Category: trends

Spring Summer 2014 Fashion Trends

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A few weeks ago, many of you joined me at the 5th Annual Little Black Dress Fashion Show and Luncheon.  It was a spectacular day, filled with shopping, good food, and of course…a great fashion show.

If you were one of the lucky ones to be at this must-attend event, then you saw some of the season’s top trends on the runway.  For those who weren’t able to be with us, I thought I would share a spinet of the fashion show with you, and show you what some of the season’s top trends are.

COLORS
Pantone tells us that the year’s color is Radiant Orchid.  You will see purple everywhere this season, as an accent to prints and as the statement hue in many looks.  Because purple is hot, you will also see colors that are logical ‘matches’ to that trending (for example, orange and yellow).

Bold black and white is back and is BOLD this season. This season, step out of your “color comfort” zone, and add a pop of an unexpected color to your geometric black and whites.


SHAPES
Structured shapes are also a big trend this season. Short, boxy jackets over shirt-dresses, traditional trench-coat styles in whimsical prints. 

Full skirts are also something for us to consider adding into our wardrobe this season. Think 1950 housewife style.  Longer is more on-trend, but can be hard to wear.

INSPIRATIONS
It seems every summer, we see a nautical feel in trends.  This season is no exception. Stripes, strong hardware…all nautical inspired details.

FABRICS
One of the fabrics we are seeing a lot of this season is a heavy lace.  Personally, I am in love with this look!

STYLE
The maxi dress is back and bigger than ever!

PRINTS
Prints this season have a distinct artistic tribal feel. 


To see all the photos from this year’s Little Black Dress Fashion Show and Luncheon, click HERE.

To get a FREE copy of my complete Spring Summer 2014 Trend report, just click HERE!


the thing about kids…and fashion trends

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I have an 11 year old daughter who has strong opinions about her wardrobe (don’t all 11 year old girls?).  Her opinion and mine are vastly different when it comes to school clothes. This back-to-school season I decided I was done arguing about her clothes every morning.  She and I went to Starbucks and had a “fashion meeting”.

Truth is I want her to show her individuality in her wardrobe. I’m glad she isn’t uber obsessed with fashion (I couldn’t afford it!). At our “fashion meeting” I explained to her that I am concerned about things fitting properly, being age appropriate and not unisex (I insist she wear ‘girls’ clothing, not sports wear that are for gals and guys…at least to school). She agreed and we developed our school-clothes rules.

They are:

  • Things must fit (not too small and not too big)
  • Be cool, trendy (whatever that definition is in her 11 year old world)
  • Not look like she is wearing her old-mom’s clothes.  Her clothing must be age appropriate.
  •  Must not be uni-sex.  Must be clothing for girls.

Based on our new agreement (or fashion rules), I then decided that we should choose a style for her. She got to tell me what her personality was through her clothes. She showed me things online she liked, and we went to the mall and she pointed out things in stores she thought was cool.

Some of today’s trends in kids clothes make me take pause when I consider what our kids clothes are saying about their personality.  But, we as responsible parents, need to know what is fashionable (or what “all the kids are wearing”) so when we have these conversations with our teens and pre-teens about wardrobe choices, we are doing so from an educated viewpoint.And of course, to show our kids that we are still cool (*wink*).

Here are 2 big trends in kids clothing this fall.  Or in other words – the stuff your kids are going to be begging for…if they haven’t already!

FUR
This can be a tricky one because pieces that kids like are EXPENSIVE!  Try this: get a great hoodie, denim jacket, or puffy vest from your local Goodwill store.  Then put on your “crafty” hat and DIY!  This tutorial shows you how to get in on this trend in just 5 easy steps.

MOTIFS
Camo and skulls are still big in kids fashion.  Camo has been around a while, look for it this season in bright trendy colors.  For some of us, the camo thing can be a little much for little ones.  Consider a DIY Camo sweatshirt! 

I would love to hear how you’ve calmed the ‘school clothes’ battle in your home! Any suggestions for the rest of us?


IMAGES:
http://cdn2-b.examiner.com
www.aliexpress.com
http://pinterest.com/pin/126874914474934321/
http://pinterest.com/pin/483925922430206827/
 

FALL FASHION MUST HAVE’s

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I am dying for all the new trends this season. So much so that I have become a bit overwhelmed! Honestly, I found that my shopping list was longer than my budget. Something had to be done.

I needed to consult with some colleagues.

I spent some time talking-shop with a Hollywood stylist in LA a few weeks ago. Our girl’s lunch consisted of a lot of hummus and fashion magazines! Here is the list of this season’s top MUST have’s (and note – most of the  pictures are from the runway at the Goodwill Little Black Dress Luncheon in Valparaiso last week)!

STATEMENT JACKET  

A great outdoor coat will go over last season’s jeans, your simple spring/summer sheath dresses and the leggings and turtleneck you’ve been wearing for years.

Get creative with your choice this year.  Consider a vintage find from your local Goodwill store, like this saddle toned beauty.  Belting it with a wide leather belt will give it a new vibe.

 

SOMETHING LEATHER 

For me, I will be going for a leather skirt, leather tank-style top and leather trimmed leggings. Oh wait – I said one thing leather didn’t I?

Look at your lifestyle and see what fits in best and will be the most wearable for you. A transitional leather jacket is a great start, like the ones pictured from Michiana Goodwill Stores.  Be sure to look for details like interesting colors, texture and hardware.

CUTE SASSY SWEATSHIRT   

Who doesn’t love a cute sweatshirt?  For those of us who get the kids off to school, run off to the gym and then work from home, the sweatshirt is a staple in our work-wardrobe. And let’s be honest, generally the sweatshirts we are wearing every day aren’t ones we SHOULD be wearing.

Let’s up the style and sass factor this season!  This trend is something you can DIY very easily.  The style is a sweatshirt with a lace insert on the back, sheer sleeves or interesting detail on the seams. I like to call it a “dressed up sweatshirt”. You can wear this wardrobe staple with jeans or pull on with a simple knit skirt.

Find a great sweatshirt at Goodwill and check out these ideas how to DIY from Pinterest.

THE SHOE-BOOTIE 

The shoe boot is back with a vengeance this season!

Feel free to wear that shoe-boot (or sha-bootie) with EVERYTHING!  Skirts, pants, jeans, leggings – and dare I say shorts?

The key trend is an open toe boot.  And yes, it is on-trend to wear the open toed version with tights!

IMAGES:
http://pinterest.com/pin/46584177367764676/ 
all others from the Goodwill Little Black Dress Fashion Show in Valparaiso, Sept 2013

TRENDS – Spring is finally here!

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One quick way to add some life into your wardrobe is with a dash of a current trend.  Nothing feels better than adding several new pieces into your closet; things you love, that fit you well that are spot-on and trendy.

Let’s be honest – revamping our closets every season just to maintain relevancy and life can be really expensive!

Let’s think of trends in terms of accessories.  Handbags, shoes, jewelry are all ways we can take a simple monochromatic outfit from drab to fab! …and can maintain our budget at the same time!

OVERSIZED SUNGLASSES
Channel your inner Jackie-O with some over-sized sunglasses this season. The bigger, the more colorful the better!  This trend leans a little catroonish in style.

Thrift shops always have a ton of sunglasses in a variety of styles. Be sure to check out this section next time you are at your local Goodwill store. 

LUCITE DETAILS
This trend reminds me of the 70’s and 80’s in a BIG way.  I remember my Mom having a pair of sandals that were see-through Lucite.  They had little flowers that were glued on the toe. Ahhhh yes, memories!

Today, this trend is a great thing to look for at your local Goodwill.  The true fashionista will want to embrace this trend in its pure form: the mod vintage feel from the 70’s and 80’s!

THE TOTE
Another big trend this season is the tote.  I love the notion of this, especially for summer.  Imagine yourself strolling through an open air market, with your super trendy cool tote to hold all of your goodies!  Or for moms, consider doing away with the baby-bag and embrace something a bit more sophisticated in this season’s trendy tote!

One thing I always check out at Thrift Shops is handbags.  You never know what you are going to find there!  This season, be sure to train your eye to look for the larger bags. 

BOLD METAL
In jewelry, the trend is strong metals.  Bold, thick metal statement pieces are all the rage!  And, yes, GOLD is very on-trend right now.

Consider layering your jewelry this season to create this big bulky look.

Did you know that most Goodwill stores have a section just for jewelry?  I have visited dozens and dozens of Goodwill stores all over the country, and I notice the jewelry counter / display seems to get overlooked. If you are a collector or maybe someone who likes to make or re-purpose jewelry, check out this area of your local Goodwill store.

SPRING TRENDS! Color…

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New trends mean new colors.  This season is no different.  The color story is a wild tale of typical Spring pastel hues, and a mix of vibrant tones.

 

The hot color of the season is Emerald green.  We are seeing this Emerald green color paired with a mix of hues ranging from Dusk Blue, Linen to Grayed Jade.


The HOT HOT color combo of the season is Poppy Red with Grayed Jade or Emerald.

WHAT COLORS SHOULD I WEAR?
The key to knowing if you can wear these new hues lies in an honest look at yourself in the mirror.  Take a look at your eye color, skin tone and hair color.  Look at the overall contrast in your look.  For example, if you have blue eyes, blonde hair and medium skin tone you could say that you have soft contrast coloring. If you have dark hair, brown eyes and dark skin you could say you have a deep contrast. Make sure that the tones of the colors you choose this season are inline with the contrast in your own natural coloring. For example, if you have a soft contrast in your look, choose colors that have a soft hue to them (Grayed Jade or Dusk Blue for example).  Likewise if you would say your over all natural coloring falls in the deep category, then the hues you wear should be deeper, higher pigmented tones (Emerald and Monaco Blue, for example).

SHOPPING FOR TRENDY COLORS
A tip my shopping mentor gave me was to print out the seasons hot colors and carry them with you (go HERE for an easy reference to print).   Take this reference sheet to your local Goodwill store and simply look for these colors. Choosing something that has a vintage feel, and pairing it in a fashion forward way by teaming it up with a trendy color combination will make you an instant fashionista!

WANT MORE ON TRENDS?
Pinterest is a great place to check out trends.  Be sure to follow my Spring Summer 2013 board on Pinterest!

Fall/Winter Trends – Leather

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Nothing says Fall/Winter like LEATHER! The thing that I think is so unusual this season, is I’m seeing more and more pleather (fake leather).  Pleather is much more affordable, and very easy to alter or re-work.
The ‘rocker chic’ look is a fun one to incorporate into your holiday looks.  Think about pairing a motorcycle leather jacket with a flirty ruffled or lace skirt.
For the office, take the same motorcycle jacket and pair it with a tweed skirt.

Fall/Winter Trends – Global Details

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I am in love with Global Details in fashion (home fashion and wardrobe fashion) this season. The thing I love the most is the eclectic and vintage feel those details bring…and what better place to get great vintage finds than Goodwill!

Global Details simply means, well, DETAILS!  Tapestry, colorful woven designs, heavy knitting.

When you are wearing a piece with these kinds of details, be sure to make THAT piece the statement of your outfit and keep everything else very monochromatic and simple.

Be sure to keep this trend within your style personality. If your style is natural (in other words, you like natural fabrics, love the comfort and ease of jeans and t-shirts.  Your shoe choice would be Crocs or maybe a Toms)…then choose your Global Detailed piece carefully.  Keep this trend in your accessories (scarf, hat).

If your style is more sassy (people ask you how you came up with outfit combinations, you aspire to be the local Carrie Bradshaw) then go wild in this trend!  This style will easily pair a fair aisle sweater with a tulle skirt and cowboy boots.

And if your style is tailored and polished (you love a trouser and sweater set, you prefer to not make a statement with your clothes, you know what looks good on you and what flatters your silhouette and you stick to it) then a great tailored piece is best for you.  You are most comfortable in cuts of clothing that are generally the same.  Stepping out of your style-box-comfort-zone and adding a pencil skirt with a subtle tapestry would be perfect for you.  Even a jacket will add some pizazz into your wardrobe, and mix very well with the other pieces in your closet. 

To see more ideas on this trend, visit: KATHY’S PINTEREST PAGE

Fall/Winter trends…TWEED

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You have probably noticed the posters in our local Goodwill stores that show trends of the season.  Our fashion Guru, Kathy Friend, has some tips on those trends!

First, the TWEED trend.

This trend is a classically inspired one, and reminds me of the styles of eras gone by.  Look for tweed that has some vintage feel to it and some color.  I love a nubby tweed with a lot of texture and some kind of unexpected color (like pink!).

Wear tweed in small doses.  Even if you find a great tweed suit, I would caution you to NOT wear those pieces together.  The current way to wear tweed would be to break up those pieces, and make the tweed texture THE statement of your outfit. 

To see more ideas on this trend, visit: KATHY’S PINTEREST PAGE

summer trends, stripes

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Have you notices in Michiana Goodwill stores trend boards that look something like this? We are Goodwill are dedicated to make sure you are shopping for on-trend clothing for you and your family.

Our fashion guru Kathy Friend has provided these trend boards for us each season to help you know exactly what is trendy! In the upcoming days / weeks, we will be sharing the 4 big trends of the season with you…here and of course in all of our Goodwill stores!

 Kathy’s Summer Trend Tip:

The stripe trend will continue through Fall – which makes this fashionista very happy!  I love stripes, and continually am searching for different ways to wear them.

Try something a little daring and pair your stripes with another print.

The key to wearing strips is fairly simple…keep the weight of the stripe in line with your stature.  In other words, if you are a petite little thing make sure the stripes you wear are thinner.  Also keep in mind wherever you wear stripes you are going to gain attention.  If you don’t want attention around your hips, make sure you don’t don a stripe there!

Summer Fashion Trends – black and white

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Have you notices in Michiana Goodwill stores trend boards that look something like this?  We are Goodwill are dedicated to make sure you are shopping for on-trend clothing for you and your family.

Our fashion guru Kathy Friend has provided these trend boards for us each season to help you know exactly what is trendy!  In the upcoming days / weeks, we will be sharing the 4 big trends of the season with you…here and of course in all of our Goodwill stores!

Kathy’s Summer Trend Tip:

Here we see the summer trend – black and white.

Black and White is always in-fashion, and this summer is no exception!  To make this look fresh, add a touch of camel (tan) to an all white outfit!  And be sure to mix trends with this black and white feel: stripes and baroque are 2 big print and pattern trends.

Adding interest with color is a great way to mask figure flaws when wearing our favorite black and white looks.  Trying to hide mid-section issues?  Then add a pop of color at your feet, or with your jewelry (or maybe bright red lips!).