Whether you’re a classic dresser or a step-out fashionista, every woman likes to know she is “in the know” in terms of her personal style. The turn of each season buzzes with new trends and the evolution of women’s fashion. And as the winter fades away and spring breezes begin to lift our spirits, we thought we’d break down just what it is you have to look forward to this Spring/Summer 2011.First of all, designers have been inspired by the disco glam and jet set chic of the 1970s. Yes ladies, that means bold blocks of color that may border on fluorescent. Head-to-toe white will also be big, with beige, nude, and sand-colored neutrals leading the day.
Additionally, many designers visited and were inspired by the recent Yves Saint Laurent (YSL) retrospective in Paris and are paying homage to one of fashion’s greats this season; so look for nods to our favorite Yves with hot pink and orange combinations. Other hints of YSL will come in those aforementioned blocks of color, think Mondrian, an artist whom YSL held in his personal art collection. But I digress… We’ll also see a continuation of the ombré trend, but this season the ombré will be focused on pale hues.
As for fabrics, sheer, sheer, sheer, and snakeskin! Sound too sassy for you? Snakeskin can be incorporated even into the most classic of wardrobes with a small clutch in the evening, a toe cap on a classic shoe, or a belt. We’ll also be seeing a continuation of the fall’s leather and suede trends, as well as lace in new modern patterns. Fortunately for those of us that like a little razzle dazzle, metallics, beads, sequins, and crystals go forward into the spring months. Think about incorporating this trend by introducing a bedazzled shell into your suit repertoire or invest in a great pair of glittery heels for your day-into-night look. And for the folks who think fashion does not exist in the real world, one very pronounced trend this season is going to be an influx of eco-friendly fabrics. There’s also going to be an interesting dichotomy of high and low, with denim ruling the day and night along with the return of parachute silk.
Moving on to the prints we’ll be donning come spring, graphic patterns, floral and animal prints, and conversationals ranging from fruit to monkeys will all be a part of the fashion dialogue this season. One note about the animal prints, they’ll be re-colored and resized to break the mold.
And finally, when it comes to the most fashion-forward silhouettes, BIGGER is better! Those sheer fabrics we mentioned earlier? Well they’ll be coming out in big, billowy, fluid, and relaxed shapes. And in a reverse-20s style, hemlines are dropping. Gone is the passé-mini of yesterday. Hello knee-length and beyond!