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Spring 2006
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Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered...
Spring 2006 In All Its Glory
I love writing the Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered series in the spring and summer. Fashions are often bewildering at best and downright bizarre in some cases. It leaves one wondering if designers spent a bit too long in hibernation during the winter or if they just have a strange sense of humor!
For many women shopping for spring translates into a fashion conundrum. Styles often lean a bit too heavily toward fussy and ultra-feminine or body-exposing styles that leave one yearning for colder weather and more coverage. Pastel colors are everywhere which spells disaster for many, and bizarre combinations reign. Slip dresses with tunics? Shorts and a blazer at the office (who let the 80's back in)? How does one make sense of what the designers are showing?
Then, of course, we have to contend with the weather. If history is any indication, it could be 90 degrees in April or, as we saw last year, 45 degrees in July. If that's not enough, the shopping season is short. By June sizes and styles can be hard to find and stores are already gearing up for Fall. But, let's not get ahead of ourselves. The warmer weather is just beginning to make an appearance, and there are some lovely fashion choices amidst the scary ones. So, let's take a look.
Bewitched:
Go Green. While the colors this year tend a little too heavily towards pastels and black, green is in. Kelly green is a divine color and looks good on many people. It feels springy, light, fun and even works when worn as eyeshadow, albeit tastefully, of course!
White is huge this season. Wear it head to toe (white pantsuits are very fashion-forward), or pair it with green, black, or nude, and you're super cool! If, however, you look like death warmed over, as my mother would say, in all white, keep white on the bottom and pair it with your most stunning color on top and in your accessories.
Feminine Touches: While, in my opinion, this trend gets a tad overdone in the warmer weather, if you love the romantic feminine styles spring inspires, you're in luck. In small doses and in the proper setting, it's lovely. Add a touch of lace, ruching, eyelet or bows to you wardrobe. For best results, however, apply judiciously.
Trench Coats. The trench coat of today is shorter than what we generally think of when we think trench. It comes above the knee and often in a variety of colors – especially pinks and reds, although neutrals are always available. Pick one (or two) up as a lovely staple in your wardrobe – especially if we end of up (please no!) with a cold, rainy spring like 2005.
Belts: We're not talking wimpy, skinny belts. We're talking wide – 1-1/2” to 2-1/2”. What you're wearing with the belt will determine whether it's worn at the waist or on the hips, and whether it's made of leather, rope, woven, fringed, or even a kimono obi (with a nod to “Memoirs of a Geisha”). Keep one thing in mind: you must feel comfortable drawing attention to your waist or hips in order to wear a belt this season. Otherwise, choose another trend.
Bothered
Shrunken Vests - Not content to shrink our jackets, the designers are suggesting we do the same to vests. First of all, vests are not easy to wear and look chic. It's very easy to look like a throw back to “Leave It to Beaver,” or just downright frumpy. My advice: leave this trend on the rack.
Trouser Shorts – Designers must be desperate. This look can be fabulous or unequivocally dreadful. They are very straight in their design (no room for hips here) and come to the knee or below. Unless you're very tall, thin and have long legs, be careful.
Black and White Stripes – Black is huge this summer, especially when paired with white. While it can be handy to wear black paired with a pretty color (and on some people this is a perfect solution to the washed out colors they tend to push in the warmer weather), too much black can look heavy on some people and overwhelming when paired with bold white stripes.
Baby Doll Dresses – Oh, please.
Bewildered
Go Naked… or just look like it! The hottest trend this season (we saw it in all its glory at the Academy Awards) is nude dressing, i.e., wearing your skin color. One word of caution: it's very easy to look totally washed out in this little color. If that's true for you, either skip this trend entirely, wear it sparingly, or be sure it has lots of interest in the design (such as ruching or an interesting neckline). No matter what, it's not a bad idea to add splashes of color to spice it up.
Bold Prints. Yikes! A wisely chosen, beautiful print can enliven any wardrobe. Bold prints, however, are often troublesome because they can be totally overwhelming. When you choose a print, be sure the primary color is one of your best. Be sure the scale of the print is not so large that it overwhelms you (unless you are so entranced by the design that you don't mind that it takes focus away from you), and wear it in small doses – no entirely printed outfits, please.
This is a season full of life! Even preppy looks have a “cool” undertone. There's nothing understated about any of the trends. If, however, these styles feel too daunting, add a touch of trendiness by restricting this season's looks to your accessories. You'll find handbags and shoes in eyelet, with rope details, in beautiful fabric designs, and in every retro style imaginable. Spring is about joy, lightness, and vitality, so whatever you do, have fun with it!
To purchase Ginger's book "Fashion Secrets Mother Never Taught You," please click here.
Copyright 2006, Total Image Consultants - All rights reserved.
Fashion Secret 2006 is written and produced by Total Image Consultants. Please direct all questions and comments to ginger@totalimageconsultants.com.
If you would like to forward this newsletter, we ask that you do so in its entirety. Do not alter its content or form and please include copyright info. Thank you. To purchase Ginger's book "Fashion Secrets Mother Never Taught You," please click here.
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