Spring Awakening – Fashion tempts with pretty colors, bold prints

By Linda Miller

Winter’s not over, but no one can be blamed for thinking ahead to warm days and lightweight clothes.

Spring brings new possibilities, a rebirth. Even to the closet.

After months of heavy layers, who wouldn’t look forward to mesh, lace and cut-out details? Bermuda shorts and shirt dresses?

Oh, but there’s more. Flowing dresses, bohemian styles, fringe, and rocker styles mimic the 1970s. Denim gets reinvented, leather goes paper-thin and athletic influences are still in the game. Get ready for kimonos.

And what would spring be without tropical prints, romantic florals, gingham and polka dots? No need to wonder because there’s plenty to go around. White looks to be the color to embrace along with powdery pastels, aquamarine, Kelly green, red, khaki, hot pink and yellow.

But what are those in the fashion business excited about come spring? What’s got them yearning for warm weather?

Jayme Hale, buyer for CK & Co.: “Anyone who knows me knows how much I love white jeans. A pair with net panels on the bottom is a contemporary twist on the classic, especially when worn with a colorful suede jacket, the perfect piece for layering. This fun, fresh look by Elie Tahari will definitely have a place in my closet. Nothing says spring to me quite like the beautiful colors of peach, turquoise and lilac. What a great way to add a pop of color to anyone’s wardrobe.”

Danielle Keogh, owner of Liberté: “Spring is always such a refreshing season, which makes us all happy. This season, I really love that designers chose to be more vivid in their prints compared to previous years. There is a nice mix of florals and geometry, as well as brights and pastels.”

Barbara Jansen, clothing and shoe buyer for Balliets: “For spring, there has been such an emphasis on sport inspired footwear. Slide sandals with lug treads will certainly make an impact on fashion this spring. I can’t wait to wear my Loeffler Randall Paz slides with a playful romper to make the look a little more feminine.”

Cindi Shelby, owner of R Meyers: “Thanks to last summer’s World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics, there’s a Brazilian influence with exotic colors and prints from palms to abstract tropical florals. Fall was really fairly dark. I’m happy to see the explosion of color again. There’s also a revival of the 1970s with skinny flare pants, crop tops and slits, but the looks can be more wearable than what was seen on the runway. It’s nice to see new silhouettes.”

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