Edition 55: Fashion Friday (Spring Trends)

The other day I was getting Caroline dressed for school and she begged me to let her wear her blue flip-flops.  I agreed that she could, as long as we packed a pair of tennis shoes in her school bag.  Then I brushed her hair into a ponytail and put a hot pink bow in it.

She felt me slip the bow in and said, “I DO NOT want that bow in my hair.”

“Why?  It looks so cute!”

“I don’t like it.”

“Well, I’m letting you wear your flip-flops so you need to wear the bow for me.”

“Okay, I’ll wear it, but as soon as I get to school I’m going to put it in my bag and forget this bow ever happened.”

I laughed and realized that statement sums up how I feel about everything I wore from 1985 to 1993.  If only there wasn’t so much photographic evidence of all the sins I committed in the name of fashion trends.

But that’s why they’re called “trends”.  Just keep in mind that not all trends are meant for everyone.

I wish someone would have told me that back in the 80′s before I wore those lace fingerless gloves and blue eyeliner.

Anyway, according to all my minutes of research, here are ten trends for Spring and Summer.  If you don’t like them, don’t shoot the fashion messenger.

TRENDS FOR SPRING AND SUMMER

1.  Slouchy pants 

Is it just me or does this make you think of the line in “Nacho Libre” when he says that sometimes a man likes to wear stretchy pants when he’s alone in his room?  Yeah, just me.  After twelve years of marriage to P, I have inherited his tendency to think of life as a series of movie quotes.

This is actually a decent trend because it involves one of my favorite fashion elements, which is comfort.  These are essentially pants that fit loose through the hips and can either be full-length or capris.  The styles can range from a pair of boyfriend-type jeans like Katie Holmes has been sporting to a loose pair of cargos.

The key is to pair these pants with something more fitted on top.  You want the pants to be slouchy, not you.  

2. Hot pink

I’ll just be up front and tell you that I also saw mention of “neon” pink, but I’m going to pretend like I didn’t because I’ve done neon once in my life and I’m not doing it again.  Although I did love my hot pink and neon green Santa Cruz outfit back in 1986.

I am totally on board with hot pink.  It’s a great accent color for almost any outfit because it is bright and happy without a tendency to sometimes be overly dramatic like it’s second cousin, red.

Look for a great hot pink scarf or necklace to add to your wardrobe.  Or you could always wear a hot pink tee with jeans and some hot pink patent thong sandals.  And if you really want to get on the hot pink train (what the heck is a hot pink train?), you could find a hot pink bag to get you through the summer.

3. The statement necklace

I wore a lot of necklaces in the early 80′s that made a statement.  The statement was “This is a lot of twist-a-beads wound together and I’m not sure this faux gold shell clip is going to fasten.”  Thankfully, what we’re looking for here is a different kind of statement.

There are so many different types of necklaces that fit this category and you can find them in any price range.  I’m a big fan of turquoise pretty much all year round, but I adore it during the spring and summer months.

4. Black and white prints

The good news is, if you’re like me, you already have an assortment of at least ten different black shirts in your closet.  Pair those shirts with something white and you’re all set.  That’s a little fashion tip I like to call “making do in the midst of a recession”.

However, if you must have something new, there are plenty of cute black and white options to choose from.  The great thing is that it’s so versatile and you can accessorize with any color you want. 

5. The trench

It’s not just for Inspector Gadget anymore.

According to Tim Gunn, the trench should be a closet staple.  I used to be conflicted about this because I didn’t understand why anyone would want a boring tan trench coat in their closet unless they had a side job as a flasher.  However, they now come in so many cute styles and colors that I get it.  I have embraced the trench.

In fact, I would pledge my undying love to this one, except technically it’s not really a trench. 

6. The scarf

You know I love you, but we have beat the scarf thing to death at this point.  It’s not that I don’t adore them, but I am sick of talking about them.  

For more on scarves, here’s a video on how to wear them and here are a few scarf options.

7. Embellished sandals

 There was a time about twenty years ago when I vowed I would never wear sandals again.  I have deep insecurities regarding my feet and figured why would I ever wear sandals when I have Keds in every color?  Obviously, I had to rethink that whole Keds thing a few years later and, after a lot of therapy, I’ve learned that my feet are okay just the way they are.

All that being said, embellished sandals are a fun way to make an outfit stand out.  I particularly like these and these.

8. Ruffles

I love the look of a ruffled shirt with a pair of jeans.  Maybe it has something to do with the contrast between the feminine ruffles and the denim or maybe I’m just trying to write something that sounds intelligent and thoughtful.

Whatever the case may be, there are some really cute ruffled shirts and I love this ruffle trim jacket and how cute is this trench with a ruffle hem?

9. Cool colors like turquoise

Oh my word, why didn’t I just post six trends for Spring?  This is wearing me out and I need to finish so I can watch “30 Rock” in peace.

Look for accessories and clothing in beautiful blues and greens.  It’s the next best thing to being in the pool.

10. Neutrals (beiges, khakis, etc.)

I don’t really know how I feel about neutrals.  I’m like Switzerland when it comes to neutrals, which is to say that I’m neutral.  Also, the word “neutral” looks really weird when you type it that many times in a row.

This is like that old saying “Beige makes the world go ’round”, except no one has probably ever said that until now because I just made it up.  The point is that to balance your hot pinks and cool blues, you must occasionally have some neutral influences.  

Think about adding a jacket like this one or some bone-colored wedge sandals to your wardrobe.  Or maybe just a nice pair of khaki bermuda shorts that you can wear with anything.

I can’t believe we’re done.  

And it only took me the better part of ALL DAY LONG.  This whole research thing is exhausting, which is the main reason I prefer to just state my opinion on a subject as opposed to substantiating any facts.

Anyway, hopefully this will help you hit the stores feeling just like a boy scout, and, by that, I mean ALWAYS PREPARED.

Last but not least, make sure you visit the Daily Links page to read about winning an opportunity to attend the She Speaks Conference for free.

I’m putting up Mr. Linky if you have anything to add to the discussion from your blog or feel free to add some thoughts in the comments.

 

 

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