All in all, the shows this year have had a very 70s feel, with a touch of naughty secretary, which I think is just great. Here's a quick compilation of my favorite trends.
1) Flowy Skirts
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| Clockwise from top left: Victoria Beckham, Derek Lam, Marc by Marc Jacobs |
The mini skirt has dominated the runways for some time, but this season the hemlines were noticably longer and looser. Flowy material like silk featured heavily, as did pleats. I love this trend for spring- very romantic but fun.
2) Little White Dress
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| Clockwise from top left: Max Azria, Herve Leger, Cushnie et Ochs |
I will never give up my love of little black dresses but, according to Vogue UK, this is the year of the LWD, the little white dress. That does not bode well for chronic coffee drinkers and spillers like me, but I love how they look so if you can wear white without looking like a Jackson Pollock by the end of the day, more power to you.
3) Jewel Tones
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| Clockwise from left: Cushnie et Ochs, Jill Stuart, Diane Von Furstenburg |
I love all the color I've been seeing. Vibrant blues, magentas, reds and oranges just make everything more interesting. I especially love the idea of pairing all this with camel or black for work.
4) Even Wider Leg Pants
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| Clockwise from top left: Derek Lam |
Of course wide leg pants have been in style for a while but they got even more dramatic this year. Wider, bigger and more luxurious: silk, velvet and leather featured prominently. This trend can be a little dramatic for every day, but paired with a conservative blazer or a white T-shirt it can definitely be pulled off.
5) Interesting Knits
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| Clockwise from left: Max Azria, Victoria Beckham, Behnaz Serafpour |
6) Fur (faux, of course)
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| Clockwise from top left: Lela Rose, aka the Love of My Life (seriously, how much do you LOVE that coat?!), Cushnie et Ochs, Jil Stuart, Marc Jacobs |
My fur policy has been, until recently, somewhat lenient. Nothing real, except for vintage. But I realize that this is a line that could easily blur as time goes on, so I'm sticking to the motto proudly blazoned on a magnet on my mom's fridge: "Real boobs, fake fur" from here on out. And I love the idea of bringing fake fur into play in interesting and unexpected ways: mittens, like at Marc Jacobs or accenting shoulders. There is definitely DIY potential here.
7) Hats
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| Clockwise from left: Marc by Marc Jacons, Diane Von Furstenburg, DKNY |
It should come as no surprise that I was elated to see vintage style hats on many a runway this season. Mostly 70s styles, but a few hearkened back even a little further to the 50s, when the hat matched the gloves matched the bags. While I personally may not love the matchy-matchy look, I do appreciate the idea of really taking care with dressing.
8) Polka Dots
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| Clockwise from left: Marc Jacobs, Diane Von Furstenburg, Jil Stuart |
My very favorite trend of all. What more can I say?
Later: how to wear these trends without spending a billion dollars. Preview: it involves pajama pants, because I love any excuse to wear them in public.
*Figures not exact.
