11 Fashion Trends for Spring & Summer 2008 — Select Your Personal Style
March 14, 2008
Marie Green is a fashion stylist and writer from San Diego California. She is the Fashion Editor of FINE Homes and Living Magazine and her column, “Fashion Focus” has appeared in FINE Magazine as well as LaJolla Light, The Del Mar Times, Del Mar Ink, The Carmel Valley Leader, Rancho Santa Fe Record, and The Solana Beach Sun. Marie is also the co-founder of SheWants.com.
Spring is upon us and if you’ve been shopping lately, you know that translates to fresh new looks in fashion. I attended Fashion Week in New York last September, where they showcased the spring ’08 collections. Finally, six months later, these long-awaited collections have made it into the stores and are available to us fashionistas. See More Pictures »
- The biggest new trend this spring is bright, vibrant colors for clothing and accessories. Nearly every designer featured vivid color in their collections. This means it’s time to turn up the intensity of the colors in your wardrobe and make an impact in your everyday look. Caribbean blue, turquoise, watermelon, canary yellow, bright green, and fuchsia are the most popular. This is a great way to have fun with your look, but be ready for the attention these head turning colors will bring-they really stand out in a crowd.
More Hot Trends for Spring:
- Black and White — Together Again: Artistic contrasting prints are seen on clothing and accessories. It’s classic yet modern.
- Fresh Florals: Passionate and romantic, it’s like wearable art-particularly lovely in both short and long dresses. It’s the ultimate feminine fantasy look.
- Global Goods: This means reaching out beyond your environment and embracing ethnic looks that signify adventure and travel. Graphic jewelry makes a statement strong enough to stand alone rather than layered. Handcrafted or tribal adornments containing wood, shells or stones can be found everywhere, even built right into fabrics. Exotic snakeskin accessories are great for day or night, either in neutral or bright patchwork colors.
- Dresses: Even though last year was “year of the dress,” they are still chic. For spring, any length will do, from short and voluminous to below the knee and fitted or full. Neat, classic shirt dressing is very popular this spring. Remember, the easiest way to get dressed is to just put on a dress. Keep it fresh by wearing bright accessories or choosing an ombre (gradient color) fabric.
- Neutral Leather Accessories: Light shades of tan, cream and gray purses, shoes and belts are a beautiful way to accessorize this spring. It is a classy, elegant look perfect for accenting all the new brightly hued clothing. Consider clutch purses, which are not only perfect for evening, but increasingly being utilized for daytime, as well.
- Goddess Dressing: Such a divine, romantic way to dress with soft sinuous fabrics and sheer overlays. It is a sensual, body conscious look without being overtly sexy that shows lots of movement. Donna Karan’s spring collection is an amazing interpretation of this trend.
- Blazers are Back: For spring, the fitted or belted blazer with short, bracelet length or long sleeves is back, of course in bright colors. Also, safari jackets are part of the return of the jacket — a great look for our Southern California jungle in shades of khaki, brown, bone or white. A blazer always pulls together an outfit and gives it a polished look.
- High-Waisted Pants: These pants are fitted at the top and have long flowing legs. They are figure flattering on many women because the higher rise lengthens the leg and narrows the waist. Top them off with a short, tailored blazer or a fitted shirt.
- Trench Coats: They are still key going into spring. The difference is the colors. You’ll still see neutral trench coats, but also lots of bright colored ones. They are best worn fitted and above the knee.
- Spring Shoes: A new trendy look is the gladiator sandal in either flat, wedge or high heel. Flirty flats are still in style, especially in metallics or with modern embellishments.
Whichever looks you decide to embrace this spring, consider this: style icon, Lauren Hutton, was recently quoted in the L. A. Times saying, “Fashion is what is offered; style is what we pick out of that, how we wear it and the way we put it together.”
11 Spring & Summer 2008 Trends See More Pictures »
