What You Should Dare to Wear in Spring 2013: The Season’s 5 Hot Looks
The “Denim Thing”
At first, you might be a bit hesitant to try this one out—denim on denim? Isn’t that a fashion faux-pas? According to hot stores like Madewell, that’s not the case. This season, we’re seeing a ton of denim vests in different washes and lengths that can be paired with denim bottoms of a different wash or color easily. My favorite look? Really dark colored jeans with a solid t-shirt, a medium-wash vest, and bright flats. Top it off with some statement jewelry, and you’ll look like a perfect balance between edgy and preppy.
Floral, especially pants
OK, so wearing a floral print in spring seems like a no brainer, but you’d be surprised how easily a simple pattern can make you look like a grandmother’s pajamas! Thankfully, Madewell, J.Crew, Free People, and other trendy lines are featuring skinny jeans with myriad floral patterns- bright colored floral, faded denim floral, etc. Keep in mind, however, that if you’re going to break out a strong bottom, you need to balance it out with a simple top. I recommend a white t-shirt or whatever solid color best coordinates with your look. If statement jeans really aren’t your thing for the spring, try a nice floral sun dress!
Black and white
The combination of black and white is not by any means a new thing, but this spring, it’s really taking over the fashion scene. The key to mastering this particular look is adding a bit of edge to your pieces; it’s a classy version of “go hard or go home.” I bought a tight, black and white striped skirt from Madewell earlier in the season, and I absolutely love wearing it with a chambray top and bright flats. This way, I rock the look without really making a spectacle; it’s tame. However, you can easily pull off black and white to the extreme by pairing simple pieces together. It’s so simple for a small, college budget, too!
Tiered lace
Nothing is more feminine (in spring, especially) than a classic lace piece. This may seem a bit antiquated and fussy, but lines are trying to add youth and edge to the style by playing around with popular types of tops. The most stand-out look involving lace this season is tiered lace tops. These shirts can be worn in a light or dark pattern and can be dressed up or down with the help of accessories and appropriate bottoms. If you are looking for a cute but slighly less stand-out look for class, I recommend pairing a tiered top with good quality denim shorts and simple accessories, like a few bracelets and a long necklace.
Mixed patters
When we first learned to dress ourselves, we were taught that stripes and polka dots and other bold prints do not ever, ever, EVER, under any circumstances, go together. This season, we can throw that rule out the window… IF DONE CORRECTLY. J.Crew, Gap, and other popular stores are really emphasizing this look in all of their catalogues. Some things you see in magazines and think “ok, no one can actually work this in real life,” (I know I do) but now, we can! In order to not look like a clown, the key is to balance out the heavy prints with basic colors: think black and white, white and blue, etc. Keep it simple, people. Also, you don’t want your stripes and polka dots to be in a competition. Make sure that they complement each other. This is also the perfect time to work two hot looks at once- black and white AND mixed patterns! If you get lucky in this regard, I suggest pairing your black and white ensemble with a bright solid shoe, like red flats (ok, so I’m obsessed with my red flats from Madwell, and I want to wear them with everything…).
Ladies, I assure you, these new trends will give you a cute, fresh look for spring and make other girls on campus want to dare to wear these patterns, too! Start the trend at your school now!
(Note: I snagged all these photos from the Madewell website and Lauren Conrad’s website…Check them out for more ideas!)