Spring fashion in 2012 is all about bringing in new colors, new prints, and new silhouettes to your wardrobe. In this article, we tell you all about the trends that have been scorching the runways.
Now that the freezing temperatures of winters are becoming a thing of the past, we can start dreaming of balmy weather, pleasant winds, and of course, our spring wardrobe. The fashion gurus of the world have declared what the biggest fashion trends for spring 2012 are. The most famous fashion shows around the world and the runways have been packed with trends that are going to determine what we wear this new year. This article gives you a peek into what were the biggest trends on the fashion ramps for spring this year.
Colors for Women in Spring 2012
If you have had your fill of the muted colors that ruled the roost in the fall season, then you should be ecstatic about the trends that have been predicted for 2012’s spring season. Give the blacks and whites in your wardrobe some rest. The colors that are being touted as the it colors for the spring season have been picked from all over. There is no one influence. The common theme that runs through it all is vibrancy and elegance. So what are the colors that you need to have in your wardrobe this spring? It is time to embrace the warm hues of poppy (red), geranium (pink), and tangerine (orange). On a day when everything seems a little dull, a canary yellow or a Tiffany blue may be the perfect shade to step out in and brighten your mood. For those amongst you who prefer to encapsulate the shades of nature in your wardrobe, leaf green and hyacinth are the shades for you. To tone down the pops of color, you can choose from earthy shades like honey, sandstone, and gray-blue.
Fashion for Women in Spring 2012
Block It Up
Off The Ramp…
It’s not the latest trend on the block but it is here to stay. Say hello to colors and mix them up all together. Remember your kindergarten days of combining brilliant shades and hues together. Well it is time to take a trip down memory lane and bring out that hidden artist again. Pops of color rule the roost.
…Into Your Wardrobe
Well the easiest way to indulge in this spring trend is to buy a color blocked dress. If you want to get a little more creative but do not want to look like you stepped out of the paint shop, then try to pair a bright top with a more subdued bottom. For the braver women out there, pair two very bold colors like a poppy red and canary yellow. Color blocking is definitely not limited to just your clothes. You can color block using accessories as well. Team a white or black top with shoes, jewelry, and bag in a bright tangerine. So how do you ensure you are on the right track with the color combinations? You can definitely rock more than three colors in one outfit. The thing to remember – wear only one neon color, and preferably the colors should be combined in such a manner that there is one bright color, one bold one, and one neutral shade.
Flower Power
Off The Ramp…
Spring always seems a little incomplete without the blast of floral print, and this year is no different. Spring is all about rediscovering the power of flowers. From floral stickers on sheer fabrics to flowy gowns for resort wear; from flowers in all their mismatched glory mixing types and colors to monochromatic flowers, the allure of flowers is here to stay.
…Into Your Wardrobe
So how can you wear flowers this season? The options are endless and if you have always liked to experiment with your clothes, then there is so much that you can do. First of all you need to pick a size that you are comfortable with. For some women tiny, dainty prints do the trick and for others the more conspicuous, large statement-making prints are the way to go. This spring it is all about giving your floral printed clothes a little edge. Pick darker colors and team them with plain items of clothing. Wear a white shirt with a floral skirt or layer a floral dress with a chambray shirt. While we suggest not mixing patterns, if you think you can pull it off, then try and team plaid and floral prints. They can make for quite an interesting combination. If you are not a huge fan of the print but want to stay on trend, opt for accessories like scarves or even headbands.
Feather Fantasy
Off The Ramp…
Every designer worth his salt had bird prints as an integral design element in their spring collection. From the floral colors inspired birds on the dresses by Marc Jacobs to the happily tweeting birds perched on clothes by Carolina Herrera, they were everywhere. It is time that we give the usual leopard prints and zebra stripes some much-needed rest and bring out the birds.
…Into Your Wardrobe
This can be a print that can be a little tricky to carry off with elan. Unlike leopard prints and zebra stripes which have only the spots and stripes making an appearance, here you have the entire flock on your dress. So how do you wear them? Well it all depends on your sense of style and your general outlook. If you aren’t afraid of big bold prints, then think peacock, pheasants, eagles, and other such birds to stay on trend. If more delicate prints are your style, then opt for tinier birds on your clothes. You could also choose to have a single bird’s image on the dress to kind of focus on the print. If you find the trend a bit too much for your taste, then you can choose to wear accessories that have the print on them. From bags with bird buckles to scarves, and even jewelry, there is something for every one to try out.
Submarine
Off The Ramp…
The obsession with the cool and soothing blues associated with the sea is not new but the interpretation of aquatic life inspired clothing has been given a makeover this season. Designers including Chanel and Givenchy showcased their seawater inspired collection by including clutches made of shells and pearl embellished clothes. The designs too used sea inspired motifs.
…Into Your Wardrobe
You love the sea and you love your blue but you are a little confused about this new twist on the trend of sea inspired clothing? Well we are here to help. The easiest way to add the trend to your wardrobe is to choose clothes in flowing fabrics in colors that shout out sea to you. But be cautious. Try not to stick to the time-tested shades of blue. Opt for colors that are more often than not ignored, like corals, pearls, and greens. Opt to wear clothes that have motifs that define the sea like seahorses, starfish, shells, etc. Also choose to wear accessories that help declare your love for the sea like shark tooth necklaces or pearl headgear. You can also choose to carry bags and purses that have been embellished with shells. There is no one right way to showcase your love for this trend. You can choose to display your inspiration in the most innovative of manners and a style that suits you the best.
Super Sport
Off The Ramp…
From Alexander Wang to Stella McCartney to Cynthia Rowley, every designer has played around with sportswear in their spring collection to give it a more high-fashion touch. If you have always been a sports enthusiast but have hated the way the fashion has been given a bad name, it may be time to take a little inspiration from the biggest names in fashion.
…Into Your Wardrobe
Wearing this trend may require you to give the sporty clothes in your wardrobe a little bit of a makeover. Sweatshirts and hoodies are going to be a huge trend this spring but instead of making them the clothing item that you put on as an afterthought, make them the center of attention. Try out sweatshirts and hoodies in pale pastel colors and team them with stark skirts and leather bags. Also replace the sleeves on the jackets with sheer sleeves. Jewel embellished hoodies are also a huge trend. Another way to incorporate sportswear is to use mesh on your clothing in the form of pockets or panels. A trend that may not seem the most wearable but was seen on all major ramps was scuba dresses in bright colors. Want to give your track pants a much-needed makeover? It may be time to buy a pair of track pants in silk with gold or bronze detailing.
Ruffle Romance
Off The Ramp…
The trend that first became a rage in the 1940s is seeing a revival in 2012 with top designers using peplum as a design element in their clothes. From dresses and tops to jackets and skirts, peplum is here to stay. The revival of peplum is not too surprising after the hourglass silhouette and the big shoulder fad both made an appearance in past collections.
…Into Your Wardrobe
For all those who are unsure about what peplum is, here is a quick overview. It is a very short, pleated, flared piece of fabric that is attached to your jacket, blouse, skirt, or even dress to create a stiff flounce over your hips. How can you wear peplum you ask? Well to be frank it is not the easiest trend to pull off, especially for women with a pear shaped figure as this fashion element tends to emphasize the bottom half of a woman’s body. Jackets with a peplum trim work the best. Wear them with a pair of slim trousers or a pencil skirt to create a more streamlined look. If you opt to wear a dress with a peplum design then choose to emphasize your waist with a belt. The best thing about this trend is that it makes your waist look smaller. If you are not sure about wearing an outfit with a stitched-in peplum, opt for peplum belts that can be attached to your clothing.
Graphic Goddess
Off The Ramp…
One of our favorite trends this season – the digital images adorning clothes. From more subdued geometric prints to tribal inspired prints to the more radical images of traffic signals and cities on clothing; graphic, digital prints are bringing in a breath of fresh air. Designs with graphic prints are becoming a little more unpredictable which changes the game.
…Into Your Wardrobe
It is time to brush up your talents on your preferred designing and photo imaging software. Use different images, play around with them, and create one that you would want to appear on your dress. This is the trend of the moment. Okay, maybe the do-it-yourself trend is not a requisite but you get the general gist. It is time to adorn bold prints and make funky graphics your best friends. It may be a good idea to team it with more subtle clothing items to tone down the complete effect. So pick a bright, psychedelic t-shirt to wear it with a pair of slim denims or wear a graphic print dress with a leather belt and carry a leather bag with it. The tip that needs to be kept in mind while wearing graphic dresses is to choose images that depict real life objects and images. Most graphic print clothing work well if they evoke a sense of nostalgia.
Dotty Affair
Off The Ramp…
The dots are back and in a big manner. All major runway shows this season feature polka dots in some way or the other. The message was loud and clear. It is time to clear your wardrobe of the stripes and checks you have stocked. Release your playful side with psychedelic spots and dots to brighten up the mood instantly.
…Into Your Wardrobe
Let’s start off by agreeing that polka dots may not be the favorite print for many women. It somehow evokes memories of childhood and pigtails. But polka dots is not all about childhood. You can retain the innocence of time gone by while balancing it with the elegance of adulthood. First and foremost you need to decide what kind of prints you are comfortable with. From minuscule dots to coin-sized prints, there is something for everyone to choose from. It may be a good idea to keep the silhouette of the dress that you wear as feminine as possible as polka dots are a dainty print to begin with. Wear a polka dot top with an a-line skirt or even a pencil skirt. If you are comfortable with the idea then print a polka dot top with a skirt that has polka dots as well. For a fun look you can wear a pair of polka dotted pantyhose. If none of these work for you, then just don polka dotted accessories.
Twenties’ Girl
Off The Ramp…
Ralph Lauren and Michael Kors were just some of the biggest names that showcased the style from the twenties in their collection. It is feminine, it is frilly, and it is playful, and there is absolutely nothing to not love about the style of the 1920s. Of course, every trend needs a modern interpretation when reinvented and it is the same for this style.
…Into Your Wardrobe
Do you want to walk into an era gone by? The style from movies like The Great Gatsby and The Artist is inspired by the 1920s and it was a decade that definitely created some great moments for fashion. So how do you get this style into your wardrobe? The defining trait of the 1920s was the easy balance between a boy-like silhouette and feminine frailty. It is this characteristic that you need to embody. Therefore you need to opt for shift dresses, fringed straight-cut skirts, and loose drop-waist jumpsuits. Opt for fabrics like silk, and colors that are more pastel in their hue. Flapper dresses are another style that you definitely need to include in your wardrobe. Another strong contender for your wardrobe from the era is the cloche hat which can make every outfit look a tad more chic. Shimmer and shine were important to the clothing of the decade and it may be a good idea to include some of it in your wardrobe.
Colors for Men in Spring 2012
Spring is all about breaking free from the shackles of boring creams and beige. For men who have stuck to their whites and their blacks, this may just be the season to try something new. It is about being loud without being garish. It is about using color without making it the cynosure of your outfit. It is time to bring out the yellows and the greens, the purples and the reds. For the not-so-brave-at-heart, you can stick with hues of gray like stone gray or even a good old-fashioned khaki. For those who like to defy the rules, there is a whole gamut of colors to explore; the boldest of them being yolk yellow, tangerine, and grass green. For all those who believe that their wardrobe may disintegrate if not punctuated with shades of blue, sodalite and cerulean are two brilliant hues to pick from. Rounding off the top colors for men this spring season are the vibrant yet elegant shades of purple and rust.
Luxury Edition
Off The Ramp…
The use of luxurious fabrics for men has seen a resurgence and designers like Ferragamo, Versace, and Louis Vuitton are including luxury fabrics in their designs for men. From velvet, cashmere, silk and fur, they are all a part of designer wear for men.
…Into Your Wardrobe
Ask any top trend predictor about the use of luxury fabrics for men, the term ‘iridescent’ is sure to be bandied around. Silk, satin, and velvet are all a huge part of the trends for formal menswear this spring. The shimmer, shine, and reflection of light that these fabrics allow for make them the perfect choice to create a show-stopping design. Other luxury fabrics that you need to create space in your wardrobe for include cashmere, fur, and calfskin. From velvet suits in darker shades to kimono silk suits, berets made of felt, these were the designs that were seen on the ramps. Also on the catwalk were fur-trimmed jackets and silver capped shoes. Including luxurious fabrics in your everyday wardrobe is definitely difficult but it may be a good idea to have one such suit in a fabric of the kind for more formal occasions. If that is still not your cup of tea, then opt for silk shirts that can be paired with suits in more suitable fabrics.
Boxed In
Off The Ramp…
Having been stuck in the slim fit suit section for a couple of seasons now, it is time that mens’ suits are reinterpreted. Like designers like Antonio Azzuolo and Dirk Bikkembergs showcased, a new avatar of mens’ suits has emerged – boxy, square suits.
…Into Your Wardrobe
Most designers have been pushing for a new look for suits this season. It is looser, squarer, and cleaner in terms of the cut. There is a hint of the 1940s and bit of a zoot suit resemblance. Here is what you need to keep in mind while buying such a suit. The silhouette, as you need to be very clear about, is wider than ever before. So the shoulders are bigger and legs are roomier. Of course this may cause the problem of looking bulkier but choosing suits in wool or silk blends may solve that for you. To keep the look modernistic, remember that the clothes you pair the suit with needs to be slimmer, like slim fit shirts and narrow ties. There has been a bit of clash about whether or not square suits are the way to go or slim suits are still in and while there is no absolute verdict yet, it may be a smart idea to have a square suit in your wardrobe.
White Knight
Off The Ramp…
Every top designer featured this evergreen color in his collection for spring. From white cotton pants designed to make you comfortable, to crisp, cotton shirts, the color white continues to rule the ramp. Here’s how you can rock the trend.
…Into Your Wardrobe
There is no woman in the world who would disagree if I said that a guy looks his best in a white cotton shirt and a pair of blue denims. There is something about white clothing that can make even the scruffiest of men look like he is the most well-groomed person in the room. White clothing also tends to have that slight preppy touch to it that makes it seem aspiration worthy. This spring, wear white clothes with elan. There are some items of clothing that definitely need to be a part of your wardrobe. These include a white-button down shirt, a pair of white linen pants, a white jacket, and if you are sure you can carry it off, a white tailored suit. For occasions that require you to be dressed in your best casuals, an outfit that is predominantly white may be your best bet. It is time you reinvent yourself with the color.
Shorts Story
Off The Ramp…
Despite Tom Ford’s declaration last year that men should never shorts in the city, the trend continues to rule the ramp with top designers like Yves Saint Laurent and Issey Miyake showcasing shorts in their spring collection. Let’s take a look at the new story.
..Into Your Wardrobe
The seasons of spring and summer are not meant to be ones in which you stifle yourself in clothes like trousers and full length denims. It is time to take out your favorite pair of shorts from your closet. But trends have changed and you need to keep up. Let us take a look at what fashion trends for spring 2012 dictate for shorts. One trend that definitely stood out were shorts that were worn above the knee taking you back to your childhood when you donned scout uniforms. Pleated and clamped shorts are the way to go. If this is definitely not your style, then you can opt for more preppy, longer knee length shorts. The things to keep in mind are that the silhouettes are slimmer and the cuts narrower. For a casual day in the park, wear a pair of khaki shorts with a nautical shirt and white cotton jacket. The Mediterranean style is here to stay and it is time for you to embrace it.
Ankled Length
Off The Ramp…
It seems like this trend is going to stick around for a while despite not being completely embraced. Ankle length pants for men seem to be a big trend for spring as well, with cuffed pants being the latest style to sport.
…Into Your Wardrobe
Agreed! This is not exactly a fashion favorite for yours truly. There have been graver sartorial no-nos but this one remains my least favorite. The length being neither here nor there, of course contributes in a huge manner but then the fashion gurus have spoken and the trend is quite big. So if you are planning to include these pants in your wardrobe, here is how to wear them. Toss away the skinny or slim-fit ankle length pants of last year. Instead it is time to opt for the trend of the moment – rolled up trousers with mini cuffs. The idea is to show off those ankles that you have worked so hard to tone. Opt to wear these pants with a striped shirt and loafers with or without socks (with socks would be my personal tip). If you are going in for a more casual look, then opt to wear the pants with a nautical striped t-shirt. This look is more suited for men with an athletic body structure.
Pops of Color
Off The Ramp…
For some reason color has never been fully explored in men’s fashion. But fashion trends for spring 2012 predict the use of strong colors for menswear as well. Color blocking which is a huge trend for women is in fact now being considered a strong contender for mens’ fashion as well.
…Into Your Wardrobe
Most men tend to stick to neutral colors like khaki, whites, grays, blacks, and beige. It takes a bold man to actually break the shackles of colorless clothing and try new shades and hues. Trends for spring as showcased by designers show us how colors that were generally used as accents are now the mainstay of a clothing item. So it is not surprising to see orange shirts, mustard pants, and green jackets. The key to dressing in these colors is to know how to use them in your wardrobe. If you are new to adding color to your cupboard, then start off with shirts in pastel shades teamed with white linen pants. If you are a ready for a stronger dose of color, then definitely buy a sports jacket with neon highlights and a strong base color. Try to mute a bright color by wearing a more neutral color with it.
The fashion trends for spring 2012 as seen on the runway are not only gorgeous but also wearable. The best part of this fashion forecast is that it is extremely easy for someone to adapt these trends into their wardrobe. Just follow the ideas given here on how you can transform that look on the ramp to suit the items in your wardrobe and you should be ready to go. So go ahead and add a splash of color and a tinge of spring to your wardrobe and flaunt your spring look.