Neon Vs. Pastel

(Neon VS. Pastel Feature))

((HEADER)) Spring/ Summer 2019s Hottest Trend Includes Two Colour Combinations Straight Out of Any Vintage Movie

((STANDFIRST)) A rundown of this season’s most popular colour tones, where they come from, where they’ve been seen recently and how you can style them.

((BODY COPY))

The thought of Spring is usually accompanied with a vivid mental image of warm pastels and an Easter egg, or two. However, this season, it’s all about two colour extremes: neon and pastel. Surely that mental image in itself is enough to send your brain into colour overdrive or possibly make your wildest 80s dreams come true.

But don’t worry, whether you’re into it or not, you’re going to end up feeling at least inspired by it.

The 1970s were accompanied by a lot of neutral shades when it came to fashion trends. There was no surprise when the following decade showed a complete revolt against these tones as the 80s were all about bright neons. Classic John Hughes movies such as: Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club included teenagers wearing neon coloured clothes which really resonated with their young audience as they brought a sense of innocence and youth. Athletic wear was also sold in bright colours which gave the neon shade even more diffusion due to the athletic craze that accompanied this era.

Pastels first emerged in the 18th century and have truly never left. They’ve had trendier periods than others like the 1920s with F. Scott Fitzgerald’s beautiful pastel imagery in The Great Gatsby, and again during the Art Deco period finally coming back in the 1940s due to the feelings of serenity and relaxation that they brought post World War 2. Pastels have thrived all throughout history but they have recently made a huge comeback in 2016 when the infamous shades of pastel pink and blue, called Rose Quartz and Serenity, were named Pantone’s colours of the year and even since they have been seen everywhere, especially during this time of year.

Neons and pastels dominated this season’s runways from New York to Paris. In New York, Prabal Gurung and Brandon Maxwell debuted a neon array from colour blocked pink, purple, and green skirts to a bright yellow jumpsuit. In Paris, Schiaparelli introduced warm pastel pinks, and purples with bright accents of blues and yellows in its Couture week show. For their Ready-to-Wear SS 2019 collection, Louis Vuitton brought a full display of 80s inspired silhouettes with some pastel and neon tones. “Seeing how much coverage these colour ways are getting has really inspired me to step outside my usual colour tones, I’m currently working on a collection that is going to include complimentary neon and pastel hues on a neutral coloured base,” comments Atal Designs designer, Arielle Tal.

Shortly after, these colour ways appeared everywhere from Instagram to street style, making it clear that these trends are here to stay. “I’m a massive fan of neon right now, especially bright yellows. You can wear it with denim or pastel colours,’” comments stylist Vanessa Davinia. This colour combination is not only fun, it is daring and bold. Everything to take your style to the next level whether you need a quick pop of colour or a bold first date outfit.

Taking some inspiration from the 80s or even the 60s, you could pair these colours with a neutral shade like: brown, grey, white, or black in order to keep a subtle balance when going to work or if you’re not fully ready to take the trend all the way. For Spring and Summer, you could totally rock these shades all together with a neon green turtleneck and pastel pink suit or you could always pair it the other way around! The most important thing is to make sure you stick to what makes you feel comfortable and confident. Regardless of the pairing, don’t be afraid to try 2019’s hottest and most versatile trend.

-ENDS-

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