All Strapped In

Can you believe were warned about this over two years ago? 

As seasons came and went, leather harnesses have come in black or tan, then in nude, then khaki or burgundy, and next, they are going black or white again.

From Marios Schwab through Felder Felder to the high street, Topshop and Asos, you can find it everywhere. 

And BCBG Max Azria's spring/summer 2013 collection is proof enough that this micro trend is not going anywhere anytime soon, so brace yourself - or get yours.

THE CANDIDATES

Crazy For Colour Blocking

Since Earn Your Stripes, you know how I'm over the moon with the colour blocking revival, and how it's time to make a real statement. Here, I just wanted to take the opportunity to show you around the amazing high street choice, trying to guess just how much fun designers must have had while playing around with the trend.

My sub-categories are classic blocking, retro stripes, and the new block & stripe - for this latest group you get more colour clashes and more geometric variety, ending up in more op-art than ever before.

Just looking at all the shoes, dresses, tops and bags alone will get your own creative juices flowing, so go with it. No rules apply.

CLASSIC BLOCKING

  

                               New Look, £27                         Dorothy Perkins, £28

        Oasis, £55                          Miss Selfridge, £40           Topshop, £46

Topshop, £50

Zara, £25.99 to £35.99

          Dorothy Perkins, £25                              New Look, £18



Dorothy Perkins, £28



Zara, £25.99              Topshop, £18

Zara, £25.99

       KG by Kurt Geiger, £25                        Dorothy Perkins, £40

        Zara, £59.99                                          Dorothy Perkins, £40

  Sonia by Sonia Rykiel, £255                              Asos, £35 and £50

Topshop, £46

Dorothy Perkins, £42

Zara, £39.99

RETRO STRIPES

New Look, £15

Topshop, £36, £32, £29

Zara, £29.99

                Topshop, £30                        Dorothy Perkins, £26, £32

Zara, £29.99

Topshop, £28, £29                     Zara, £25.99

           Topshop, £18                      New Look,  £17            Topshop,  £18

            Asos, £50                                            Topshop,  £65

THE NEW & BLOCK STRIPE

            Zara, £29.99                    Dorothy Perkins, £40          Zara, £29.99

            Dorothy Perkins, £38         New Look, £35       Dorothy Perkins, £38

Dorothy Perkins, £35

Dorothy Perkins, £35

Zara, £22.99, £29.99, £29.99

      Zara, £22.99                            Zara, £29.99                    Zara, £22.99

Zara, £22.99

               New Look, £20                        Dorothy Perkins, £35, £42

Topshop, £50

                  Zara, £69.99               Zara, £49.99           Zara, £49.99

images: websites of brands as shown, except KG by Kurt Geiger and Sonia by Sonia Rykiel (asos.com) image 1: zara.com