Spring 2020 Fashion Report

Spring is our favorite sartorial season. As the temperature rises, optimism blossoms. Hemlines relax, fabrics soften, and colors brighten. The world seems to widen with every chiffon tulip and cerulean shift. And we’re not alone in our love for the hues and styles of temperate weather. This season, designers celebrated with raging florals and whimsy taffeta. We decided to follow suit, focusing on three skippy spring trends: perky polkas, classy collars, and parakeet, the only shade of green you’ll need this season. Enjoy frivolously.

With nostalgia on the rise, old-school standbys are having a moment. So it’s about time that the polka dot made a comeback. Only this polka is not your mother’s evenly-spaced, impeccably spherical dot print. We’re talking elegant blobs with entropic grace and miniature specks with ditzy sophistication.

For a crash course on the polka dot renaissance, we studied Erdem’s spring catwalk. A midnight skirt suit with white baubles kicked off the runway. A cascading skirt juxtaposed the structured jacket, and polka dots enlivened the shape as a whole. From there, the polka devolved, morphing into floral microprints and geometric piping.

On the red carpet, Nicole Kidman donned an Armani Privé gown in a sleek black. The sheer layers revealed velvety polkas that added a hint of playfulness to the glamorous confection. And in the realm of three-dimensional polka dots, Florence Pugh wore a shimmering Prada gown with glittering sequins.

From solstice-esque circles to asymmetrical flowers, find a polka dot that rings true to you, and relish in the trompe l’oeil effect as you whirl and twirl.

For those obsessed with the frothy collars of Whistler portraits or the extravagant ruffs of Dutch paintings, this trend is a welcome throwback. But these nouveau renditions are far livelier — though just as tasteful — as their painterly counterparts. Vintage ruffles along the décolletage, as championed by Marc Jacobs, add a surge of drama and delicacy. (Textured wreaths and satin bows, anyone?)

Taking this trend for a spin, Kaitlyn Dever’s Dior Haute Couture number was a lesson in the beauty of restraint: a light mesh merely alluded to a ruff, an understated and elusive take on the classic collar. On a different note, Zendaya shone in a hot pink, leathery Tom Ford number with a slightly raised collar — a modern spin on this storied classic.

On the dance floor, make a statement with a gown that accentuates the neckline through intricate embroidery or a scalloped collar.

Somewhere between fern and forest, seafoam and shamrock, lies parakeet. Bouncy and bright, this youthful shade of green adds an exuberance and vitality to any look. Need proof? Look no further than Marni’s 2020 Spring/Summer ready-to-wear collection. The design house made the most of the aviary hue, splashing monochromatic poofs of pleather and flouncy foliage with the shade, proving that this color flatters every whimsical pattern and breezy silhouette.

Making the strongest argument for parakeet, Janet Mock radiated in a Valentino gown simple in cut and bold in color. The showstopper? Matching emerald gloves with rhinestone detailing. And going for a more figurative interpretation, Greta Gerwig’s Custom Alberta Ferretti Limited Edition pantsuit embodied a moodier, sultrier shade of parakeet.

Search for subtle parakeet accents in the form of a jeweled barrette or statement pair of heels. Or, shine in a ballroom gown that boldly embraces this vibrant viridian from your hairpins to your hemline.