spring 2013: stripes, contrast, and black & white.

here is a 3 for the price of 1 trend recap for spring. stripes (vertical and horizontal) were on almost every runway. as we know, especially here in new england, stripes are a staple for every spring and summer. 

this season, they were a little different. they were mostly shown in verticals or in the next trend here, contrast prints. many looks were mixes of vertical and horizontal stripes, mixes of widths and sizes of the stripes, as well as stripes mixed with similar patterns in similar colors. 

the third spring trend here, i think, is pretty obvious. black & white. these two colors together are going to be major. if you have been out shopping in the past few weeks, you see this combination popping up everywhere already. whether it is together or mixed with pops of neons or pastels, black & white is making a bold statement. this look is easy to get with things you probably already have in your closet and is certainly easy to find at all price points. with your choice of accessories, you can make this look either super edgy for the weekend or classic enough for work. 

dolce & gabbana.

marc jacobs.

oscar de la renta.

michael kors.

whether you choose to wear these three trends together or just one or two at a time, you can see from the options above that it will be easy to work these into your spring wardrobe.

saint laurent: grunge for the every girl.

sunday i posted about the first of many trends for this spring season, grunge, and as we have seen from the fall 2013 runway shows that it is a trend that is here to stay. and i just so happened to be part of a long lunchtime conversation today about the saint laurent collection and how it is styled pretty much the way we are dressed everyday. it may be the place i work in or the people i work with, but i can agree. the term 'allston trash' was used to describe one's opinion on the show (you may have to be or live in boston to understand that), but think young and urban, maybe a little gritty.

but unlike the phillip lim and dries van noten spring shows, it is lacking in aspirational looks that girls with my current means (meaning has no means to purchase these brands! ha) hope to see in runway collections. with a name like saint laurent (formally yves saint laurent), this is a bit unexpected. we all agreed that we liked the looks, but thought there was nothing we don't see everyday. there was nothing to take inspiration from.

on the upside, it will take less time and money to recreate a runway look that you already know how to wear. take a look and let me know what you think. maybe we are the new inspiration. maybe being a real, even average, girl is the new new.

spring 2013: 90s grunge.

3.1 phillip lim.

dries van noten.