Yes, it’s true that fashion trends are probably the most fickle things there are, but if you’re like me, not a season goes by when you aren’t curious to want to know what those trends might be. It’s not that you intend on following them all by rote, it’s more the anticipation of the big reveal. What will it be this time around? Flares? Velvet ribbon chokers? Fringe?
I still can’t get over that last one.
This spring season, I’m quite pleased to be able to write that all of the trends that have come across my fashion writer’s desk (with the exception of the aforementioned) have been both accessible and wearable, something that you can’t always write about trends in the world of fashion. So without further ado, let’s have a little look at a few of the trends that fashion editors everywhere are declaring will be all over the streets before too long.
Off The Shoulder Looks
Off the shoulder looks are apparently this season’s fashion answer to the old “sun’s out, guns out” philosophy of dressing. Personally, I love an off the shoulder peasant blouse or (as above) a cold-shoulder cutaway top, but for those of us who can’t (or won’t) go braless, they can sometimes pose a bit of a logistical problem. If, like me, you are unwilling to sacrifice a good foundation garment (i.e. your bra) for the sake of a shoulder-exposing garment, do not despair. There are a few things you can do.
You can wear a strapless bra. Although personally I find them to be a complete annoyance, a well-fitting strapless bra will give you a lot of freedom to wear the warmer season’s exposed looks without feeling unsupported. If (again, like me) you’ve never met a strapless bra that you thought fit well enough to trust, you can also choose a “cold shoulder” top that has a bit more material on the top part of the shoulder, thereby enabling you to wear your regular bra with ease.
Bold Earrings
Notice I didn’t say “statement earrings” here. As interchangeable as those two descriptors may be, this seasons “bold” earrings are different than the multiple-jewelled, colourful, rhinestone-encrusted creations of a few seasons ago.
This season’s bold earring is more of an 80s-derivative accessory. It has a heavier, more opaque presence. We’re starting to see things like button earrings again, something that we haven’t seen in several decades. However, drop and chandelier earrings will still have a place at the table as well, according to Glamour.com, so don’t put your dangly earrings to the back of the jewellery box just yet.
One word of advice when deciding on a pair of bold earrings. No matter how much you love them, if they pull your earlobe down, they’re too heavy, and should be avoided. It’s just never a good idea to wear earrings that are too heavy through pierced ears. Being able to see the sky through someone’s earring holes is not a good look. If you must wear a pair of gargantuan earrings that weigh a ton, do yourself a favour and opt for clip-ons instead.
Lace-Up Sandals
This prediction is not what I would call a ground-breaking prediction for spring 2016. Lace-up gladiator-style sandals have been out on the scene now for the past few fashion cycles, and this year is really more another go-round in a succession of warmer seasons than it is a new trend. Having said that, I am generally fond of this look, although it comes with several caveats.
Caveat number one: gladiator lace-up sandals are not such a great idea if you’re short. I’m sorry to say it, but it’s true. If you don’t have long, willowy gams, these sandals will only serve to cut-off the visual line of your legs making you appear even shorter. It’s the same principal as the ankle-strap shoe, to the twentieth power.
But that’s not to say that if you are a bit…um…vertically challenged, you can’t partake in the lace-up sandal. You just have to be a bit more judicious about the sandal is all. Choose a pair that don’t lace-up too high – no higher than just above the ankle, and choose a neutral color like nude (whatever “nude” is to you) or burnished gold (or bronze if you’re dark-skinned). This will allow you to partake of the trend while not interfering with the illusion of a lengthened leg.
The second caveat to a lace-up sandal is that oftentimes, they don’t stay put. You left the house in your brand new gladiators looking like a million gold diocletian coins, but over the course of the day, gravity and motion have caused your laces to migrate south and get into the kind of knot that you wouldn’t have even thought possible had you not made it yourself.
To avoid this common pitfall of lace-ups, choose a pair that has a “spine”, a piece of leather running up the back of the sandal that keeps everything where it ought to be. Some designs may even have a zippered spine, allowing you to never even have to tie your lace-up sandals.
Such technology.
