FASHION

How to nail the preppy-cool dress code this Spring

It's easier than you think!
Ralph Lauren

Hello sunshine! Time to plan your new Spring wardrobe. After being buried under dark layers all winter, the prospect of blue skies and packing away our coats has the marie claire fashion team all excited.

But while the runways leap from skater hoodies to geek chic, pyjama dressing to bohemian opulence, in real life we’re hooked on classics with a twist. 

We’ve been Pinning pics of Olivia Palermo clashing her stripes with florals, and vintage Lauren Hutton in those effortless button-downs and structured blazers she wore so well in the seventies. Grace Kelly with a sweater tossed nonchalantly over her shoulders always gets our vote, but we’re cribbing from contemporary street stylers too. Familiar blue-and-white shirting stripes are key – they’ve been given a modern makeover to reveal flattering flashes of skin. Meanwhile the chic take on boho means great quality fabrics, plaited leather accessories and bursts of cherry red colour. It’s all in the attitude, of course.

Call it preppy-cool. It’s that classic upstate Americana thing that’s instantly identifiable by the colours (blue, white, tan, ice-cream pastels, pop brights) and key silhouettes (the structured blazer, the polo shirt and button-down, the Capris, the flirty sundress). Now step it up a notch and embrace sharp cuts, energetic florals and upbeat tailoring. No one does it better than Polo Ralph Lauren.

For Spring/Summer ’16, the Polo Ralph Lauren Collection is “shaped by special pieces and statement accessories that express true individual style,” they say. That translates to a pleasing balance of bold, sophisticated and bright, with a definite edge.

Take, for example, the pairing of a floral shirt with a striped jacket and pants, pumped up even further via the addition of a matching floral bag. Or the layering of a classic Bengal striped shirt over a striped seersucker frock in the same blue-and-white colour-way.

Polo Ralph Lauren’s chic denim is simply brilliant this season, from an office-appropriate pencil skirt to a killer denim utility-styled jumpsuit. And we’re all lusting over a standout three-piece trouser suit in super-dark, indigo denim – think form-fitting blazer, leg-elongating flares and a waistcoat. These pieces make a statement worn together or become versatile separates you’ll live in on their own.

The final touch to put a Spring in your step? Ombré effect sandals with on-trend Lucite heels. 

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