Spring 2017: “Sweet Emotion”

This week will begin the first days of Spring ’17, so let’s look at what the fashion-forward will wear when warmer weather arrives.

Since whimsical maverick Alessandro Michele took the reigns at Gucci and turned the fashion world upside down, stylists and fashion lovers all over have been liberated from stark minimalism. Devotees of the “Margot Tenebaum” world of fashion irreverence have a whole other world of style to toy with.

This spring, JOY is the key word… there are no rules with this trend which shows no signs of decelerating into fall. Unleash that sweet, innocent inner child that loved to play dress up. Mix and match to your heart’s content.

Be as expressive as you want, and then some, by dressing for yourself and no one else. The more playful it is, the fresher and newer it will feel. Mix vintage, high street, and designer with carefree abandon.

As for beauty, keep your makeup on the clean side… neutral tones or a smudgy dark rocker-chick eye is as far as it goes. The same for your hair. The more “I woke up like this” it feels, the better. The clothing trends have a lot to say, so your beauty look can take a youthful back seat.

Layers of Spring.  With clothes that can be layered on or peeled off to accommodate changes in the weather, the gap from runway to real life may finally be closed.

Bare Shoulder.  Another way to adjust for seasonal warming is to give yourself the cold shoulder. “No matter what your size, your shoulders always look good because they’re the one place you never gain weight.” ~ Donna Karan

The Prints.  Of course, florals for spring… wearable botanicals are a bounty of beauty in addition to animal prints, stripes, dots, faces, and logos. It’s a garden of earthly delights!

Color.  The electric shock of neon/acid luminosities. Yellow is the number one color ahead, paired with pink. Plus, purple, green, white, and blue grounded by black (yes, black!) this spring.

Fabrics with Add-Ons.  Ruffles, peplums, feathers, sequins, fringes, appliques, and embroideries give clothes a new dimension in applied art. From poplin to gingham to seersucker and gabardine, cotton is Queen of the day.

The White Shirt.  He lost his shirt to her a long time ago, and little did he know that his shirt could tell so many “tails!” Tucked in or slouched out, smooth or wrinkled, waist length or floor length, the shirt and the shirtdress work 24/7.

Pants.  From narrow to palazzo, any pant-width goes as the skinny is slid to the side… especially if it’s a high-rise. The pantsuit, courtesy of the Hilz, tailors-up and dresses-up.

Accessories.  Accessories up their appearances. From sunglasses to clutches, with a little outside-the-box exploration, you’ve got your final touches in the bag.