Now that summer is in full swing and the temperatures seem to be rising non-stop, I crave shorter, looser and breezy pieces in lighter colors. Misha Nonoo’s spring 2015 ready-to-wear collection embodies all this and more. Besides the continuous reinforcement that loose fitting clothing is always a good idea, the collection featured a lovely array of colors. Colors ranged from whites and purples to bronzes and sky blues. Every single piece had the effortless “I woke up like this” feel. As someone who is instantly enamored by any clothing that seems to “flow” or “glide,” Nonoo’s collection was an instant love at first sight.
Challenging myself, I chose this flowing, white, pleated dress as my canvas. I find myself feeling overly conscious when I wear white because stains are difficult to conceal and I’m just too much of a color lover to wear white alone. However, white comes with many advantages because you can match it up with any color without fear of making a faux pas. You can build it up or wear it as is.
Although I love the airiness this dress exudes, I felt it was too plain and “graduation like.” I decided to add a dose of color using my ankara (African print) vest and played off the pink and violet palette. The vest and the double collar situation added an air of formality and girlishness giving the ensemble more versatility in the sense that this outfit can pass for both a fashion job interview or a daytime cocktail party: a balance of flirty and formal. I added more structure with a black waist belt and finished the look off with black strapped platforms.
I admit that white can be pretty tricky because unlike black, because it highlights instead of conceals. If you’re weary of pulling an all white look, you can chose to limit it to the top or bottom and throw in a colored piece to contrast (ie a red blouse and white trousers). Flowing dresses are also a safe and effortless option, especially for those long, summer days.
Get My Look: 1. White pleated dress. 2. Print vest. 3. Black waist belt. 4. Black strap sandals.
