Fashion Week is over and I’ve been looking at the collections for eight days straight. Everything is starting to blur together at this point, but I couldn’t help but notice several great trends for spring. Among the less appealing—visible nipples and translucent pants—there were lots of things to really look forward to and maybe even get a head-start on incorporating into your wardrobe now. Here are my favorites:
The Seventies
Maybe it’s a backlash against skinny jeans and jeggings, but there were quite a few pairs of wide leg jeans and trousers traipsing down the runways. With all those high waists and diaphanous blouses, it seems clear designers are trying to bring back the 70s (the 80s certainly have had enough time in the sun). And it wasn’t just the jeans. Derek Lam sent a chambray trench coat and skirt combo (#3) reminiscent of a polyester suit down the runway. But nicer. Much nicer.
1. Badgley Mischka
2. Malandrino
3. Derek Lam
4. Derek Lam
Leather
I’m sorry vegans, but I like leather, and, much to my delight, there was a lot of it in the spring collections. Leather jackets are a given, but designers were also using leather in more creative ways. My favorite is the Zero + Maria Cornejo cardigan (#1). Gorgeous!
1. Zero + Maria Cornejo
2. Rebecca Taylor
3. Christian Siriano
4. Elise Øverland
Crochet and Macrame
Somewhat related to the 70s trend is the crochet/macrame trend I noticed. In some instances it was just a detail, but there were also dresses and tops made entirely of crochet. The Malandrino collection was particularly stitch-heavy. Not only did most of the designs have some sort of crochet going on, but the shoes were macrame marvels.
3 4
1. Sachin + Babi
2. Malandrino
3. Malandrino
4. ADAM
Metallics
Metallics always seem to show up here and there, but I really liked the subtlety of the metallics I was seeing. The soft shimmer of matte silvers, golds, and gunmetals are a great way to add a little glam to summer neutrals.
1. Christian Cota
2. Tracy Reese
3. A Détacher
4. Rachel Roy
Mixed Prints
This is a trend that drives a perfectionist like me crazy. As I’ve mentioned before, I like things that match. I like symmetry and balance. So it takes a really special combination for me to throw those neuroses to the wind. Diane von Furstenberg did it especially well with her puzzle piece prints (#1).
1. Diane von Furstenberg
2. Lela Rose
3. Rachel Comey
4. Vena Cava
Red
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I am absolutely in love with red lately. I’m so happy to see the color that’s so on trend right now being carried into the warmer months too. It was EVERYWHERE on the runways. If it wasn’t blazing down the runway in a complete crimson ensemble or as a pair of red trousers with a light-colored top (seriously, the red pants were all over the place), then the color showed up in accent pieces that popped against muted neutrals or even just as perfectly rouge lips.
1. Marc by Marc Jacobs
2. DKNY
3. Monique Lhuillier
4. Rebecca Taylor
The Little (or Not So Little) White Dress
The white dress is a mainstay for spring, so there’s nothing new here. But I did like this year’s crop. There were a lot of Greek goddess styles, minis, maxis, modern, ladylike, etc. The styles ran the gamut, but all were beautifully bright and airy and perfect for lightening up one’s wardrobe after a long, dark winter.
1. Badgley Mischka
2. DKNY
3. Tess Giberson
4. Rachel Comey
(Photos via Style.com)
So, did you notice any trends that you can’t wait to try out?
The reality that summer is over has really set in. It’s been chilly and rainy the past few days and I’ve been sick—a sure sign the season’s turned over. The excitement about fall was beginning to wane a bit, but then New York Fashion Week hit. It’s a little difficult to get excited for spring when you’ve just started getting ramped up for fall, but then I checked out the collections.
I’ve been seeing so much gorgeous color that will no doubt be perfect for getting us out of our winter doldrums when the snow finally starts to melt. But even better than something to look forward to down the road is something we can appreciate right now. Many of the colors spotted marching down the spring runways are just as inspiring for fall and can easily be incorporated into your current wardrobe. I especially noticed all the sophisticated takes on primary colors—tomato red, golden yellow, and royal blue. And, better yet, they were often paired with camel, the neutral at top of the color charts this season. Here are a few of my favorites:
1. Jason Wu
2. Peter Som
3. BCBG Max Azria
4. Costello Tagliapietra
