NYFW Spring 2014 Runway Trend Report: Pastels

It’s becoming quite apparent that pastels in shades of pink, blue, purple, seafoam, and yellow are appearing left and right, from sportswear to evening wear! While some shades are of a more traditional palette, it tends to more often than not go one of two ways:  a dusty pastel, or infused with some lingering neon, but we have a feeling it’s all in the transition process and the brighter version soon 100% make its way out of fashion. Below you’ll find some great examples of how to wear and pair the shades from the past few days of spring 2014 collections.

[All images via MBFashionWeek.com]

Designer Custo Dalmau is known for his free spirited, colorful designs, and this season, refined things a bit with more subtle mixes of patterning, color, and texture. The filmy look above is grounded with some metallic weaving, but overall, the pink pastel shade rules the day (or night)!

Zac Posen

Sure to bring the drama and sophistication of couture to the New York runways, Posen’s dresses are nothing short of extraordinary, with this all-purple, draped with precision gown showing his deft hand at pieces that are definitely meant for evening, but also for ladies who aren’t necessarily A-List celebrities. This shade of pastel will look incredible against a variety of skin tones, pairing with darker purple shoes for effect (or you can always go lighter, like a nude pump, for instance).

Jenny Packham

Study pretty much everything about this look, and if you try your best to duplicate it, chances are you will look effortlessly elegant. Of note is the color combinations; a pale pink/peach, coupled with a vibrant, oxblood red, and then a cerulean blue top, trimmed in pearls as the only embellishment, is a masterpiece of styling. Build up toward these kind of combinations, but play close attention to the balance of shape and proportion, i.e. here we see a flowing multi-layered high-waisted skirt, tucked into a perfectly pressed, fitted but not too tight blouse that balances edge and femininity with verve.

[DKNY Spring 2014]

[Pamella Roland, Spring 2014]

And I almost forgot: pastels look AMAZING trimmed and paired with neutrals, especially black or white. It may be a bit ’90s, but I would think that it’s pretty much agreed that the decade’s styles are making a refined comeback, wouldn’t you?