As I live a not-so-glamorous life of jet setting between Vancouver and Montreal, my weather report usually calls for rain or snow. Even in summer, the perplexing Canadian weather usually forces me to layer on clothes that can be easily taken on or off according to the forecast. I unfortunately have no plans to go visit a tropical land any time soon. However, I didn’t let my lack of travelling plans keep me from experimenting with fun, tropical prints this week. Even though I can’t have any tropical weather this summer, I’m still going to dress like I do.
Many newly released resort Collections have been playing with whimsical tropical patterns. The resort 2016 Jenny Packham Collection featured a stunning assortment of tropical-themed dresses fit for any island princess. Packham, who usually sticks to basic neutrals or solids for evening wear, had several dresses with pastel hibiscus flowers. However, this look was anything by touristy. The Issey Miyake resort 2016 collection focused on several realistic tropical patterns. With leaf-inspired pants and floral jackets, this collection could get anyone in the mood for a destination vacation. The Karen Walker resort 2016 collection also had several tropical-inspired pieces that were, in my opinion, at bit more wearable for the typical Fashionista. This collection featured easy-to-wear patterns that I could personally see myself shopping and wearing without a second thought. If anything is for sure, designers are loving tropical print. It looks like this trend is going to be here for a while.
For my look, I went with a bold, tropical-print kimono. I love the airiness of kimonos for the summer time and the fact that they look great with any sort of bottoms. This kimono has a lot of beautiful colors that I could have picked from to use as the palette for the rest of my outfit. However, I decided to go for an all-black ensemble underneath so I could let the kimono do the talking. While it looks like a dress in the pictures, I’m actually wearing a separate black tank top and black bandage skirt. The black is a great contrast with the brightness of the kimono and gives it an edgy vibe that I love incorporating in all my outfits. On my feet I opted for a basic pair of black, pointed flats to compliment the black top and skirt in the outfit. Finally, I completed the look with several long, gold necklaces to give it an extra finishing touch.
This outfit is a super simple way to incorporate some fun, tropical patterns into your style. Pair a tropical print with some basics to keep you from looking over the top or like a wandering tourist. But most of all, make sure you have fun with your outfit. Just because the weather is dreary doesn’t mean you can’t dress like you’re on a Hawaiian vacation. Fashion is whatever you make of it.
Get My Look: 1. Tropical-print kimono. 2. Black body con dress. 3. Gold, layered necklaces.
