7 WAYS TO WEAR PURPLE THIS SPRING AND BEYOND
For spring/summer 2024, purple reigned, with designers playing with lilacs and violets in both soft, sugary tones and ultra-saturated varieties, showing it can be more versatile than you may think.
Rich, jewel tones have long been associated with pomp and ceremony, as in ancient times natural purple dye was the most expensive and so it was a lavish display of grandeur for the upper classes. It is the color of the monarchy and has cloaked kings and queens for centuries. In Elizabethan times there were laws forbidding anyone except the queen’s inner circle to wear purple. It remains a powerful color for the royal family – the Princess of Wales recently wore a purple power suit to deliver a keynote speech.
It’s no coincidence then that this was Prince’s favourite color, as he often wore violet suits to feel regal on stage and was known as the “Purple One” due to the album and movie Purple Rain. The Pantone Color Institute even added a new color, Love Symbol #2, as a tribute to the late singer, in the same color as his Yamaha piano. Purple also became a color of self-expression, social change and the mystical world, and so there is no shortage of references for designers to pull from.
Pastels are always a key color trend every spring, and this year soft lilac was one of the most dominant colors across New York, London, Milan and Paris. “Pastels were key to the collections, but the standout shade among them was luscious lilac,” notes British Vogue in its 2024 color trends report. Some designers toned down the grand, regal heritage and styled it in a ’90s minimalist fashion, with ruched jersey and silk maxi dresses paired with simple pumps and blazers. Elsewhere, was a more vintage-coded, retro feeling, with purple satin pant suits and matching shirts that would impress David Bowie (another purple lover).
Purple looks commanding and impactful when worn head-to-toe, however, there are also ways of adding violet touches to your existing spring looks if you want a more subtle take on the look. Even those who usually swerve colors altogether might be surprised by how versatile it can be paired with an otherwise neutral wardrobe.
ADD SUBTLE TOUCHES OF PURPLE WITH A PRINT
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STYLING NOTES
This Retro Floral Swirl print is an easy way to add a touch of purple to your everyday staples, as it blends coral and purple hues on a cream backdrop. It pairs beautifully with either light or dark neutral separates, such as these wide-leg flared jeans.
WOW PURPLE DRESS
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STYLING NOTES
We all love a wear-everywhere summer dress and this year our design team has a thing for a purple wow dress. Whether you wear it to summer events or with white sandals at the weekend, a bold violet maxi dress will quickly become your favourite thing in your wardrobe. It is the small design details that make this maxi so special – the A-line silhouette, ruched puff sleeves and tiered skirt.
LAYERS OF LILAC WORN HEAD-TO-TOE
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STYLING NOTES
When it comes to streamlined, bulk-free layering, the easiest way to achieve this is by wearing one color head-to-toe. For spring, our design team has updated lots of our most-loved pieces in the same shade of dusty lilac, making it easy to create a layered, tonal look. If this is too much purple for you, you can always pair the tank top and shirt with jeans instead of lilac-tailored pants.
LILAC + DENIM
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STYLING NOTES
The soft lilac shade of this merino, cashmere and silk sweater goes perfectly with classic blue, slouchy denim. Add Fisherman Sandals and you have a throw-on outfit that will receive plenty of compliments.
A POP OF PURPLE WITH EVERYDAY STAPLES
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STYLING NOTES
Last year we were introduced to the “pop of red” styling trick, which involved adding one scarlet piece to an otherwise muted, classic outfit. Use the same approach with a pop of purple, whether that is a shirt, tank top or knit, styled with simple, everyday pieces. We particularly love how this violet shade looks with camel and rust tones.
LILAC TAILORING
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STYLING NOTES
This lilac pant suit is one of our favourite pieces from the spring collection. The sugary shade is counterbalanced with the structured tailoring. The proportions make it a fashion-forward take on a pant suit, with tapered, high-waisted pants and a cropped, boxy jacket.
PRINTED
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STYLING NOTES
One of the easier ways to wear purple is in a print, where it is the base color. This is one of our hero summer dresses for 2024 and the bespoke Shadow Berry print is a beautiful mix of purple and vibrant red. Add red shoes and you have the ideal outfit for summer weddings or garden parties.