Oh, my!  The spring and summer trends have been in all the fashion magazines since January! So here’s the deal with fashion trends….they come and go, and it’s up to you to pick the one that suits you the most.  Have you ever read an article in a fashion magazine informing readers on what trends are out and secretly thought to yourself you never knew they were in?  

 Two things you need to know about me:

1. I do love the beginning of a new fashion season and all the new trends…
2. …but I only choose a few to see what trends suit my taste and style.

Let’s talk about florals first.  Of course florals have been around forever, but last year they made a huge comeback.  Remember when you only wore florals in spring and summer?  They are now considered a fall and winter fashion staple and were seen in magazines and on the runways with leather jackets, sweaters, and boots.   I purchased a floral midi skirt at the end of summer and love the fact that I can wear it year-round.  In the fall I wore it with black tights, a sweater, bomber jacket, and booties.  In the spring and summer, I will tie it at the hem on one side, wear it with a white t-shirt and a pair of flats or sandals.  It’s about time floral became a year-round pattern…right?

Another trendy floral look is pant suits and yes, the jacket and pants match.  Though, I don’t see myself wearing this trend, it looked super cute on young style stars at New York Fashion Week.  Some women wear their floral pantsuits with platform heels, and others wear the suit with platform sneakers.  Sound too trendy for a Texas gal?  Then think about wearing them as separates.   Floral pants are a great spring transition piece worn with a button-down blouse, and topped with a denim jacket.  A floral trend I invested in this spring is a flowy blouse.  I can wear it with a pair of jeans, front-tucked or half-tucked. Since I am more prone to wear black and neutrals, a few floral pieces will go a long way with me.  That being said….here’s to flower power!!!

Like florals, ruffles have been around forever, but this year they are back with a vengeance!  In past years ruffles were mostly seen on shirts, but now you will find them everywhere from sweaters, skirts, and even pants. One of my favorites on our Pinterest board is a beautiful white ruffled blouse from the Zaza Bellagio blog spot.  They paired it with a black linen blazer, gray jeans, a statement necklace, and an incredible studded belt. Though the trendy look I covet the most are the ruffled skirts seen in all the fashion magazines and on Pinterest.  A look I can see myself wearing is a ruffled grey textured skirt with a white blouse tucked in, worn with 3-tone color blocked shoes. InStyle Magazine suggests a ruffled skirt be paired with pointy-toe sling backs and a simple knit top to give it an Audrey Hepburn level of sophistication.  Am I starting to “ruffle” some feathers?  

25 Ways to Wear a Pleated Skirt

InStyle calls pleated skirts “fashion’s it-skirt of the moment,” and I could not agree more!  I purchased a gray shimmer pleated skirt on sale at H&M in December.   I have transitioned it into my spring wardrobe by pairing it with a pink flowy blouse, black strappy kitten heels, and fun tassel earrings.  My go-to wedding guest look this spring will be a mauve pleated skirt, a black off the shoulder top with bell sleeves, black heels, and a black Lucite evening bag.  The best thing about both skirts is they will transition through spring, and I will bring them back in the fall.  Click here to see 25 Ways to Wear a Pleated Skirt on our Pinterest board.

Just like the “lions, and tigers, and bears” from the Wizard of Oz…” florals, and ruffles, and pleats” …or any trend for that matter can seem a little scary at first.  But as you travel down the fashion road, be brave, have heart, and mostly use your brain when choosing a new trend.  Oh, my!!!

Holley Williams is a personal stylist specializing in closet inventory, seasonal shopping, closet organization and wardrobe consultation. Contact Holley at [email protected].