Pretty in Pastel

Despite the up-and-down weather that Americans have been experiencing, spring is undoubtedly around the corner. A brief chill does not excuse the fact that trees are flowering and the calendar dictates that it is indeed springtime. Although the climate can be an inconvenience to those of us who enthusiastically fling on lightweight sundresses and open-toed shoes, there are more practical ways to celebrate spring without ignoring the temperature completely.
One of the easiest ways to compose a springlike outfit is with the use of pastels. I don't often abide by trends, and I generally abstain from writing trend-focused posts on Girl Loves Color, but today marks an exception. I've been particularly interested in pastels for some time now, seeing as we've experienced the lengthy stay of brights. Pastels are a wonderful way to incorporate the soft femininity of the spring shows and often an easier way to wear color rather than having to worry about the trouble of styling brights.

The spring shows presented a beautiful variety of takes on pastels, incorporated both into structured silhouettes and more relaxed fits. From classic high fashion brands to more contemporary lines, pastels were popular everywhere.

Left: Louis Vuitton

Right: 3.1 Phillip Lim

Left: Valentino

Right: Givenchy

Left: Chanel

Right: Hussein Chalayan

Left: Jason Wu

Right: Erdem

All images from style.com

I'm sure most will agree that pastels are easier to wear than brights, not specifically in terms of styling but rather they are simply less intimidating. However, these hues can be quite tricky to incorporate into outfits, despite their lesser intensity. I've put together two outfits centered around pastels in order to give you some inspiration.

Mango denim jacket, Topshop knit tank top, Jigsaw linen scarf, Current/Elliott pastel jeans, Sam Edelman wedges, Assad Mounser bracelet.

Pastel jeans are a great way to hop on the colored denim bandwagon. There are plenty of options available now, but I chose a yellow version for my example. Another plus to pastel jeans is that it makes doing double denim ridiculously easy. I've added a classic denim jacket for slight contrast against the sweetness of the pastel. White pairs easily with pastels, but a knit texture is more interesting. Lastly, a scarf and jewelry within the same color realm as the jeans add bright color and strappy wedges ground the look.

Burberry trench coat, American Vintage t-shirt, Antik Batik pants, Alexander McQueen bangle, Oasis wrap bracelet, Oscar de la Renta booties.
Outfits created using polyvore.com

Pastels are a gateway to creating an outfit around a single hue. Combining different shades of the same color is consistently chic. In my example, I've used green. A classic tan trench coat is perfect for spring weather and in combination with neutral accessories allows the focus to be on the green pieces. Lace-up booties add ruggedness to a sophisticated outfit but don't feel too undone. Simple bracelets add to the effortlessness without imposing on the streamlined effect of the uninterrupted green garb.

Although my heart undeniably belongs to bright colors and prints, I have discovered an admiration for the soft delicacy of pastels. I'm hoping to see a lot of these hues on the street and in upcoming designer collections. 

xoxo