Black or white; good or bad; day or night. Who's best?

For spring/summer 2013, the great battle between dark and light is again to be at the forefront of all our fashion brains (FYI, I know this isn't actually true but I watched Lord of the Rings last night and I'm all caught up in light/dark, good vs evil kind of stuff). 

For next season, the two opposing forces combine in a fresh and unifying fashion moment that is every inch the epitome of chic but is also electric and positively charming.

Black is moody, stirring, demanding, sophisticated, understated; white is angelic, pure, stark, sanitary and innocent.

The dynamic trend for contrast has been seen in sequin weaves at Marc Jacobs; enchanting dottiness at Chanel; laser-cut leather slices at Alexander Wang and soft, sumptuous silk knots at Céline.

Drawing on age old simplistic romanticism; Fifties Hollywood glamour and of course reminiscent of Sixties pop playfulness of geometric shapes, the tones are the same, however 2013's spring/summer has the freshness of being soft or mathematical, subtle or bold, but always easy über sophistication.

Black and white have that wonderful ability to create silhouettes; just think of the nostalgic and evocative quality of those simple 18th century profile images. Even when cliced and cut into amalgamations (Alexander Wang, Narcisco Rodriguez), we see the overall shape created; we're drawn to the idea of shapes through contrast.

Of course, Marc Jacobs also gave us white with claret and white with the nudest of nudes. Contrasts can be more than just black and white; the effect a little sportier or a trice more feminine. Because let's face it, we don't often think of black and white as spring/summer colours - navy and white, yes - black and white? Isn't that a bit, well not summery?

Marc Jacobs spring/summer 2013

Which is perhaps the genius of this trend.  

2012 was a year of dynamically changing contrasting seasons; weather of polar opposites that rained when it should have shined and was friggin' cold when it should have been sweltering. 

The contrast trend is surely an emphatic nod to exploring the power of opposites in unexpected, unpredictable times which is ultimately what makes it so super exciting.

v 

All things shiny

Cara, I can never spell her surname first time round, Delevingne is my girl crush of the moment so as you can imagine, I was as pleased as punch when she won the accolade of Model of the Year at the British Fashion Awards 2012 last month.

Miss Delevingne is wonderfully (and I'm not even sure I like this word) fierce. Her eyes, those brows, her fun clowning personality, her laissez-faire edgy style and did I mention those brows? 

CD looked pretty much perfect in Burberry's super-shiny metallic mint dress at the BFAs.
 

At the British Fashion Awards 2012

So stepping away from my slight obsession with the beautiful, goofy Delevingne, I want to talk metallics. 

Maybe it's because it's nearing Christmas and shiny things accord so well with sparkly gifts, frosty mornings and glittery Christmas trees but if there is any trend getting my jolly juices flowing, its metallics.

It's one of those that has transcended seasons and is still as relevant as it was during Spring/Summer and A/W last year when seen on the catwalks of Stella McCartney, Alexander Wang, Ralph Lauren, Rodarte and Burberry Prorsum.

The metallic trend has also been seen recently on BFA nominee Jourdan Dunn. Forget the idea that metallics look ostentatious; the new metallics have a softness and a luminescence that ooze sensuality and elegance. Burberry's golds are angelic not gaudy because they've toned down the yellow to fresher shades. 

Likewise with Cara's mint green dress; the colour evokes images of the galatic but the fabric bends to reveal darker tones, softening the electricity of the colour. 

And the only way wear metallics is to mattify everything else or at least one's makeup. The look has to be soft and minimal.

To a screening of A life of Pi, Freda Pinto wore a molten-gold Ralph Lauren gown that seemed to drip down Miss Pinto's body.

This season's metallics are warm, sensual and delightfully accessible.
This doesn't have to be a trend just for the model pack or Hollywood elite. I mean, hello... look at Cara's shoes. They look like angel's wings. Even if you don't fancy going head to toe, just a little metallic is enough to pack some serious on-trend punch.

So the point of metallics?

Unadulterated, unapologetic fashion fantasy. 

You can't wear metallics to the supermarket, to work, to your Grandmother's for Sunday roast. Metallics are to be seen, for unrivalled sumptuousness, for occasion, romance and to live, for just a little while, in a dream. Metallics are for when nothing else could possibly do.

And that's why this season I'm gladly appreciating a ll things shiny.

v