A Case For White Being Spring's Fail-Safe Colour

No matter where in fashion history you look, white is a constant. Marilyn Monroe’s iconic white dress in 1955’s The Seven Year Itch paved the way for the seductive glamour of that era, while Studio 54 queen Bianca Jagger wore the colour at every turn, breathing new life into tailoring with her white YSL suit. The draped dress Princess Leia wore to fight battles of the galaxy? All white. And what did the Spice Girls wear to the 1998 Hollywood premiere of Spiceworld? Matching white suits, of course.

While there’s no doubting the impact of head-to-toe white – whether you’re emulating '70s bohemia, the disco dance floor, or '90s athleisure – there’s something so perfect about it for spring. Designers certainly agree; the catwalks of SS17 were awash with white, from Hermès’ belted palazzo pants to Burberry’s deconstructed shirts. There was ultra-feminine white tulle at Dior, while Lanvin showcased new-age trenches with sheer white sleeves. Loewe played with white mesh and Max Mara models strutted in icy '80s power suits.

Now our Instagram feeds are white hot, with fashion’s most switched-on seen in the (achromatic) colour of this spring. Click through to see our roundup of the best white get-ups.