I'm so ecstatic that the time has finally come for students to shelve their Ugg boots and slide into bold, platform-style wedges. It's still a little too cold for a complete transition, but April and May will revive lifeless Dartmouth winter wardrobes.
Spring 2009 fashion predictions foretold bold colors, geometric designs and endless metallic accents and accessories. Couture and pret-a-porter will combine some of our old favorites with new flavors for looks that will really pop. Let the buyer beware: with all that spring has to offer, you're bound to fall in love with something.
The catwalks of London and New York featured several different themes with designs ranging from classic and romantic to retro. This also means the same will be found in malls across America. For example, Diane Von Furstenberg's spring line showcases tailored white and floral pants and lacy, feminine blouses.
Banana Republic is marketing similar pieces in the store's "Classics" campaign. Prominently placed on the store's website are wide-leg and tapered tailored white trousers and flirty, light short-sleeved blouses for work and leisure. Tops also feature delicate silk and cotton bows and ruffled edges, a continuation of the romantic theme.
Retro looks tend to favor either bohemian or mod designs with little crossover. Peasant blouses, a recent centerpiece of the Gap franchise, are back, as are loose-fitting and drawstring-closed tops. Designer Rebecca Taylor and Forever 21 have each produced silk bohemian-style print dresses in colors such as plum and royal blue.
BCBGMaxAzria and many other designer labels opted towards asymmetrical designs and kaleidoscopic prints for many of their dresses and fitted tops. A number of pieces include jeweled necklines and other adornments. Also, the polka dot fad is only getting bigger, so grab a headband to cheaply invest in this trend.
The military and safari motifs return as well, beloved by some and reviled by others. While cargo pants of any length or color personally make me want to gag, they have returned to Nordstrom and Macy's racks, accompanied by khaki shirts and skirts. On campus, expect to see khaki or safari-esque pieces in ensembles with metallic accents, such as skinny belts or gold flip-flops -- J. Crew is selling some for about 30 dollars.
As for colors, black is taking a time-out as warmer weather is upon us. Much of the classic motif features jackets, suits and blouses in light grey, beige or white with citrus-colored tops. Be forewarned, pastel is a no-no, so know your color subtleties. In general, think juicy fruits and embrace fuschia, bright blue, lemon yellows and neon orange for play and mint-greens and coral for something a little more muted.
Your feet definitely deserve some attention too. Looking at the shoe selections from Gucci, Prada and the like, you can forget about comparing square and round toes or quibbling over chunky heels or stilettos.
It's all about the detail of the shoe. Fringe, a huge trend for fall boots, translates to stiletto-heeled sandals as well. Bondage-style studded leather straps and embellished or jeweled thongs will adorn feet the world over. Also, the love-hate relationship with gladiator sandals will continue, with the buckles and straps climbing higher and higher up the calf.
Like everything else in fashion nowadays, shoe trends aren't limited to the high-end market. Mid-range shoe designers like Nine West are producing heels in a range of stylish metallic colors and in snake and crocodile skin. Every brand from Payless to Steve Madden to Via Spiga capitalizes on tapered heels.
The angular design continues to be a popular part of the "feature heel" movement, which focuses on the heel as being a design element rather than being purely structural or functional.
So what are your clothing must-haves? You can best narrow it down to about six items that will work with a wide array of ensembles. These include:
(1) Tailored white trousers.
(2) Nude colors to replace the standard black winter wear.
(3) A little white dress to replace your little black dress.
(4) Metallic or neon footwear.
(5) Bright, chunky and colorful jewelry.
(6) A stylish jacket: cropped, denim or long, you decide.
In order to make the jump from winter to spring less abrupt than, say, the end of your spring break fling or your latest job rejection, you can prep for the coming warmth of spring fashion. Now that you know what's hot, get the most out of what you'll buy.
How to prepare your body: Know what works for you. Just because a style is sexy this season doesn't mean it will make your muffin top look the same way. Whether you're big-hipped, skinny as a twig or spilling out of a D-cup, some styles will flatter you while others will only create aesthetic pain.
High-waist pants and skirts a la Kim Kardashian flatter your middle and give a feminine shape to larger hips and rears. Sheer tops, while a prominent part of spring fashion, NEVER flatter prominent stomachs.
How to prepare your feet: Make the rainy days more pleasant with a pair of knee-high rain boots. Once it warms up, keep your toes impeccably maintained with bright colors. Keep nimble fingers well-manicured for complicated laces, ties and rows of metallic buckles.
How to prepare your budget: Accessories can make or break an ensemble. Put your cash towards shoes, jewelry and other accents that can be reused in later seasons. Don't be afraid to add embellishments to your favorite strappy shoes from last season.
Grab your basic tanks and tees from places like J.C. Penny, TJ Maxx and Kohl's so you can splurge at department stores. And remember great discount and sale-searching web sites like ideeli.com, Bluefly.com and shopittome.com for any high-end pieces.
How to leave winter behind: As agreed upon by a community of Dartmouth '09 fashion experts, ladies, please eliminate your winter uniform. This includes burning your black/khaki Barbour jacket with $100 vest-insert and abandoning your black Hunter boots. I may suggest donating the boots to a fly fisherman who lost his own. It's time to move on and step into spring.
