Dunnes in mood for spring with pale pastels

SPRING means colour, a point put across successfully by Dunnes Stores at its fashion show, which was held in Fitzers Cafe, in…

SPRING means colour, a point put across successfully by Dunnes Stores at its fashion show, which was held in Fitzers Cafe, in the RDS.

And while men were not excluded, naturally women are the ones who will be able to move, as their mood dictates, from navy and white, that old spring favourite, into the paler and brighter colours of the season.

In fact, men only really get going with colour in casual check shirts and a newly launched "West Pier", sportswear collection, a well coordinated look which takes on the reds, yellows and blues.

So navy and white is back again, and looking good in the new, curvy sheath dresses, and fitted suits, working well in spots and pinstripes, an austere jacket softened by a soft, full skirt, either long or short.

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But the big change, and the big challenge is getting used to the very pale pastels, the apple greens and apricots.

Difficult colours that look attractive in waffle cotton check jackets (£35) and plain coloured sheath dresses (£25). There is a coordinated group in Cupro, a fabric that is like a heavy washed silk which, in ice blue and pale green, gives a feeling of luxury, though a jacket is only £60, and a shift dress £30.

Men and women join forces for sporty weekends, with men wearing navy with burnt orange, or red and white, with a new, fleece lined, cotton jacket (£25) that should prove to be popular. For women it could be classic navy and white cable knits (from £18 £20), a sporty looking twill jacket (£20), and the very fashionable white jeans.

Dunnes Stores has high fashion fitted suits in sugar almond colours, city suits in smart navy for women, and charcoal for men, whose clothes are often in linen or linen mixes. There is plenty that is sporty for both, and even something out and out romantic for the pretty Women only for that one.