From haute gardening hats, to nettles dresses and sexy necklines, here are the trends that are coming for you for this spring/summer

Afraid of looking like a dunce when it comes to your fashion knowledge? We’ve created a cheat sheet for the new season.

Minimalism has gone eco

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Organic wool blazer, £680, vest, £210, and trousers, £460, by BITE. Trainers, £105, by Veja.



Styling: Melanie Wilkinson. Photography: David Newby. Hair: Chris Gatt using Bumble and bumble. Makeup: Delilah Blakeney using Nars. Stylist’s assistant: Peter Bevan. Model: Roz at Mrs Robinson

As sustainability edges into the mainstream, the idea that brands that care about the planet only make clothes out of itchy hemp or in wonky shapes is, thankfully, being toppled. It’s a misconception anyway, says Gabriela Hearst, pioneer of pared-back looks that also consider the planet: “It’s not the aesthetic point. It can be punk rock, it can be anything – it’s how it’s made that’s important.”

On the SS20 catwalks, Hearst showed double-breasted blazers made from fabrics that mixed linen with wool and silk, and cream suits made from pure linen – “An incredible material because it absorbs less water than cotton and you can eat the flaxseed.” Fellow sustainability pioneer Stella McCartney featured tailored suits in powder blue and oversized camel blazers, while young label BITE – which grew out of a perceived need for design-driven garments of a sustainable bent – offered organic waterproof trenchcoats, vegan blazers and organic wool tailored trousers. The idea, says designer Elliot Atkinson, is to “build a perennial wardrobe… not so much like a seasonal fashion wardrobe as a wardrobe that we evolve seasonally. We want it to be, dare I say it, anti-fashion.” EVB

Jurassic Park is chic

If the pie-crust collar whispers in hushed tones of its wearer’s high-brow credentials, the dilophosaurus neck is altogether more loud and proud, as seen at Christopher John Rogers, Christian Siriano and Giambattista Valli. EVB

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Dinosaur inspired necklines on the catwalk by Christopher John Rogers, Christian Siriano and Giambattista Valli

Gardening hats are haute

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Hat, from a selection, top, £210, and skirt, £295, all by Nanushka.



Styling: Melanie Wilkinson. Photography: David Newby. Hair: Chris Gatt using Bumble and bumble. Makeup: Delilah Blakeney using Nars. Stylist’s assistant: Peter Bevan. Model: Monique at Elite. Watering can: Graham & Green. Plants: Patch

A hat to wear while pruning back the hedges was once the preserve of specialist outdoor retailers but, as with so many recent trends that have made the transition from practical to fashionable – hiking boots, fleeces, technical fabrics – it follows that the hat of the summer should hold more than horticultural appeal.

At Christian Dior, straw hats came with rough scarecrow-style edges, while at Erdem brims were flat, fastened under the chin in statement bows. Jacquemus, known for huge straw hats better suited to beach than garden, this time opted for smaller, soft-brimmed versions, and Lanvin’s floppy hats came with a neck-shading flap, ideal for working on the allotment in the afternoon sun.

Hungarian label Nanushka also opted for straw bucket hats, made by Zsofia Vecsei of Vecsei Millinery, in its SS20 collection. As designer Sandra Sandor says: “The small brim makes it an easy-to-wear item, while the straw is light for summer. It is not only chic but functional.”

Straw hats, says Ruth Ravenscroft, creative director of London’s oldest hatters, Lock & Co, “conjure up images of women like Vita Sackville-West working and writing by a herbaceous border on a long summer day, or women working in the fields. They are romantic and nostalgic, referencing the past in a modern way.” LH

Wonky colour combinations are everywhere

Fashion is no stranger to unusual palettes, but this season splicing shades together was standard: see yellow dress with pink shawl at JW Anderson, red trousers with green jacket at Pyer Moss. Well, we do need cheering up, says colour theorist Marcie Cooperman: “When bad things are happening, wearing several colours together can make us feel better.” LH

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Louis Vuitton, JW Anderson, Pyer Moss are mixing up their colours this season

Silhouettes are bigger than ever

Facebook Twitter Pinterest It’s big, bigger and biggest at Balenciaga. Photograph: Victor Virgile/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

With outfits this spring, go big or go home. Balanciaga was a key perpetrator of designs that take up space, with dresses of Marie Antoinette-esque proportions featuring alongside wide-shoulder jackets. At Emilia Wickstead, thanks to oversized ruffles and flares, gowns were both long and wide – one ballooned from the shoulders down to the ankles. Oversized skirt hoops also featured on the catwalk at Thom Browne, alongside hip-widening panniers and Marge Simpson-style hair piled high.

According to Professor Carolyn Mair, author of The Psychology Of Fashion, there are many reasons why people choose to take up the space equivalent to that of a small car with their clothing. “It could be related to the desire to project a strong presence and attract attention, while simultaneously maintaining a greater personal space,” she explains. “Many animals do this when they want to keep predators at bay.”

These creations were not only big, they were also bright, with bold block-colouring and, at Christopher John Rogers, holographic materials – suggesting that, while many may follow the “modest” fashion blueprint, they are far from conventionally demure. LH

Wednesday Addams is your hairspo

Double plaits, as seen on the arachnid-loving child, Dorothy in The Wizard Of Oz and even Greta Thunberg, starred on the SS20 catwalks. Max Mara’s meant business, keeping hair out of suited models’ eyes; at Bora Aksu they were inspired by Persian princess Taj Saltaneh, “a trailblazer for women’s rights”. Guido Palau, who styled Dior’s, says plaits are “ageless, genderless and work with any culture”. EVB

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Plaits are where its at: Christina Ricci as Wednesday Addams in Addams Family Values, 1993. Photograph: Allstar/Paramount Pictures

Steaming is the new ironing

Steaming clothes has previously been the preserve of professionals, from dry cleaners to tailors and wardrobe assistants. This season, however, we are entering a second Steam Age, as the expert method of wrinkle removal goes mainstream.

In large part this is down to Swedish steaming brand Steamery, who have capitalised on the vogue for Scandinavian design, as well as our increasingly on-the-go lifestyles, with a range of chic handheld steamers (the one pictured here costs £110) in ergonomic designs and muted colours that turn a chore into something social media friendly. After all, no one ever Instagrams a pile of ironing.

At a time when both the industry and consumers are being urged to wash clothes less, steaming offers a gentle way of refreshing fabrics, as it also kills bacteria. Eco-conscious designer Stella McCartney has long been a fan of steaming her clothes – albeit by hanging them in a bathroom post-shower. LH

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Steam your clothes rather than washing them to help them last longer. Steamery steamers available from Liberty and other outlets. Photograph: David Newby/The Guardian

Environmental campaigner Natalie Fee can also see the advantages, in that steaming means “minimising the release of plastic microfibres into our environment, which happens when we put synthetic clothes in washing machines” – although she points out that, in terms of energy and water usage, steaming one garment at a time may have drawbacks.

“Keeping your clothes away from washing can help prolong their life, which is good for the environment,” says Steamery co-founder Frej Lewenhaupt. “If you have a favourite shirt, but you iron it regularly and force it to become smooth, eventually it will wear out and break. With steaming, you do not see that kind of damage.”

Tony Chung, cleaning expert at the Steam Room dry cleaners in east London, says there are other benefits. “The process is much quicker and easier,” he explains. “Steaming clothes is a good stopgap before they really need a clean.” No wonder so many fashion fans are going full steam ahead.

Sexy necklines are back

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Dress, £3,515, by Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello.



Styling: Melanie Wilkinson. Photography: David Newby. Hair: Chris Gatt using Bumble and bumble. Makeup: Delilah Blakeney using Nars. Stylist’s assistant: Peter Bevan. Model: Millie at Milk.

Fashion has been pretty buttoned up recently, fond of ruffles and polo necks. So it was notable to see a very different look emerge for SS20, a low-cut look with an architectural twist that would make Le Corbusier blush. Saint Laurent’s bandeau necks went wide as well as low, corset-style Versace tops dipped to the navel and Christopher Kane fell for the teardrop detail.

The simple explanation for this is the contrary nature of the industry. As Kimberly Chrisman-Campbell fashion historian and author of Worn on This Day, puts it, “the pendulum often swings from one extreme to the other: high-necked prairie dresses to plunging necklines.” While these latest reveal plenty of skin, their structural quality means many sit rigidly away from the body, in contract to the “softer” designs that might adhere to conventional notions of sexiness.

“They’re actually quite cerebral,” says Chrisman-Campbell. At Saint Laurent, as well as New York-based label Khaite, plunging suits dominated the catwalk for a look that was very “Bianca Jagger’s 1971 YSL wedding suit”. Necklines, then, might be bringing sexy back, but not as we know it. LH

Deadstock is fashion’s buzzword

Fashion’s latest big idea means unused fabric and unsold clothes being repurposed. For SS20, Marine Serre turned towels into a jumper, Givenchy remodelled denim and Ahluwalia Studio reformed jeans. It’s a new way of working, and urgently needed. To keep it going, says Alexandra Hackett of Studio ALCH, where deadstock is turned into streetwear looks, “designers and brands holding deadstock need to work together creatively”. Long may it continue. PE

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Shamed by the scandal of unsold clothes being burnt, the cutting edge of the fashion world is taking steps to ensure that all unsold stock gets reused. Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood, Ahluwalia Studio and Studio ALCH are leading the way.

Flip-flops are now fashion

“I love a flip-flop!” exclaimed Anna Wintour in an interview last year, and she’s not alone. This season, the humble sandal has morphed into elegant footwear – see Bauhaus rectangles at A.W.A.K.E. Mode and silky straps at Staud. As with all unlikely trends, not everyone is sold. But with the AW OK given, it might be time to flip-flop. PE

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Givenchy, Staud show and A.W.A.K.E. get their flips on this season

Green is the coolest colour

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Top and trousers by Craig Green. Similar pieces available at Matchesfashion.com



Styling: Melanie Wilkinson. Photography: David Newby. Hair: Chris Gatt using Bumble and bumble. Grooming: Delilah Blakeney using Simple. Stylist’s assistant: Peter Bevan. Model: Charlie at Models 1.

“It’s not easy being green,” Kermit the Frog once sang, wisely. Well, frog, that was the 70s and now green is everywhere. First there was the trend of “slime green”, worn by Billie Eilish as well as the likes of Bella Hadid and Chanel Iman. But if that was the wild, Instagram-friendly shade, the catwalk rendition was more varied and nuanced. Chipped jade and emerald added energy at the Christopher John Rogers show, while at Gucci tones veered from seaweed to parakeet. There was a silky avocado at Carolina Herrera and at Collina Strada green was rendered in Van Gogh-esque circles.

Buy why green and why now? According to Karen Haller, author of The Little Book Of Colour, it’s a calm colour. “Green provides a sense of balance and harmony in our lives,” she says. “Spending time in nature surrounded by green helps us to regain this equilibrium. We’re now bringing green into our clothes.” PE

Boilersuits are still hot

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Boilersuit, £1,795, by Roksanda.



Styling: Melanie Wilkinson. Photography: David Newby. Hair: Chris Gatt using Bumble and bumble. Makeup: Delilah Blakeney using Nars. Stylist’s assistant: Peter Bevan. Model: Ninon at Milk

We’re not saying you should purposely stain your outfit with grease, but this season’s boilersuits trend would be more forgiving than most of the odd bit of Castrol. A sibling to the jumpsuit, it may be a car mechanic’s favourite, but the long lines and “thrown on” look make it more sophisticated than many give it credit for.

At Rejina Pyo, the boilersuit came in relaxed cotton with contrasting linen print fabric; at Isabel Marant, Gigi Hadid wore one punctuated with practical poppers and tied with rope. Henry Holland brought pink leather to a workwear aesthetic, while at Roksanda, aluminium grey was worn over a white polo neck.

The history of boilersuits is intertwined with flying and factories, Bauhaus and Bowie. Reporter April O’Neil wore a yellow version in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, film director Derek Jarman gardened in a pink one and Booksmart’s swotty teen heroines wear matching suits to embark on the night of their lives.

It’s a look that proclaims practicality. “We live such busy lives, the boilersuit feels like a great easy option for everyday wear,” says Pyo, who lived in hers last summer.

It is the second world war’s Rosie the Riveter who perhaps left the biggest mark on our reading of the garment. So maybe it’s time to roll your sleeves up and think “ready to tackle a crankshaft” – but make it fashion. EVB

Carmela is your gold chain icon

SS20 sees the Return Of The Bling. Think Carmela Soprano, Bet Lynch, Run DMC. At Bottega Veneta, bold shapes were matched by fist-width necklaces; Ellery had zeros of gold clasped together; Sacai made chains the cherry on top of layered looks. An ideal piece to rummage for at vintage shops, should you want to cosplay Dynasty’s Krystle Carrington. PE

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Chunky gold chains in the Sacai show for Paris fashion week. Photograph: WWD/Rex/Shutterstock

You’re going to want a nettle dress

Forget the sting and grasp the nettle. Sustainable fashion pioneers Vin + Omi showcased a collection that incorporated not just any old nettles, but royal nettles harvested from Prince Charles’s Highgrove estate, while the stalks of Chinese nettles – better known as ramie – proved popular with labels including Etro, Zimmermann and Dôen. LH