Dion Lee meets Dolce & Gabbana

London has been teasing us lately. The days are lighter and so is our outerwear as all of us wonder; has spring really sprung in the capital?

It’s amazing the difference a few rays can make. All of a sudden the streets of London are filled with stylish butterflies, it’s as if they have emerged from their cashmere cocoons ready to spread their wings in the latest SS17 trends.

One of the SS17 trends that I was the most excited to wear when the weather permitted was all about a play on pinstripes. On the runway designers warped and played with them, quite literally transforming a print that’s typically reserved strictly for suiting, into off-the shoulder and ruffle accented blouses that ooze femininity.

My flirtation with the playful pinstripe trend comes courtesy of designer Dion Lee. This blouse nails two of this season’s hottest trends – shoulder-baring silhouettes and poplin pinstripes. Its feminine but still bold given the asymmetric hem. I opted to highlight the cut of this top by wearing it over a black turtleneck and dark pants. Dion Lee is celebrated for his architectural approach to clothing so highlighting that by layering dark pieces underneath worked well with this outfit and the weather. In the early days of spring, rather than throwing on a light jacket try layering pieces underneath your outfit, this is an easy way to update your look while still dressing appropriately for the weather.

In the summer you could wear this top with distressed denim or jean shorts, however given that the weather is only just double digits I paired my pinstripe blouse with pants that also boast a pinstripe. These Dolce & Gabbana wool and silk-blend pants are as comfortable as leggings but given the excellent cut and tailoring they feel (and look) anything but sloppy. The sides of the leg are trimmed with yellow satin piping which is a detail I love and paired with a classic black sandal (you can’t go wrong with Gianvitto Rossi) the pants look sophisticated despite the fact that they are woven.

So when the weather feels warmer, layer less and play with some pinstripes!