Ten hot trends for Spring ’08

1. Gladiator Sandals–wedge or high heels. Although the flat versions were all the rage in the fall, add a little height and a touch of flair for the spring. They are sexy and fun while adding a dramatic touch to any outfit.

The fashion twins,aka, the Olsens, caught on this trend last season (flats on left, heels on right)

And this pair by Alexander McQueen embellished with butterflies is oh-so-fly!

2. Bright Colors: Bright bold colors are running rampant this spring. Think yellow, pink, fuschia, green, blue, orange. Have fun with your wardrobe by adding some color!

Gap trench jacket

Guiseppe Zanotti Rose Bud Satin heels..aren’t they simply gorgeous!

3. Ikat: for those of you who have no clue as to what this means, ikat is (according to Wikipedia) is:

is a style of weaving that uses a resist dyeing process similar to tie-dye on
either the warp or weft before the threads are woven to create a pattern or design. A Double Ikat is when both the warp and the weft are tie-dyed before weaving.

Ikat means “to tie” or “to bind” in the Malay language and has the same root as the
words dekat (“close”), lekat (“to stick”), pikat (“to catch”) etc. The word Katt has the same meaning in
all of the south Indian languages but there may be no relation. Through common usage, the word has come to describe both the process and the cloth itself. Ikats have been woven in cultures all over the world.
In Central and South America, Ikat is still common in Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Guatemala and Mexico. In the 19th century, the Silk Road desert oases of Bukhara and Samarkand (in what is now Uzbekistan in Central Asia) were famous for their fine silk Uzbek Ikat. India, Japan and several South-East Asian countries have cultures with long histories of Ikat production. Double Ikats can still be found in India, Guatemala, Japan and the Indonesian islands of Bali and Kalimantan.

Like any craft or art form, ikats vary widely from country to country and region to
region. Designs may have symbolic of ritual meaning or have been developed for
export trade. Ikats are often symbols of status, wealth, power and prestige.
Perhaps because of the difficulty and time required to make ikats, some cultures
believe the cloth is imbued with magical powers.

Got it? For a better understanding, take a looky-looky:

Balenciaga

Bruce Spring

4. Light denim: Dark denim ruled the thighs of the fashion elite in cooler weather. Now that the tides are turning warmer, warm up your demin collection and go towards the light!

Chanel

Lindsay Lohan in vintage Chloe

5. Long Dresses: you would think that warmer weather brings forth higher hems, but it’s just the opposite this spring. Long, flowy dresses create an alternative chic look to any wardrobe. Think Rachel Zoe…..

Catherine Maladrino

Michael Kors–in a perfect world, I would wear this dress everyday–if no one noticed!

6. New Neutrals: I have always been a big fan of beige….it is compatible to most skin tones and can be easily converted from business professional to casual chic. The lighter trend is acoss the board, I see…..

Cynthia Rowley-try this look for a casual Friday!

Doo.ri–now this is HOOOOTTTT!! I am going to have put a special line item in my budget to rock this—post baby, of course!

7. Embellishments: This look isn’t a far cry from the trends this past season. It is proving the test of time and durability. I am still on the fence about this one, but I could make it work if I absolutely had to.

Phillip Lim

Rebecca Taylor

8. Graphic jewelry: Chunky jewelry that can be statement or conversaton pieces are the focus of jewelry connisseurs this spring. To give an outfit that extra pop, pop on some pieces that can’t be forgotten….

Jennifer Lopez

9. Ombre-n. A French term meaning “shaded.” Usually a multicolored stripe, with colors graduating from light to dark. The color effect is woven into the fabric. Generally produced by arranging different tones in the warp. (now you know that I didn’t write that definintion….)

Badgley Mishka

Laundry by design

Miu Miu Sandals: See, I would wear these without a hint of hesitation. The kind of floral that I could most definitely live with…..Missoni: this is a little too ladies-who-lunch for my tastes, but if you like it, I love it!