Tough times, top styles
Dear Sharon: I’m trying to not go overboard with my clothing purchases for spring into summer. I making a positive attempt to only buy what is essential to update my wardrobe and then wait for sales to fill in the rest.
I love new things but with the economy being so iffy I feel that it is in my best judgment to try to slowdown my shopping habits. What new looks should I buy now that make both fashion and economic sense.? --Not Quite a Shopaholic, but Obsessed (Fort Meyers, Florida)
Dear Not Quite a Shopaholic: Well, my dear for someone watching her wardrobe purchases the best place to start shopping is in your closet! While it may not be as exciting a buying something new, it certainly is exhilarating to rediscover a diamond in the rough that you forgot about or rework a gem into something even more fabulous.
Light wash, ripped and rugged jeans in a fuller boyfriend cut have replaced dark wash denim basics as the new it jean. That grungy jean with the blown-out knee that has been loitering on a back shelf of your closet for years may just be what the style doctor ordered to update your wardrobe in a snap. Roll up the hem to above the ankle and pair with a pair of super hot heels—off you go to new style on the fly!
And, those heels?
Well, gladiator shoes are still loitering in fashion since last summer, so there’s no dire need to update on trendy shoes. Unless, of course, you are yearning for a pair of fabu pumps with a neon bright heel or some crazy colored platforms to add zing to whatever your wear.
Bold colored accents are the best way to update your wardrobe in a flash, so if it’s not those shoes, try a vivid colored bag. Updating your look with a staple accessory that you can wear every day, like shoes or a handbag, provides endless mileage to a single trend.
Wearable strong shoulders are creeping in to our lives again and, I predict, are slowing changing the silhouette of what we wear and what will look modern. That said, a bolder shoulder will be something that you can count on for a few seasons ahead. Seek out designer vintage, thrift shops, the back of your closet, or invest in a few good pieces.
A soft and flowy tunic with some Grecian-style drapinessis an instant layering piece. Wear it as a mini when you have the legs for it. Pop a strong shoulder bolero jacket over it. Or, add a sweet cardigan. Top it over those ripped jeans, or a pair of white jeans. Another match for those gladiators. Stilettos for night. Cute flats for day. Belted or loose. Punch it up with a long scarf or ethnic beads.
Europeans have been souking up Marrakesh for a few seasons but the Orient Express trend is just starting to spice up wardrobes stateside. Harem pants are the hot summer trend and they are certainly plentiful in just about every cheap chic fast fashion Mecca. If you are not quite game enough to try harem pants, look for Moroccan inspired prints. Glom on to the fabulous ink-dyed colors like pomegranate, indigo, mustard, and rose. How about burnished gold and weathered silver jewelry, with and without the coin? I’m still loving my assortment of wood bracelets from stops around the Sahara for a decade now— you will find them go-to accents too!
Sportyis not the green light to wear white sneakers with pink laces along with a pair of velour sweat pants that have a snarky slogan blazoned across the tush. It is the opportunity to wear some very stylish and stylized dresses, track pants, hoodies, and sneaks with a with a wink-wink to athletic inspiration. The beauty of it all? You will look gorgeous at the gym too!
-- April 30, 2009
Published on April 29, 2009
