The Style Files - Don’t sing the blues, wear them!

Perhaps I’m impaling myself on my pen when I write that I love blue with a passion and depth that can only be matched by my love for Royce’s chocolates which incidentally also come in blue packaging. (For anyone taking me literally I’m not a technological dinosaur, I do use a laptop!).

Living on an island we’re blessed with all these magnificent aqua hued tones of the ocean, the skies that are the purest baby blue at dawn evolving into deeper shades as the day goes on, the multitude of peacock blue, sapphire, French navy, cerulean, porcelain the list is endless. It’s universally perfect, multipurpose and is much adored as was evident in most, if not all major designer collections for SS14 and AW14.

Any well edited wardrobe should house a few classics in Navy and there is something quite exciting about the siren song of unabashed, unrestrained and unequivocally bold injection of the brighter hues of blue into your aesthetic.

Mixing a couple of different shades of blue into an outfit will give you instant fashion forwardness. Navy, periwinkle and cobalt work beautifully or colour block with navy and vivid orange for modern refinement. An intense blue, like a powerful cobalt can be softened by partnering it with a touch of black if wearing it monotone. In case it wasn’t evident my personal favourite blue, navy, has become my go to colour, forget the LBD try the LND (Little Navy Dress).  Eight of the Pantone top colours for the season were shades of blue, which tells you that it’s here to stay.

A perennial favourite amoung men, I can think of nothing more dashing than a man in a blue shirt, French, baby blue and navy being the best choices. Steer clear of cerulean or anything in the electric blue family!

Get ready to feel the dominance of a sea of blue as this trend sets in and don’t be afraid to commit to it. The beauty of blue is that it can be vibrant or subtle and there’s always a shade to match your mood.

By Minoli Ratnayake