No fashion week, be it New York, Paris, London or Milan was free from Spring/Summer 2010’s most sumptuous craze: flounces, sheer draping, beading, embellishment and lace adorned endless lust-worthy dresses in the whimsical shades du jour of nudes, beiges and pastels. These fairytale creations are enough to make even the most monochrome-clad minimalist squeal with excitement and run away giddily to the nearest dressing-up box. For us fickle fashion fans, what Elle has dubbed “the new glamour” provides our tired, winter wardrobes with an exciting departure from the prolonged reign of sleek bodycon numbers which have dominated runway and high-street alike.

However, for the timid few, for whom the words “pastel”, “flounce” and “satin” conjure up images of ill-advised eighties prom dresses and make them want to shrink back into the security of winter’s dark cable knits…fear not! This season’s prettiness does not mean channelling Charlotte York on acid. Saccharine sweetness is obsolete as this season’s ‘pretty’ equates to subtly sexy. The delicate colours are juxtaposed with racy details: with Givenchy offering us near-transparent drapes and Christopher Kane injecting some sex-appeal into his gingham smocked mini-dresses with the use of corset detailing and sheer panels. Fashion’s obsession with underwear as outerwear also continues, but with corseted dresses and slips in softer, neutral tones instead, allowing for a fresher, delicate but nonetheless unmistakably sultry look.

Valentino and Dior’s contribution to this whimsical trend seem to perfectly encapsulate the romantic mood, with cascading satins, ruffles and an abundance of embellishment. If still unconvinced and frills, flounces ruffles really aren’t for you, nod to the trend with muted shades of cream and ivory in clean, classic lines, as seen as Bottega Veneta and Michael Kors.

Click here to shop Christopher Kane, Givenchy

Words by Roisín Dervish-O'Kane. Images from Style.com.

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