The Happy 50: The Items That Have Made Me Love Fashion Again
There are certain words that you'll find in almost any fashion story. However, I hadn't heard the word "joy" used to describe clothes until 2020 when designers really examined our emotional connection with what we wear. Clothes not only reflect our mood but also impact it. So for spring/summer 2021, designers from Versace to Molly Goddard used clothes to project a positive outlook.
Michael Halpern used feathers, sequins and exaggerated silhouettes to create some of the happiest clothes you could imagine, which he explained to Vogue at the time: "Fashion should prop people up and give people a break, especially when they've been having such a terrible time." This joviality was shown in many different ways, but in its S/S 21 presentation, Net-a-Porter explained the overall theme: "We saw a sea of bold, bright colours in a multitude of fabrics and textures."
In a month when many are reuniting with friends for the first time and the country begins to reopen, we are keen to reflect this joyful mood in our stories and outfits. So we have introduced the Happy 50—a guide to the brightest, jolliest and funnest items for spring that will make you and everyone around you smile. Below, you'll find a lot of colour, prints, some old treasures, some new finds and even items you can rent for a weekend for as little as £27.
The best use of colour.
You can't help but smile at the colour yellow.
I couldn't help but include another pair of daisy shoes.
If you can't go to the beach, bring the beach to your outfit.
Suzanne Kalan's rainbow jewellery is so beautiful.
Next up, see our guide to the key trends for spring/summer 2021.
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