2016 Fashion – It’s going to be a fun year for fashion – Fashion Hot List SS16

Mums Tips

Fashion & Beauty

Published on Tuesday, 08 March 2016 12:50

Last Updated on 07 March 2016

Monica Costa

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Every seasons magazines compile a fashion trends’ piece so I feel I have to also do it but with an edge, i.e. with the realistic approach of a working mother who is not a model with the perfect body shape. Here is my Fashion Hot List SS16 including tips to brighten up your Spring Look with trendy fashion items and accessories handpicked by London Mums.

Spring means rain, rain, rain and a bit of sunshine. So my first handpicked fashion item is this Waterproof Cityscape Blue Mac by Protected Species (RRP £179.00).

I absolutely love this Mac’s silky feel on the skin. Its Fluid Intelligence fabric, used to create the waterproof and windproof features, is also completely breathable and incorporates four-way stretch for ultimate freedom of movement. It is also very elegant and can be used on the school run as well as on a night out. It will turn eyes on the high street even if you are not a model. It’s a new modern piece of classic fashion raincoat.

A few fashion trends caught my eyes at the Fashion Finest catwalk recently: the environmentally friendly approach to fashion and the explosion of colours inspired by the Brazilian Olympics to take place in Rio de Janeiro this Summer.

One brand that has combined both these trends harmoniously is Asquith London.  I really admire founder Alice Asquith who did a lot of thinking to set her brand apart particularly whilst designing her Spring / Summer 2016 collection.

The fabrics chosen are natural, hard wearing but incredibly soft — I wish everyone could touch and experience these clothes because they feel amazing. They keep their shape, don’t fade, bobble or stretch and because they aren’t synthetic they allow the skin to breathe naturally — so you can go straight from your yoga or Pilates mat to your everyday life looking good and feeling fresh.

From the very beginning Alice told me that she wanted Asquith to make a positive impact on the world. It means her collections always have sustainable and eco-friendly fabrics and are responsibly made in their factory in Turkey where employees enjoy a 9–5 working day with breaks on their sunny roof terrace, where they grow and eat their own herbs, fruit and vegetables.

When she started Asquith in 2002 Alice wanted her collections to look great but also be comfortable so women could wear them everywhere; the school run, the beach, travelling, as loungewear, as well as in the yoga or Pilates studio. That’s why the Asquith logo (a row of seven circles that represents the chakras in the body) is purposefully discreet. Alice loves travelling, the arts and nature and these are the inspiration behind the collections. With the Olympics on their way, 2016 is Brazil’s year, so she could not resist incorporating some Latin flavour into her Wanderlust Collection.

I have chosen a few items from the Asquith Wanderlust collection that look good on me for various reasons (one of which is that my body is not perfect).

Be Grace Batwing in Azure and Navy (£52) with Yoga Denim (£79)

I love the batwing sleeves T in super soft drapey bamboo fabric. It is fitted at the hip to stay in place during yoga but also looks great worn day-to-day. It is an easy to wear piece and particularly great if you want to cover up your tummy. Yoga pants are the new jeans, so what could be better than combining them both!

Smooth You T (£52) and Flow With It Leggings (£52)

I love the softness of the bamboo jersey of this Samba Top inspired by the Olympics in Rio with a gentle scoop neckline and a statement cut out. The orange colour is so joyful and springy. The leggings are flattering and suitable for all shapes. This outfit is as good for you as for the school run.

The hosts of the 2016 Olympics Games have inspired this new collection of activewear for yoga, Pilates and living in. Rio Pink, Verbena, Azure and Satsuma colours pop against classic Navy, Jet Black and Thunder Grey, while snakeskin and feather prints add some Latin spirit to your activewear.

Bamboo is a fast growing and environmentally low-impact fabric. It’s ideal for activewear as it’s naturally anti-bacterial, breathable and wicks away sweat — helping to regulate your body temperature and allowing you to stay fresher for longer. It moulds to the body to provide excellent stretch capabilities and unlike synthetic performance fabrics it is chemical free and sustainable.

 

Bedtime Smart

Looking good at bedtime or at dawn seems unimportant. But if you think about it, you want to look good mainly for yourself. There’s nothing more rewarding than putting on a special fashion item and why not doing it at night time to prolong that sensation. I have been on the hunt for great PJs at reasonable prices for a long time until I came across Cyberjammies.

I am now the proud owner of the smartest PJ in town, a Loved Up Folk Woven Short Sleeve Geo Print Pyjamas by Cyberjammies (RRP £43.50) and I am shouting about it. What I love about this classy PJ is the light and soft fabric that makes me look elegant and feminine even at bedtime. I guess I will look great at my in-laws house so much so that they will probably ask me if I had fallen asleep in my clothes the night before.

Last but not least I could not write about fashion trends without mentioning Desigual, my favourite modern fashion brand which brings me joy every time I wear their colourful clothes. Here are two of my favourite items in the forthcoming season from Desigual – Backstage – Fall 2016 New York Fashion Week.

Actress Clare Foley poses backstage at Desigual fashion show during Fall 2016 New York Fashion Week: The Shows at The Arc, Skylight at Moynihan Station (Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images for Desigual).

Model Julia Restoin Roitfeld backstage at Desigual fashion show during Fall 2016 New York Fashion Week: The Shows (Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images for Desigual).

Our London Mums Spring magazine fashion pages!

 

What about the kids?!

For me the best fashion brand for children in 2016 is Angel’s Face (for girls) / Little Linens (for boys).

 

The items London Mums have handpicked for the fashion pages in print include Angel’s Face tutus for girls and Little linen jackets for boys.

I love Angel’s Face colourful tutus – our faves are Jade Green and Coral (RRP From: £35.00). They are must-haves for girls who dream of pirouetting and twirling! You can team a tutu with a matching or fru fru top for a classic party look or give it a funky edge with one of the script tees! Mixing and matching is fun too!

For boys the colonial style is my favourite. My Italian boy looks good in the Sand Blazer by Little Linens (RRP £60.00) by www.littlelinens.co.uk  The range include dapper linen waistcoats and jackets for boys of all ages. You can create a casual outfit with a jacket and shirt, or dress it up with a slick waistcoat and bow tie. How will you look back on the tender moments of your sons captured in such smart clothes?