SPRING CLEAN YOUR WARDROBE WITH FRESH IDEAS FROM BRISTOL’S CITY CENTRE SHOPPING AREA

Monday, 21st March 2011

Spring is a time for fresh starts and clear-outs, making it the perfect season to declutter your wardrobe and be inspired by the latest fashion trends.
Finding a new seasonal style in Bristol’s city centre retail area, which features over 500 stores, will leave shoppers spoilt for choice. A combination of popular high street names and designer brands, including signature stores Harvey Nichols and House of Fraser, confirms the city’s status as style capital of the South West. Retailers in Bristol have unveiled how shoppers in the city can find new style inspiration and raise the fashion stakes this spring.

High street trends
House of Fraser in Cabot Circus is celebrating the confident and upbeat mood of the season with a clothing collection that embraces spring’s hottest trends. Introducing plenty of white, a must-have colour for the season, House of Fraser’s latest clothing range combines crochet details, intricate embellishment and lace to create a delicate and feminine look. 
For a sharper take on this trend, an easy-to-wear crisp, cotton boyfriend shirt in white will exude instant sophistication and elegance.
Intense blues are also leading the spring colour trends. From rich ocean tones to vivid cobalt and cool navy, true blues teamed with a clean palette of tonal whites will create a relaxed, refined style with a nautical influence. In contrast, bold, vibrant prints in a confident colour palette of bright greens and tropical corals will feature highly in spring and summer. 

For men, spring fashion takes on a ‘less is more’ approach to contemporary style with classic colours and crisp fabrics for a light and easy feel. House of Fraser has introduced soft leather jackets as a hot seasonal trend, along with crumpled linen double-breasted blazers and utility shirting in natural tones. 

TK Maxx in The Galleries shopping centre has a range of spring trends with up to 60% off the recommended retail price. TKMaxx’s buyers travel the globe in order to bring home the hottest trends for spring at a fraction of the recommended price. With pretty feminine shapes, beautiful embellishments and layers of lace, now is the time to pack away dark coloured coats and brighten up with this seasons fresh colour schemes, including nudes and pastels
Denim plays a key role in fashion this spring. The iconic American trend that never fades is continually being updated, and this season sees a new wide leg, high waist jean offering a modern interpretation of the 70s influence. Gap, found in The Galleries shopping centre, has designed a style of wide leg jean to create a longer leg effect that will look flattering when teamed up with a pair of heels and a feminine blouse. The Gap denim collection for men has also been updated this spring with a new boot-cut style and new washes in both slim and straight fits.

Accessories and shoes
Every style this spring will feature accessories in hot seasonal colours. Fashion experts at designer clothing store Garment Quarter on Penn Street are highlighting dazzling bright colours, particularly jewel tones and fluorescents, as a key trend this season. Chris Atkinson, Store Manager at Garment Quarter says: “This trend can be seen throughout the latest range of bags by Vivienne Westwood who has introduced an incredible splash of colour to her spring product line.
“Popular fashion brand Comme des Garcons is also making the most of vibrant fluorescent palettes with the launch of its new limited edition Super Fluoro accessories collection.”
Further along Penn Street at Ollie and Nic, a Delicious Apple Bag in rosy red with brown leather straps will add a fresh twist to the season. Featuring basket weave with cotton lining, this fun accessory can be worn across the body to add vibrancy against a crisp white shirt, or carried by the grab handle for a more quirky, playful look.
Accessories in neutral tones are featured heavily this spring. Harvey Nichols in Quakers Friars has a collection of shoes and handbags in natural shades, including Yves Saint Lauren tribtoo platform pumps and a French Grain satchel by DKNY, designed to create understated chic and simplicity. Monsoon also brings neutral tones to its spring collection, showcasing rafia peep toe shoes in tan which is expected to become a wardrobe staple this season.

Fashion for kids
To keep children up-to-date with the latest fashion trends, Eskimo Kids on Penn Street has launched a new spring collection featuring clothing items in fashionable navy and white. Included in the range is a polka dot rain jacket for girls, by Spanish designer label Mayoral which has also designed a checked cotton shirt for boys and a light cotton dress in navy and white, perfect for outdoor tea parties. As the official stockist in Bristol city centre of popular footwear brand Start-rite, Eskimo Kids has a range of children’s shoes in this season’s colours that are both practical and eye-catching.

Declutter
If it hasn’t been worn for six months, it’s time to move on. This is the general advice offered by fashion experts when it comes to spring-cleaning wardrobes. However, it’s what to do with the unwanted items that can really make a difference. Bristol’s city centre shopping area is home to two charity shops on Bond St, St Peter’s Hospice and Tenovus, and both stores welcome unwanted clothes and accessories to help raise funds for their respective charities.

Bag up any shoes, clothes and accessories and donate a sack of unwanted goods to be used for a worthy cause. Fashion trends are often recycled over the years, so it’s possible to find a second-hand item this spring that meets the seasonal trend criteria. Look out for intense blues, crisp whites, 70s-style denim, vivid greens, bold prints and soft leather jackets when sifting through the charity shop rails and there’ll likely be an item of clothing bang on trend with a bargain price tag!

Visitors can spring clean their wardrobe with a weekend shopping trip to Bristol and enjoy upcoming fashion events and shopping accommodation packages. For a full list of Bristol shopping options, seasonal activities and to book a Bristol shopping holiday, log on to www.VisitBristol.co.uk. Visitors can also contact Bristol’s tourist information centre on 0906 711 2191 (calls charged at 50p per minute plus network extras) or email ticharbourside@destinationbristol.co.uk. 

Upcoming fashion events:

Fashion Footprints: Sustainable Approaches
Create Centre
Until 31 March

Ultimate Fashion Weekender
Cabot Circus
2-3 April

Shopping packages in Bristol:

Bristol Marriott Hotel City Centre
Dinner for 2 each night in hotel restaurant
Accommodation in a twin or double room
Breakfast for 2 in the hotel restaurant
Complimentary use of the hotel leisure club
£10 shopping voucher for Cabot Circus
Be sure that promotional code SHO appears in the Corporate/Promotional code box when making your online reservation.
2 Lower Castle Street, Bristol, BS1 3AD
Tel: +44 (0) 117 929 4281

The Bristol Hotel
Accommodation in a Deluxe room based on two people sharing
Full Breakfast
Dinner for two in River Grille with a glass of champagne on arrival
£20.00 gift voucher to spend in-store
Personal Shopping appointment
Make up consultation of your choice with complimentary tea or coffee on the Second Floor Bar.
To book simply choose 'Bristol' and 'The Bristol Hotel' in the hotel’s booking engine online.
Terms and conditions apply
Prince Street, Bristol BS1 4QF
Tel: +44 (0) 117 923 0333