Fashion156 playing with pastels

Painting with pastels...Image from Fashion156 editorial. Flower Cap, Shirt and Jacket by Satyenkumar. Pink Bow Tie by Made with Hands painted by stylist.

After waking up to yet another grey and damp Monday morning in London, I have sought comfort yet again in a cup of tea (strong, milk with one sugar) and the latest editorial over on Fashion156. In my opinion there is nothing online half as good as the editorials showcased on this site and I was not disappointed by the Pastels issue, which once again showcases emerging design talent with established names.

I for one am fed up with all this grey and am chomping at the bit for some warm sunshine! The latest shots transport me back to the seaside and pressing my chubby cheeked face against the windows of Italian owned ice cream parlours. When most people think of pastels they are reminded of afternoons spent at nursery school creating a masterpiece to grace the outside of their fridge whilst getting more pastel chalk on themselves as opposed to the paper in front of them. For me, all of these memories have been diluted with thoughts of food, either the windows of Parisian patisseries with a mouth watering selection of macaroons or the equally salivating inducing sight of tubs of interestingly flavoured ice cream.

My favourite look...Pink Check Jacket and Trousers all by Jaiden RvA James

Pastels offer the perfect Spring colour palette but more often than not they are worn in a tired and uninteresting way. Here, Guy Hipwell has played with pastel shades and used plaids, polka dots, florals and textured accessories to breathe fresh life into this Spring palette. My favourite look of all is the one directly above which features a whole look by Jaiden rVa James. For their Spring Summer 09 collection they traded in lace and the subdued colours of previous seasons for gingham and spring pastels and have certainly captured my imagination in the process. The shirts and jackets are decked out in gingham and adorned with oversized pockets in soft pastel shades. These pieces are complimented by below the knee shorts with a hint of gingham, and solid, pleated high-waisted trousers. This is adventurous Spring Pastel dressing.

Pastel Polka Dot Gang...Spotty Cardigan by Ground Zero, t-shirt by Carola Euler, jeans by American Apparel

If you were in any doubt before, this editorial confirms that pastels offer are a wonderfully Spring friendly colour palette and can be embraced wholeheartedly with pastel blue tailoring or delicately integrated into everyday style in the form of accessories and footwear (the Kurt Geiger and Grenson collaboration springs to mind).

Pale Pink Cardigan by Martin Margiela, check shirt by Marc by Marc Jacobs, pink bow tie by Made with Hands painted by stylist.

As I said over on the featured MAN article on Fashion156...If you are half as fed up with wearing dark ensembles as I am, it is time to embrace the coming season and the patisserie-like selection of pastel shades on offer...right after devouring a macaroon or two...unfortunately, it is a little too cold right now to take on a double scoop of pistachio ice cream...