Though the weather is only just beginning to turn cold, the fashion world is buzzing with excitement over upcoming trends for Spring 2007. At the major fashion weeks in New York, Paris, Milan and London, designers gave us a taste of what we can expect to be wearing when warm weather finally hits. And what better way to get through exam period than to daydream about upcoming fashions?
Bye-bye, little black dress - hello, little white dress! This summer staple, also popular last season, dominated the runways in flowing, airy fabrics. Dresses with pockets were also widespread, and Carolina Herrera defined the three dress shapes of the season: sack, shift, shirtdress. Skirts and dresses were also micro-mini, showcasing the legs as the new must-have accessory of the season. Start doing those lunges now!
Another carryover from last season is the volume trend, with puffy sleeves, bell sleeves, voluminous skirts and even pantaloons being presented on various runways (I'm sure I'm not the only one hoping the pantaloon thing doesn't carry over into mainstream fashion).
Flowers are extremely chic for spring, be they in the form of rosettes or floral prints. This is a testament to the earthy, organic feeling that emanated from the runways - a few of the runways were even covered in grass!
Many designers played with the idea of natural versus synthetic, pairing unusual fabric combinations such as linen and vinyl or cotton and satin. This idea of contrast was very popular with designers, with another popular contrasting combination being athletic and glamorous clothing.
Fashion is definitely in an era of throwbacks to previous decades. For spring, the '60s and '80s are blended to create a new, almost futuristic aesthetic. Pucci best exemplified this with bright colored prints, mod dresses, jumpsuits and leggings.
Bright colors such as electric blue and sunshine yellow punctuated the color palettes of the collections, with metallics reigning supreme as shades of the season. Unlike in past seasons, however, the metallics for 2007 are muted; they shine rather than sparkle. This enables them to be worn day or night without being too gaudy or over-the-top. Burberry's collection perfectly integrated silvers and whites to create a light, ethereal effect.
Michael Kors' collection had an explicit dance theme; his inspiration was the dance fever that has hit the nation due to television shows such as "So You Think You Can Dance" and "Dancing with the Stars." His collection was not the only one with elements of dance, however, as ballroom and ballet were inspirations for many pieces from a variety of collections.
My favorite aspect of Spring 2007 is that designers are moving away from the waif look and embracing the mature, feminine physique. Karl Lagerfeld said of his Chanel collection that "the girls are not anorexic, but the clothes are," referring to the fact that his clothing is meant to flow lightly over the body.
Many of the collections were extremely sexy, but in a sophisticated, un-raunchy way. Vera Wang, for example, created beautiful dresses that were loose and conservative but undeniably sexy. The new definition of sexy has nothing to do with low-cut tops, and I couldn't be happier.
Makeup for spring mimics the clothing with gold and silver being the choice shades for eyes. At the shows, makeup was kept very clean, simple and fresh with a dash of metallic eye shadow or a hint of a bright lip color. Hair was also kept very simple, with slicked-back styles being the most popular and straight hair once again dominating over curly.
Well, it has been a pleasure sharing my passion for fashion with you this semester. Clothing is something so integral to our lives that we take for granted. I hope that, at the very least, I've sparked a curiosity to really think about those pieces of fabric we routinely put on ourselves day after day. I hope that I've made fashion fun.
Until next time,Jyll Saskin
Jyll Saskin is a sophomore majoring in child development.
