Women's Spring 2010 Trend Report

      As Spring is beginning to approach, designers are optimistically looking to a brighter future while the economy is still in a dark turmoil. Sequins and metallics are dazzling up and down the runways from the likes of Giorgio Armani, Isaac Mizrahi, and Emilio Pucci. Ladies, get your legs and derrieres in top shape! Hot pants have been revived since their belonging in the 1970’s with a negative hemline revealing a little cheek enough to catch an eye or two. Jumpsuits and playsuits have made their way back onto the Spring 2010 runways after being featured on the Spring 2009 runways. This year brought various ways to score this all-in-one look making it versatile for the everyday woman. In this time and age, versatility is key! Light, sheer fabrics such as chiffon and organza were used to produce that infamous “peek-a-boo” look that most designers often sought on the runway and neutrals such as gray took center stage on this season's runway with exquisite pops of red, pink, and electric blue. Lets not forget about the newly revived denim on denim trend making quite a statement that I am almost sure is here to stay. Here is a closer, detailed look into the trends of Spring/Summer 2010:

Prints & Patterns

  

    Prints took storm this season with a magnificent explosion of floral, paisley, and animal prints from our much inspired couturiers such as Anna Sui who used the seventies as her primary influence with colorful mini dresses and tights. Erdem used great colorful floral prints with blue, purple, and pink hues embedded on these artsy mini dresses. Bold geometric patterns found their way onto various items ranging from sweaters to skinny pants. Pants, in particular, seemed to have received the most attention in this whole trend. As consumers we want a great jean, but it is normally only to be the subtle component of the outfit while a seemingly detailed shirt steals the show. Now pants are the focal part of the outfit shouting as much personality as it can with abstract shapes, graphic prints, and stripes. Stripes have gotten bigger and more or so horizontal giving way to the nautical trend that arrived this spring. I anticipate what outcome this trend will eventually have. I think it just may work!

Jumpsuits & Playsuits

     What a relief to look into your closet and spot that one item and there’s your outfit! It’s chic, playful, trendy, and sexy all in one. This is what the jumpsuit and playsuit does us women justice for. The jumpsuit was popular in the late sixties and seventies. Black and white were colors often used. For a more vivid idea think Halston or circa Studio 54 era. In the eighties, they were better known as flying suits. Now that jumpsuits are back on the scene from a year ago when they reappeared on the Spring 2009 runways, they are more versatile than ever with some draped, one shouldered, strapless, sporty w/ a hood, and even considerable overalls. These all-in-one pieces can be knee length, ¾ length, ankle cropped (which is springs hottest length), or floor hugging with the leg being either wide, cuffed, or narrow. Iceberg’s body con jumpsuit revealed a plunging v-neckline made with a seemingly satin like fabric, but textured to give quite an appeal to the eye evoking a subtle sex appeal. Richard Chai Love showed a floral, wide legged, flowing beauty at his Spring 2010 show. Numerous amounts of jumpsuits on the runway showed plunging v-necklines from designers such as Julien McDonald, Erin Featherston, and Lacoste which featured a sporty all white playsuit.

     As the smoldering summer is to come, playsuits and rompers will have an effective stance against the heat and in fashion. Coming in various fabrics from soft leather to destroyed denim, playsuits will make their way into every young fashionistas closet where she can dress down with a pair of gladiators and rock the night in a great pair of heels or wedges, which is a huge shoe trend for the spring. Karl Lagerfield showed a soft leather, strapless playsuit in a bright, punchy red hue. Dolce and Gabbana gave us a destroyed denim playsuit, playing up the ripped/ destroyed denim trend, and accompanied with cognac/ dark tan accessories. This is a trend that is well on its way to keeping females trendy, chic, and savvy needless of great effort.

Sheer/Translucent Clothing

    Sheer clothing was seen and observed on a great amount of runways this season. A romantic flair is in the air as feminine draping and beautiful ruffles float down the runway. Fitted sheer pieces, delicate flowing chiffons, and shredded gauzy knits made a true statement stating that sharp shoulders and tailored pants did not only have to be utilized to instill power or authority and that soft pieces can do so as well with a higher level of femininity. The trend is sure to ignite the summer heat with pieces from the likes of Donna Karan who took the trend by storm creating head to toe monochromatic sheer looks with plunging necklines which leaves more of a stunning look opposed to an unpleasantly shocking one. Valentino presented an astonishing floor length sheer dress in a neutral beige with large but soft ruffles flowing from one side of the dress to another offering an angelic look that one cannot help but fall in love with.

      Ruffles are widely associated with the sheer fabrics trend becoming a trend of their own. While they were featured in the past couple of seasons, this season they took a different look with some being loud and exuberant with punches of fruity colors and some soft and subtle with nude shades on tops, skirts, and dresses. D & G showed us western chic with a short, strapless, destroyed denim dress with ruffles from the waist to the hemline. Marc Jacobs utilized ruffles in bold and “manicured” ways in his Spring 2010 line mostly on playsuits but also dresses with some colorful as a spring day and some in neutral hues such as navy and slate grey.

Sporty Chic

Sportswear made a tremendous debut into the spring 2010 runways with lace up shorts, cropped tops, sweatpants paired with boyfriend blazers, and v-neck sweaters. If you want to see the epitome of the sportswear trend then look no further than Alexander Wang’s Spring 2010 collection. The inspiration behind this collection is American football sporting a youthful, sporty, tomboy chic. His brilliant collection is composed of horizontal, nautical stripes, cutouts, cropped tops, jersey fabrics, and football shoulders mixed with sheer fabrics and high heels providing female quality. Wang also added a different dimension to his tomboy outfits with knee high socks that cut out in the back calves of the socks which is one of the best trends this spring giving girlish yet masculine touches to his look. Hermes theme instead was golf and tennis inspired with 20’s flair producing flapper like designs and dropped waist pleated skirts, full skirts, bloomers and denim on denim looks. Balenciaga opted for hooded vests paired with skirts and Topshop produced letter jackets in neutral tones paired with short shorts that help to flatter the sporty figure. Wearing a messy side braid gives ultra feminine detail to the look as a whole.

Sequins/Metallics

   Designers definitely opted for a more optimistic and opulent approach as things are getting brighter and shinier this season. Sequins hit the runways hard as designers infused them into their collections onto items like dresses, boyfriend blazers, hats, and pants. Giorgio Armani created sequined cardigans, dresses, skirts, and one shoulder pieces with slight details of sequins. Isaac Mizrahi produced mini dresses, jumpsuits, and combined sheer pieces with pink, lilac, and neutral hues. Emilio Pucci went ultra sexy with minis, cutouts, and strong sharp shoulders, but no one stole Fashion Week like Mr. Ralph Lauren, himself. Ralph Lauren’s Spring 2010 collection was a mega hit on denim looks with a nostalgic feel of the depression era in the thirties producing a newsboy chic style, but nothing stole the hearts of fashion week like the ripped, cropped, sequined jeans that Ralph Lauren presented down his runway. A creation not really seen before, its unique state left eyes widened upon great approval. Pair with a solid boyfriend blazer or top and subtle accessories for the purpose that the pants indeed will be stealing the spotlight and too much of anything else will cause an unflattering distraction.

 

 Denim

 

     Not only are prints and sheer clothing becoming the focal point of an outfit, but denim is making an innovative and choppy statement in the evolving world of fashion. The skinny look is still holding strong, but it’s now popular cousin, the boyfriend jean, is making its way to the fore front of the different styles of denim. The boyfriend jean brings more versatility to the shape of a woman opposed to the cigarette skinny jean. Women feel more comfortable in less form fitting clothes that allows them to go about their day while still recognizing the trendy aspect of their fit. Ripped denim has not been a big trend since the grunge days of the nineties in its looser fit. Christopher Kanes S/S 08 collection presented faded and torn skinny jeans. Last summer, denim was starting to get deconstructed and destroyed. Now they are completely ripped whether it be skinny or a looser pant. Designers representing this fierce denim trend are Jean Paul Gaultier, Tao, D & G, and Just Cavalli. Patched denim has also made its way on the runway by the likes of Balmain, Chloe, and Balenciaga. It is considered an alternative to the ripped and destroyed denim look. Vests, dresses, skirts, and tops, were also made out of denim this season overpowering most of the other notable trends (in my opinion). Overalls were revived back into contemporary style with 30’s tomboy chic in Ralph Lauren’s collection while D & G created amazing denim on denim looks ranging from short shorts to flirty ruffled skirts and destroyed denim. Twenty8Twelve showed denim in hippie/ boho-chic style with light to medium hues in vests, jeans, and button downs. Whether your choice of denim be it skinny, boyfriend style, ripped, destroyed, or patched, a multitude of options will be flowing your way this spring.

Tribal/Warrior

      In the past season or two, tribal prints as well as military fashion have been individually featured on the runways, but this season the two are becoming one in quite a primitive fashion. Metal plating, leather tunics, tribal inspired motifs, and chain mail inspired detailing give life to this bold and daring trend. Balmain took on the inspiration of an Ancient Roman soldier with plunging necklines on tunics, strong, sharp shoulders on sexy cutout minis. Donatella Versace opted for a softer approach with romantic style. Versace sent down a beautiful, flowing pink pastel dress with metallic detail on the bust of the dress. Rodarte sent “creepy chic” inspired clothing with shredded fabrics, interwoven leather, spiderweb bottoms, and tribal bodypaint. Alexander McQueen sent flirty dresses with a considerable warrior edge down the runway and the fiercest, tallest 10 inch shoes that consequently caused a few models to actually refuse to walk in the show in caution for risk in getting injured.

Rising Hemlines

Hot Pants

 Ladies get ready to flaunt what you’ve got! Hemlines have definitely risen this spring and lengthy legs may be the center of attention. Hot pants have reached the negative hemline and making a crazy stir. Originally, hot pants were major in the 1970’s, but in late 2007 leotards came back into fashion often being worn under skirts or shorts. Since then, hot pants have resurfaced in the fashion world with two different styles: mid cut hot pants starting at or just below the belly button utilized by Miucci Prada and actually less common/popular on the runway. The second is the high waisted hot pants that cuts up the outer thigh and reveals a little cheek of the derriere. Contrary to the mid cut hot pants, the high waisted look will definitely take off with no hesitation. Style tip: wear with heels for a more pronounced look with elongated, leaner legs and buttocks.

Boy Shorts

If the negative hemlines are creeping too far up for your taste or style, then try the alternative to hot pants which is seductive but cool boy shorts. Boy shorts do not have the negative hemline only curving underneath the buttocks with a natural hemline and normally low waisted.

Tap Pants

If the boy shorts are still too attention grabbing for your legs or taste rather, then try a looser fit of the boy short, tap pants. Considered as part of the lingerie as outerwear trend, fabrics paired with these sensual bottoms include lace or semi-sheer material with a hemline no more than two inches long with a straight or ruffled finish. 

Photos courtesy of www.ELLE.com