H&M & Monki Spring/Summer 2013 – snap up some bargains

It may still be winter weather outside (well, HK winter that is!) but in the stores spring is in the midst of, well, springing! Now is the time to clean out your closet to make way for the new fun pieces that have sauntered down the runways and into the shops.

I popped by the Spring/Summer 2013 previews for H&M and Monki and was in love with the myriad of new trends and fab pieces they have in store for us. Plus with these two brands, you know you can rock the look without breaking the bank! Let’s take a look at the goods, shall we?!

The Basics

Need an easy outfit for the everyday? Take a loose cosy knit and pair it with… EVERYTHING! These look great over fitted skirts, floaty dresses, skinny jeans and loose artist-inspired trapeze trousers. I love these generously cut pants shown here in the red and white versions from H&M – they are practically screaming for a weekend holiday adventure… Good morning Vietnam, anyone?!

Meanwhile, Monki shows us that skirts can be just as comfy too. Check out this white peplum version or the blue ombre one; both would be adorable with some simple sneakers (Keds are making a comeback!) and a cotton t-shirt (American Vintage has loads).

Hell for leather!

Leather is typically reserved for fall and winter but over the past few seasons, we have seen it creeping into styles for every month of the year. This H&M embellished leather jacket would work beautifully over a breezy white silk maxi dress for spring… Or you can incorporate two trends in one with this leather mesh dress from H&M or with the drawstring waist skirt from Monki! This skirt with a tied-up tank and denim jacket would be perfect for a weekend wander around Sheung Wan.

But my favourite has to be this ultra cool white leather tank. I can see this pairing with everything from a sleek black pencil skirt, statement necklace and heels for an evening out, to distressed rolled-up boyfriend jeans and TOMS for a long lazy brunch on the south side of the Island!

Prints Please

Whether it’s stripes, dots, florals or brocades, H&M and Monki have the prints to please! These brocade bombers instantly up the ante of your skinny jeans but be careful not to add high tops or you’ll risk looking like you left the set of a Salt N Pepa video. But if you really want to push it (push it real good!), then go for the graphic black and white dress from Monki (below) that is part hashtag and part electrical tape… but in a really fun way!

Need something sweeter? Let’s talk about skirts, baby! How about these dots? Alternatively, shoop on over to these silky shorts (OK, enough S&P references now!).

More is More

If your closet is craving a bit more than the basics and you are beyond the prints, then try these on for size. Embellishments, baby! Fringe is in, studs are stunning and tassles are terrific! Feel free to pile it all on… and admire yourself in the teeny tiny mirrors that adorn your shorts!

The best part is that these are not designer creations you can only yearn for from afar but rather, that they’re from H&M and Monki so are completely AFFORDABLE! So no blowing your yearly budget on one fab piece – now you can have them all with funds left over for fall!

Accessorize!

Or maybe you choose to spend those leftover cents of some accessories. Here is what’s on the horizon – and there are plenty of goodies to pick from.

But what are you still reading this for? Get out there and get shopping because if you don’t snap up these amazing pieces, I will! Although you will probably have to fight me for that red tassle skirt anyway (word to the wise: I’m bigger than you are!) The good news is that there are loads of H&Ms around town so we can all win… But there is only one Monki store for us to do battle in. Dun dun dun!

Check out even more photos from the H&M & Monki Spring/Summer 2013 previews in our Facebook Album here.

Monki, Shop L1/29-31, Langham Place, 8 Argyle Street, Mong Kok, Hong Kong, 3585 8026

H&M Flagship Store, 68-70 Queen’s Road Central, 
Hong Kong, 2110 9546; see all other Hong Kong locations here

Photos by Sabrina Sikora Photography