After the recent fashion shows, consumers have an idea of what store racks will look like this spring and later into the year. As fashion trickles down into the consumer’s hands, you can expect these trends to walk right off the runway into the streets.
Louis Vuitton does the Croc trend
In New York, fashion was as big as ever during Fashion Week. Some trends that reporters noticed include lots of feathers and fur. It seems like designers want people to show their wild sides. Jason Wu, for example, debuted fox handbags and coats while Peter Som prefer leopard prints for his models. Bold patterns and prints in addition to animal skin are also making a comeback, and the right cut helps you avoid looking like your top is made from your grandmother’s curtains.
Gucci has another take on animal-inspired couture involved a lot of crocodile skin in blacks, greens and pinks. In fact, the designer had matching gloves, boots and belts for most of the outfits that contained crocodile skin at all. It seems like mismatched accessories will become a fashion faux pas this year. Designers such as Rebecca Minkoff have also been matching boots, bags and gloves.
However, animal skins might not be the perfect solution for everyday fashion. For the fashionista who is also pragmatic, 2014 will once again introduce wide-legged pants, which manage to be comfortable, classy and easy to wear all at once. High-waisted pants of this design are especially flattering on tall women and with heels.
For a more functional appearance, shoppers need to look no further than jackets. Several styles will be trendy this year, including the bomber jacket. Form-fitting cuts take this jacket into the 21st century. Sport sweaters will also make an appearance on the racks at fashion retailers this year.
Crop jackets with military styles are also back in style, and they look fantastic, and designers have paired them with a variety of outfits. Cropped jackets work with high-waisted shorts, mini-dresses and even maxi skirts in 2014, so shoppers should feel free to experiment in the dressing room. Tunics are also getting the crop during the latest round of fashion shows.
While masculine cuts were popular on the runway, femininity wasn’t forgotten. Designers such as Tadashi Shoji focused on lace. Dresses, tops and tunics all boasted lace. The idea of cutouts even extended to chain mail, which could be seen at New York Fashion Week. However, it’s probably more pragmatic for more consumers to opt for mesh and lace overlays when purchasing a new little black dress than to wear chain mail for a night out on the town.
Another feminine trend is the tea skirt, a skirt that ends between the calf and ankle. Tea skirts often have a more structured design than maxi skirts, which were all the rage last year. They pay homage to the 1950s and always look chic — especially when worn with a belt. Modern tea-length skirts can be more casual thanks to soft and stretchy materials.
2014 definitely seems like the year where fashion trends are making a comeback so you might be able to refresh your wardrobe with what’s in the back of your closet.