IT’S finally August, which means spring is on its way – and the endless stream of European holiday porn on our Instagram feeds is slowing to a trickle.
One thing I have learnt this winter (aside from the multipurpose qualities of Scorpios in Mykonos, thanks guys), is that come summer, our wardrobes are ripe for a print remix.
If the past couple of summers have been all about the palm leaf, and tropical florals and birds, the inspiration for this season's hottest print trend comes from the greengrocer.
I'm calling it fruit punch, a juice-filled kingdom where the lemon is arguably the leader of the pack. Fruit prints are instant mood lifters – try wearing a cherry print skirt and feeling glum for more than an hour. But the trick is making them look casual cool, not too cutesy and infantile.
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Brands that have nailed the cheeky fruit look include Ganni, whose patchwork cherry t-shirt has been in my cart for months (by the time you read this it should be winging its way to my door) and of course Prada, which has re-released its banana print to a whole new audience of "ugly" shirt lovers who are prepared to pay $2000 for the privilege of looking like B1 or B2.
Fruit prints are also watercooler patterns, as in they start conversations. So before you visit fashion's vine this summer, take a moment to consider what messages your preferred print may be sending out in the world.
Lemons: The Toyota Corolla of the bunch, it's strong, reliable and safe enough not to turn any unwelcome heads. Try a wrap dress printed with tiny lemons that from a distance could be flowers or polka dots (another hot print for summer). This print also screams "Italian holiday", so seek out a one-piece swimsuit that can double as a bodysuit after dark.
Pineapples: Find me a Millennnial's apartment without a pineapple trinket and I'll eat a hefty dose of soursop. The most basic of the fruits, the spiky-topped Ananas comosus is the equivalent of a guy who works in finance, wears blue suits with tan shoes and has Freakonomics on his bedside table.
Peaches: Like Lebanese eggplants, the peach has been forever sexualised, especially since the release of the Oscar-winning film Call Me By Your Name, in which a peach is used – how do I phrase this? – as a sex toy. One for the bold and fearless. A great conversation starter for the singles among us.
Watermelon: As someone who is bound to a fructose-free diet, carrying a watermelon clutch is the closest I can get to the fruit (which is actually a close relative of the cucumber) without turning into a bloaty mess. Wear this one and tease out the Dirty Dancing tragics ("I carried a watermelon.").
Strawberries: Left the sushi place without chopsticks or soy sauce? Seek out the woman in your office wearing a strawberry skirt; she'll have an emergency kit (as well as all the reusable plastic bags for your after-work dash to Woolies).
Pomegranate: The Angelina Jolie of the fruit world, the pomegranate is confident, sexy and just a little bit bad. Regarded by the ancient Egyptians as a symbol of prosperity and ambition, it's the print for people hoping to reach a big goal for next year. So, who's coming to Mykonos with me?
- This story first appeared on the Brisbane Times.
