Spring and summer high-fashion trends that designer collections unveiled back in September are upon us and available in stores now. The intriguing question is always this: how we are going to turn the inspirations of the runway into a wardrobe for our everyday life? These are some fashion forward ideas and some examples of how your favorite brands and retailers are executing them. One piece or more will send a signal that you know what’s going on.
Cutouts or Cold Shoulders. Almost every designer turned up the heat on the off-the-shoulder trend. Givenchy, Jason Wu, Derek Lam and Proenza Schouler continued giving us great exposure with cutouts or the X-factor, and now Urban Outfitters is taking it to the streets. Urban Outfitters offers the dark blue Cold Shoulder Shirt for $59 and the $54 Blue Raquel, which combines both ruffles and off-the-shoulder flourishes.
Wide-Legged Jeans. The return of wide-legged or flared jeans was notable on all the runways. Light as a feather denim was all the rage. Chanel’s jeans came fringed and flowered, while Marc Jacobs showed us slouchy. Right now out here in the real world, 7 For All Mankind’s high-waisted, rich blue flared jeans are available at Saks Fifth Avenue for $178. The flared jean also shows up at Banana Republic in a light wash for $98.
Ruffles. While their silhouettes and neutral colors may have been conservative and muted, designers such as Proenza Schouler, J. W. Anderson and Simone Rocha sounded a sweet note with artfully arranged, ladylike ruffles. Polyvore offerings include this Stella Jean printed skirt playful layered frills across the skirt and at the hemline at $450. The trend tanked at Banana Republic with this $78 ultra-feminine top in a foulard preppy navy print.
Mini Bags. Cast the weight of winter and those huge tote bags off your shoulders and get on board with mini bags. Your choices range from the Old Navy Tassel Mini Crossbody Bag at a sale price of $17.50 to a Topshop black leather saddle bag for $58 or the $98 Kelsi Dagger Brooklyn Ainslie Camera Crossbody Bag from Urban Outfitters. A variation on the mini bag theme, the half-moon bag, is a star with Victoria Beckham, Michael Kors and Mansur Gavriel.
Victorian Long-Sleeved Maxi Dresses. These were oh-so-romantic floating down the runways. Even back in September, the Boho look seduced us with cutting-edge design and the alluring promise of warmth. You can get it from Anthropologie with the Varina Maxi Dress by HD in Paris for $158. Or you can check out the collections of Emilia Wickstead, J.W. Anderson and Erdem.
Spanish Influences. Designers such as Michael Kors and Peter Copping for Oscar de la Renta took us on a tour to sunny Spain. Now you can pack your bag and tag along with this fan favorite at Urban Outfitters. The Kimchi Blue Floral Ruffle Wrap Midi Dress is a red and black feminine dream at $79.
