60s Bitossi, marked 64/2A Italy, approx. 30.5cm

Winter, with its short gray days, fickle sunshine and occasional snowstorms, can be quite a task to endure. It is nice to have a reminder, then, that spring is just around the corner — and I couldn’t think of a better harbinger of the coming warmth and flowers than this fun piece! It’s quite a shocker, coming from an Italian company as obsessed with natural earth tones and the greens and blues of the Mediterranean as Bitossi was, but I’m glad someone took the chance on this dynamic color duo. While it is not everyone’s cup of tea, the fashion world certainly likes to see it now and then (as evidenced by the neon pinks and oranges of 80s surf wear, the outfits worn by Paris Hilton in her early 2000s show The Simple Life and women’s resort wear today such as Revolve’s Leandra dress). For those of you who would never admit to liking this combo, you have to admit it does provoke a reaction… and isn’t the purpose of spring to wake you up and help shake off the winter blahs, after all? For that reason alone, I consider this piece a blooming success.