Each year, as the days begin to lengthen and you can practically taste summer in the air, we look to spring summer trends to find out what we’ll be wearing into the silly season and beyond.
In 2022, we’re elevating our basics for the day, throwing on sky high heels for the night, and reimagining the subtle style of the 90s – according to David Jones. The department store unveiled its SS22 offerings with a glitzy runway in Sydney, with models Victoria Lee, Tom Derickx, Magnolia Maymuru, Nathan McGuire and special guest Fernanda Ly walking in the show.
Read on to find out what we’ll be wearing this summer.
Elevated Minimalism
You’d have to be living under a rock not to spot the minimalism style dominating TikTok, Pinterest, and every well-dressed woman in your office. Call it the rich girl aesthetic or the clean girl aesthetic — they’re basically the same thing — but elevated minimalism is all about taking a well cut pair of jeans, an oversized blazer, and throwing on some subtle gold earrings or chic chunky loafers to make your everyday look feel a million dollars. (See also: creating a capsule wardrobe.)
“All of that relaxed suiting, oversized shirting, knitted tops, dresses [fit into this trend],” Bridget Veals, David Jones’ general manager of womenswear, footwear and accessories, tells marie claire Australia. “I think people just like how relaxed and clean it is, it’s so easy to wear. Nothing’s restrictive.”
Want to take it to the next level? Add a vest.
Brands to know: Camilla and Marc, CLEA, Bec and Bridge, Frankie Shop.
After Party
Post lockdowns, we’re all about getting glammed up to go out. Is it the vibe shift? Is it two years of pent up energy? Indie sleaze? Whatever it is, we’re grabbing a dirty martini and heading to the dance floor.
“We’ve seen a phenomenal response to people going out again,” Veals says. “So she’s absolutely dressing up – this trend is all about volume, graphic prints, high shine fabrics, textures, embellishments, heels and glitter.”
Brands to know: Acler, L’Idee, MATICEVSKI
Summer Soiree
The antithesis of indie sleeze is the summer soiree. Think: Dior Beauty’s garden pop-up in Sydney earlier this year. It’s bright, elegant, definitely conducted in the sunshine hours.
“It certainly fits into our Australian lifestyle,” Veals says. “it’s all feminine prints, floaty silhouettes, the yellows that have been really strong already, oranges, fuschia pink [thanks, Valentino] – which we know is huge – and lilac.”
Brands: Aje, Leo Lin, Acler, Love Shack Fancy, Alemais
Subtle Alert
Will our obsession with the 90s ever die? Not while we’re sharing old pics of Jennifer Aniston and Gwyneth Paltrow it won’t. This era of 90s obsession is all about the slip dress, an eternal wardrobe staple.
Veals says we’ll be seeing lots of cut outs and lots of sheers. Layer them for an ever so slightly more conservative look, or go balls to the wall à la Florence Pugh.
Colour-wise, it’s a neutral palette, some metallic, and “obviously lots of black”. Sold.
Brands: Be + Bridge, Reformation, Atoir