Stick to one eye-popping shade balanced with cool, crisp white staples, says the Contributing Fashion Editor
Words and Styling Nini Khatiblou
Photography David Nyanzi
Dress, ANGEL CHEN at URBAN OUTFITTERS
Trainers, NIKE at SCHUH
Earrings, MYIA BONNER at WOLF & BADGER
Water bottle, KLEAN KANETEEN at URBAN OUTFITTERS
Sunglasses, SKINNY DIP
A bright colour trend for spring-summer may not feel like ground-breaking stuff, but with a new wave of neon about to hit us, now’s a good time to assess your style strategy before you find yourself resembling a highlighter pen. If, like me, you tend to shy away from shades of a louder variety, I suggest sticking to one colour and toning it down with easy-to-wear whites and greys. As luck would have it, sportswear is also trending in a big way this month, and the two combined are a match made in sartorial heaven.
I started my search for the perfect neon outfit with mild panic at the thought of having to turn my back on fail-safe black, but as soon as I set my eyes on this slinky dress from Angel Chen, thoughts of understated neutrals became a distant memory. This dress ticks every box; the cut and design is beyond flattering, the fabric feels super luxe, and small details such as the drawstring hood and ruching give the outfit a relaxed, casual feel. A one-piece also minimises styling conundrums – all this dress needs is a pair of must-have gold hoops and it’s good to go.
On the subject of my favourite accessory of all, sunglasses, it was love at first sight when I came across these heart-shaped beauties by Skinny Dip. As a brand I associate with phone and laptop covers, I’m blown away by their range of non-tech accessories, which are super affordable and up there with the best I’ve seen on the high-street.
The most obvious shoe for this outfit is a trainer, and quite frankly any outfit requiring a trainer wins a special place in my heart. With so many on the market to choose from, I always find myself going back to Schuh for the best edit. This Nike pair with its girly pink tick ties everything together nicely and will no doubt make multiple reappearances with jeans, dresses, cut-off shorts and more.
Finally, whilst perusing the new Urban Outfitters collection, I couldn’t help but notice their extensive range of water bottles. Available in a rainbow of colours, these nifty little flasks by Kleen Kanteen are not only better for the environment, but also handy for keeping you hydrated throughout the day. I’m fairly certain they’d keep a gin and tonic chilled too… what’s not to love?
NINI’S PICKS
NINI KHATIBLOU
Fashion Editor and Stylist
Nini is a London-based stylist and Contributing Fashion Editor at PHOENIX. With over 10 years experience working on the UK’s biggest-selling magazines, she currently splits her time between styling celebrity and fashion shoots for PHOENIX and working with a host of commercial brands in a consultancy and styling framework to create some of the biggest ad campaigns on the market.