 

• Trendy: It’s one way to refresh your career wear, giving regular shirts and blouses a break. The upscale sweatshirt is fantastic worn over pencil skirts and trousers. It’s sufficiently covered when you don’t want to bare your arms, and does not require a jacket for layering. It’s an interesting piece that can stand on its own. 
• Versatile: Upscale silk sweatshirts look just as good worn casually with jeans and shorts. They are just flattering enough over flared skirts. 
• Comfortable: A roomy fit in a soft fabric is a good recipe for comfort. No need to fully tuck the top into bottoms. Faux tucking the front works well too. 
• Forgiving: The boxy fit around the midriff is camouflaging of muffin top, yet the welt on the waist and tapered sleeves provide ample structure. 
• Easy: Pull-on-and-go styles are the easiest of all. 

Choose a wider neckline if you have a larger bust and/or shorter neck. Choose your fit. Size down if your regular size is too boxy, or size up if you prefer lots of slouch. Pair it with slim-fit bottoms and tailored footwear if you’re after more structure. 

I love this trend and I’ll be adding a few upscale silk sweatshirts to my Spring and Summer tops capsule. The dressier vibe of the woven silk appeals more to me than the knitted fleece sweatshirt, and I appreciate the insulating sleeve coverage for always cold me. I’ll be wearing mine with flared jeans, boyfriend jeans, cigarette pants, bootcut trousers and pencil skirts.

What’s your take on the upscale silk sweatshirt? Will you be wearing them?