Summer fashion guide: New hair colour trends and SS23 key fashion looks at Russell Eaton, John Lewis Leeds and Harveys of Halifax

In the wake of the pandemic, there is no place for off-duty uniforms. On the high street, John Lewis & Partners (which, earlier this year, declared the ubiquitous floral midi dress dead) is leading the way with a new style philosophy firmly focused on individuality, colour and versatility, with promoting strong, clean lines and colour groups with key wardrobe heroes plus vibrant and stand-out pieces to play with, so every customer can mix, match, experiment and create her own look (to help with this, the personal styling team at Leeds offers both in-store and online consultations, with absolutely no obligation to buy).

John Lewis’s new design director of Fashion, Queralt Ferrer, is championing relaxed separates, tailoring and statement silhouettes and prints. “This spring/summer ‘23 season we’ve refreshed our in-house ranges and branded collections to offer our customers something fresh and wardrobe updates to bring joy,” she told The Yorkshire Post. “Our customers are certainly ready to dress for warmer weather with mood-boosting dresses such as the Kin Poplin style and soft tailoring such as the John Lewis linen suit proving popular over the last few weeks.”

She added that, in the past year, 109 external fashion brands had joined the John Lewis stocked list, including Soeur, Nobody’s Child and Aubin & Wills, with more to come this year.

Colour is top of the agenda. Brights and citrus tones such as lemon and mandarin - even rich melon red - are a great place to start. Try teaming with strong shapes, such as balloon sleeves and oversized jackets.

Pinks are still in vogue, but pastel and Barbie candy tones take over from last year’s fuchsia. Cobalt blue is an unusual stand-out shade of the season, ideal for those in search of something sophisticated but eye-catching. Look out also for purple. Sunset ombre prints are emerging, too. This one might well be a grower so look out for patterns that play with red, orange, yellow and white. Shine is important - sequins, it seems, are for all seasons

Trouser suits and masculine tailored pieces in bold tones are the smart way to go for special occasions, with the advantage that the jacket and trousers can mix in with other separates to create several different looks.

At Harveys of Halifax, tailored looks are popular with customers this summer. “Slouchy oversized blazers, as seen on the runways at Chanel and Valentino, are easy to throw on to create that smart/casual look,” says fashions manager Rume Khanum, adding that cutaway styles are also being snapped up.

Brands including Fransa, French Connection, Joe Browns and Barbour are all offering bright colour options. Prints, too. Rume says: “We've seen a lot of florals this season, from dresses to skirts and shirts. Flower power is here to stay.”

Colour plays out on hair, too. Spearheaded by Yorkshire hairdresser Robert Eaton, who is creative director at Russell Eaton salons in Leeds and Barnsley, a ground-breaking new approach to colour and style allows hairdressers, working with their clients, to create bespoke, highly individual, signature looks.

Robert won British Hairdresser of the Year 2019 and 2021 and is now president of the Fellowship for British Hairdressing, championing emerging hairdressing talent and regional salons, while promoting the whole UK hair industry. As UK & Ireland technical director for Wella Professionals, he has created the Signature Naturals collection, which offers ways of working with all hair lengths and textures, using tones and techniques that suit the hair and the wearer.

“Signature Naturals is all about beautiful, healthy, shiny looking hair but with a pop of interesting colour - a bespoke colour that you might apply in panels to brighten or for something warmer, for example, using navy with brunette,” he says.

The looks achieved can be playful but sophisticated. “It’s not something you have to go into the salon to have maintained all the time, and you can expose it in ways that are really interesting. A classic bob, for example, could have veils of colour that break and shimmer underneath. You can wear it the classic way, in perfect condition and really shiny, and then you can switch it up and style it the other way to expose the hidden panels of colour that are underneath, and that way you get the best of both worlds.”

Robert and his team have worked on a shoot to showcase examples of what can be achieved using the Signature Naturals techniques and shades, for example, painting copper tones to highlight natural curls, using cashmere-inspired tones to add depth to blondes, and purple to add a flash of unexpected interest. Even the shortest crop can gain richness and a unique finish by using these techniques.

Robert says: “There is a movement towards embracing your natural hair texture, movement and curl, to bring out the best in your natural hair, rather than make it something that it is not meant to be.”

In terms of cut, there are a couple of blasts from the past emerging this year, including The Rachel, as in the haircut sported by Jennifer Aniston in US TV sitcom Friends. “She has transcended so many decades and people still ask for it now, but basically it is about shape and shape at the front,” says Robert. “For quite a long time it has all been quite blunt and heavy, whereas now there is a bit more layering.”

There is also a style called the Jellyfish haircut, very mullet-like, short on the crown with longer straggly bits (and I’m sure I’m not alone in hoping that one does not take off).

If you are thinking of making a drastic change to your hair, whether in terms of cut or colour or both, remember that your hairdresser is not a mind reader. Robert advises turning to a professional you know and trust, and taking pictures of what you like and also of what you don't like. “It’s important to give your hairdresser guidance and reference points as to what it is in your mind, and visuals are always the best way of doing that.”