Flats
Flat-heeled shoes are emerging as a hot trend for the spring-summer season.
The detailed and embellished ballet flats, sandals and peep-toes are a serious alternative to the high heels that some women still feel are needed for dressy or business occasions.
In fact,
the flat-shoe shape might be a better complement to this year’s longer, more languid fashion silhouette.
Higher heels can throw off proportions, said Lauren Dupont, creative director at Jack Rogers. The shorter shoe “grounds” the outfit.
The shoe doesn’t have to be perfectly flat, but a shoe with just a bit of heel creates an easy line from the leg, she said.
The flat shoe is a safer place to introduce some of the bold, bright colors of spring.
Stylist Robert Verdi said, “The flat shoe, not a sneaker, says ‘I’m put together.’ It’s that middle ground where you need to be most days.”
Trench coats
It’s time to dig out the trenches again. The reliable outerwear piece long linked to strong soldiers and sexy spies is one of those classics that so many of us already own. It has never fully gone out of style.
Designers’ spring collections are showing a dozen different interpretations of trench coats, from buttery leathers to fancy metallics.
The trench shape is even evident in an Ann Taylor dress in washed silk with a draw-cord waist.
The look doesn’t have to be about outerwear, said Ann Taylor’s Lisa Axelson. Structure and craftsmanship count a lot in creating a high-value trench, she said.
It’s the inherent familiarity that gives the trench its long life.
Burberry gets credit for the early waterproof gabardine coats back in the late 1800s, crafting them for English soldiers and farmers. The name comes from World War I troops’ protective coats worn in trenches.
Elle magazine’s creative director, Joe Zee, is touting the oversized menswear-tailored trench with its sleeves rolled up, worn over a feminine blouse and pencil skirt.
Gap’s creative director, Patrick Robinson, says his favorite versions are softer in more of a makeup blush tone rather than khaki.
Longer lengths
The temperatures may be going up, but don’t expect hemlines to follow. The big spring trend is longer lengths: below-the-knee skirts, maxi dresses and flared-leg trousers.
These flowing silhouettes bring freedom from the multiple layers and heavy fabrics of a storm-filled winter.
To carry it off, create a triangular shape with a pared-down top, said Lisa Axelson, Ann Taylor senior vice president of design.
Marie Claire editor-in-chief Joanna Coles already has her new printed Prada skirt that hits her knee, which she’ll pair with a crisp white button-down, but she thinks anything longer takes careful consideration and effort.
The flowing maxi styles are hard to wear to the office, Coles warns. “A calf-length skirt is on trend, but it’s not as flattering as knee-length.”
She is a fan of the pencil skirt, calling it “almost universally flattering.”
Kelly Golden, owner of the upscale Chicago-area boutique Neapolitan thinks the neater, midcalf skirt will do better overall. “The ’40s silhouette, a suit with a cropped jacket or a fitted blouse, is a very ladylike way to do the longer length.”
Gap’s Patrick Robinson’s tips: Pay attention to proper tailoring, even though the style is looser, and mind your proportions; keep it feminine; and embrace the easy attitude.
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