With the coming of spring, there’s a feeling of newness in the air; a renewed sense of possibility that seems to permeate the collective consciousness. The fashion industry has always embraced this particular phenomenon, as evidenced by the emerging trends that were all over this season’s runways. Although there is no single trend that will work for everyone, this season’s offerings promise such a wide variety of sartorial choices that there is bound to be something for everyone. The following ten trends look to be some of the most promising of the new season.
#1 The Cropped Top
Granted, it seems that there is no escaping the constant barrage of midriff-baring tops both on the runway and in retail shops, but the cropped top is here for the duration. This time around, try playing with volume by adding a boxy, cropped top to a pair of loose, flowing trousers. Pair it with high-waist trousers not only to provide less exposure, but also to give it a more modern feel.
#2 Metallics
Top design houses such as Diane von Furstenburg, Lanvin, and Haider Ackerman all incorporated metallics into their Spring 2014 collections. An alternative to neutrals, they make a great accompaniment to the bold, bright colours and patterns in the spring collections. Even if you are more conservative in your wardrobe choices, a well-placed metallic bag or shoes can really elevate a look and give it a current twist.
#3 Sport Influences
Source: via beatthings.com
Whether it’s the athletic-inspired piping at Prada and Balenciaga or Marc Jacobs’ ‘80s throwback satin bomber jacket and shorts, there was a heavy dose of chic and easy-to-wear separates on the spring runways that could go from work to workout and back again. Take advantage of the comfort and ease of these sport-inspired pieces and add a few to your weekend rotation!
#4 Orange Everything
Orange is having a bit of a moment, and it’s about time. It’s been a while since this citrusy hue has graced the runways with any degree of regularity and, perhaps as a result, this spring it looks fresh, bold, and completely season-appropriate. What’s more, it is not only clothing designers who are getting in on the action. This spring, we once again saw a fair amount of orange and coral-hued lipsticks on the runways from design houses DKNY and Diane von Furstenburg. Despite its intimidating appearance, this trend can actually be worn successfully by most people.
#5 An Oxford Shirt
Trust me: This is more exciting than it sounds. This season, designers took the buttoned-down classic oxford shirt and gave it a bit of a facelift. Modern cuts, luxe fabrics, and asymmetric details all featured heavily reinventing this wardrobe workhorse into something we all suddenly can’t get enough of.
#6 Pop Art Prints
Source: via pinterest.com
Bold swaths of colour at Céline, graffiti at Louis Vuitton, and clothing festooned with feminine murals at Prada all made a splash with their unabashed presence and nod to high art. In particular, Prada’s handbags from the collection have already made quite an impression on fashion editors and are sure to be a must have item this spring.
#7 Fringe
Yep, fringe. Once the sole provenance of the fall/winter runways, fringe made an almost unprecedented appearance on the Spring 2014 runways. Derek Lam and 3.1 Philip Lim both used a delicate, almost velvety fringe as an embellishment to a multitude of pieces.
#8 All White
Source: via pinterest.com
Although all white ensembles heading down the spring runways is hardly something we haven’t seen before, it still looks crisp, fresh, and ready to go; you just might want to avoid ordering the spaghetti bolognaise for lunch if you are planning on stepping out in this pristine trend.
#9 The ‘90s
Laying aside my personal jubilation at the resurgence of certain elements of 1990s sartorial flair, it seems that tastemakers this season have taken the best of the ‘90s and given it a modern twist. Spaghetti straps, knee-length column dresses, and lug-soled creepers all made appearances on the spring runways. Take advantage of the ease of these silhouettes and lose yourself in both comfort and style.
#10 Cutaways and Sheer Panels
Another ‘90s-inspired look, sheer panels (particularly in white) had a real presence on the runways this season. Sure to be most popular are the horizontal, illusion netting- varieties that were shown by the likes of such sportswear-inspired design houses such as Tibi and Lacoste.