Wearable trends, capsule collections and timeless pieces

Last week I had the pleasure of being part of the Opera Lane Spring Style Preview event which took place in the gorgeous surrounds of the Grill Room at the River Lee Hotel.

Personal shopper Breeda O’Connell and I focused on four key trends for the season ahead and while I curated capsule collections for each trend, Breeda then showed us how to make the trends super wearable for every day.

While we do break things down into trends, I do think it’s important to develop your own sense of style and if you shop smart you can build up your capsule wardrobe and you’ll only need to add a few key items each season. Fashion is so circular so we do see very similar trends appearing year after year. With such a variety on offer, there is something for everyone's sartorial taste from boho to pastels, denim to feminine tailoring with some animal print thrown in for good measure.

We all remember the Sienna Miller boho glory days and she's still rocking the look albeit in a more grown up way. Think silky slip dresses with oversized moto leather jackets and boots or oversized blazers worn over lace skirts or trousers. It’s a little bit of a sexier, tougher version of boho.

There’s also the more traditional boho looks around with H&M doing a gorgeous buttermilk version of the gauzy frills we saw on the Chloe runway. The colour palette is quite neutral with creams, browns and olive greens and pops of orange and turquoise accessories.

When it comes to colour trends, pastels are a huge spring story. Powder pink, ice blue, buttercream and pistachio are everywhere and if you don’t fancy a full on pastel look, it’s actually quite easy to add it to your wardrobe and will in fact transition it easily into the new season.

If you invested in some brown pieces for autumn winter, then you are in luck because brown works so well with all these pastels. Make brown the base and then add a pastel piece, change brown for white or cream come the summer months.

Of course it wouldn’t be a spring trend collection without mentioning denim. Like it or loath it, the Canadian tuxedo AKA double denim is a trend that’s back with a bang and I for one am very much here for it. Break up the denim with a great belt and a silk or bandana scarf tied around the neck. I particularly like a pop of red but go for blues to keep it tonal.

I also like how the darker washes are sticking around for spring whereas traditionally it would be lighter washes and the darker washes are a little bit more structured and dressier.

Feminine tailoring is another big trend for spring summer ‘25 and I feel like suiting and co-ords are now a part of our everyday wardrobe, with more casual styles overtaking the more traditional workwear suiting.

The looks are a bit more oversized, I love an oversized blazer but belted to give shape and a cinched in waist. We are also seeing more flowy, loose and breathable fabrics like linen giving a more relaxed feel and if there’s an item you need to invest in, it’s a linen waistcoat. Layer with blazers, wear with matching trousers or style over slip skirts or jeans.

Animal print of course is a constant now in fashion but make the look more low key and pair elements of each of these trends with animal print accessories. Why not try a buttermilk dress and a leopard print bag or a pistachio co-ord and some snakeskin sandals?