Spring in your closet

Making the seasons runway trends work in real life

Making the seasons runway trends work in real life

GOING GRAPHIC
Bold and beautiful
Heavy black lines and crisp,grid-like patterns created an Op Art effect in Dries Van Notens spring collection. The clean black-and-white palette feels fresh and modern,with bold stripes,stark colours and strong silhouettes.
The idea is easy to work into a daily wardrobe,but remember: a little goes a long way. If you pair contrasting prints,its easy to wind up looking like a Magic Eye poster. Try a dress with a few thick stripes across the bottom a la Mary Quant,or throw a cropped,graphic-plaid jacket over a simple black dress. Or pair one graphic item with a strong,solid piece,such as black jeans or a solid,dark skirt.
The graphic look should play out through the entire ensemble,in pieces with similar hard shapes and lines. In this case,slouchy and strong dont mix. Accent hard lines with a small splash of colour such as a thin yellow belt or bright red sandals.

THE LUXE HIPPIE
Morocco calling
The Etro spring collection was an eye-popping parade of hot pink,turquoise,gold and paisley prints,with the richness of the fabric and ease of loose layers.
Dont be afraid to mix prints,patterns and vibrant colours with metallics,blending the sophistication of a metallic brocade jacket with a more casual item such as a T-shirt in a vivid hue. Go for lightweight cropped pants,embroidered tops and rich gold jewellery with bright,exotic stones. Throw on some flat,strappy gold sandals to pick up the shimmer of the brocade. But keep the pops of colour to just one or two small pieces. The look is elegant,with shots of summer colour against bronze,gold,tan and white.

THE OBI BELT
Tie it all together
The Marc Jacobs spring collection stole the spotlight with its inspired mix of textures,prints,styles,eras and cultures. It was a lesson in styling,and one of its key pieces was the obi belthis were dark metallic and leopard printslayered over tunics and jackets.
An obi belt in a bright colour or bold print can liven up a basic dress or tunic. Its easy to wear and an unexpected addition to an ensemble. You can achieve the obi effect with a wide belt,but be sure its fabric or flexible leather,so it wont dig into your waist. What makes the obi unique is the wide panel that lays across the waist and the thin cords that wrap around multiple times for extra texture,so you wont get the same effect with a large scarf that youve folded up and wound around your waist.

Too much belt will make you look like a prizefighter,rather than pulled together,so if youre short-waisted,buy a belt that is a little thinner or fold a fabric version in half. Be sure to place the belt at your natural waistline,

not too high or low. Cinching it at the waist will accentuate curves rather than add unwanted width.

ROMANTIC RUFFLES
Handle with care
Phillip Lim played around with rows and rows of ruffles in his spring line,putting vertical layers down the front of a pink shift dress and even on the back vent of a trench coat. He also edged some of the ruffles with zippers,giving them a more sculpted quality.
Off the runway,its best to sample this trend as a soft detail,not a heavy focal point. Stay away from shirts with ruffles on the collar,bib and sleevesthey were meant for Mozart,not modern-day dressing. And keep it to a few ruffles in the same colour as the rest of the garment,unless youre putting together a tango costume.

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And be careful about placement. If you dont want to draw attention to your hips,stay away from tiered ruffle skirts,as they add volume. Instead,let the ruffled fabric add a subtle romantic touch to a cap sleeve,the edge of a pocket,the top of a shoe or the front of a simple T-shirt.