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[title]It's finally time to say goodbye to all of those trackies, hoodies and loungewear sets that probably characterised your style throughout 2021. Lockdown is over, Melburnians are out and about and it's time to dress to impress. To ensure you fill your closet with pieces that are on-trend, we spoke to Melbourne stylist Coral Carretero about what you're likely to see on the streets, runways and magazine covers.
Carretero has always been passionate about fashion, but felt discouraged by limited opportunities in the industry when it came time to choose a career path after high school. Instead, she decided to study and work in engineering for several years, during which she also got married and started a family. Just after having her second baby and while she was still on parental leave, Carretero was made redundant at her job.
"I had two boys under two and no job, it was daunting," says Carretero. "I decided to see the positive side and made it into a life-changing opportunity."
That opportunity came in the form of finally pursuing her fashion dreams. She joined the Australian Style Institute, learned everything she could about styling and now works as an editorial and commercial stylist. Since embarking on this path, she's worked with brands like Gyre Swimwear, published editorial style spreads in publications like Prime Magazine and conducted campaign styling for places like St Collins Lane.
Here are Carretero's hot tips for what will be trendy in 2022.
Colours – and lots of them
"It's true that Melburnians like to wear black, but if you look a little closer, you'll see that even when they wear black, they like to add pops of colour. Now that spring has sprung and we've come out of lockdown, people want to wear all of the colours possible. They're paying attention to the runways of the world, and they've done a lot of colours, especially citrus tones like pale yellows and oranges. I've also seen a lot of bright greens and pinks."
For funky clothes with a modern twist that come in heaps of colours, Carretero recommends Lucy Folk.
Mixed patterns
"You'll see a lot of mixed patterns, like people wearing florals and checks or stripes together. Stripes of different shades and colours, not just the usual black and white, and patterns with a shine or sheen to them because we're out of lockdown and we want to shine. 2000s prints are also making a comeback, especially with psychedelic patterns."
For bold patterns and nostalgic prints, Carretero recommends Gorman, Ngali and Haus of Dizzy.
Big sleeves
"People want to be seen and to make a statement after hiding away during the lockdown. [The big sleeves] are all about saying we're back and ready to do this."
For tops with big, flowy sleeves in a range of beautiful neutral colours, Carretero recommends Joslin Studio in Brighton.
Baring skin
"Last summer it was all about Bermuda shorts, and this summer and spring it's going to be about short shorts and miniskirts. People are ready to show some skin after lockdown. You'll also see this with underwear as outerwear, like pairing a suit jacket with a gorgeous bra underneath."
For timeless blazers that you can pair with your favourite lacey lingerie, Carretero recommends Viktoria and Woods.
A 'less is more' approach to makeup
"We've all had so many months to look after our skin, so now it's all about beautiful, glowy and dewy skin and less about wearing a lot of makeup. That dewy look can also be paired with bright eyeshadows, like blues and corals. Overall, the theme is less is more, meaning more beautiful skin and less makeup with a pop of colour added."
Chunky shoes and accessories
"In 2020, the focus was on minimalism. Really small accessories rather than big, chunky pieces. Now we're seeing colourful and big bracelets, earrings, rings and necklaces make a comeback. This also goes for shoes, and you'll see a lot of platforms."
For chunky jewellery, Carretero recommends By Nye and Lucy Folk.