Boy, is my face red. I've been eating my words ever since I printed a column last week about this year's lack of a true Dartmouth winter. It appears that meteorology is not my calling. Just look outside if you need verification.
I guess that's why I talk fashion rather than weather.
But I'm over it. And I'm over the late-onset Dartmouth Winter. I'm over the cold and I'm over the snow. As Michael Kors would say, "I'm underwhelmed."
Winter term is so pass. What's hot right now is spring.
Regardless of what the weather is like outside right now, we can sit inside and dream about the warmth to come. And lucky for us, Spring Break is right around the corner.
Maybe you're going skiing or to a lovely European city or even just going home to relax. But if you're like me, you need a beach like a daiquiri needs rum.
And what better to do while baking on a beach in Belize than fantasize about spring runway looks and how to make them your reality?
First, you must shed the bulky layers. Shed the scarves and hats and puffy coats and furry boots, and get down to the basics. Skin is in like it's never been in before.
Short skirts, short shorts, sky-high wedges and extra-long tops. Throw in a little all-American sailor prep, flowing fabrics and lady-like poise, and mix it with an ample dose of anti-establishment attitude. The result? Laura Ingles Wilder and Edie Sedgwick, rocking out on a yacht near Santorini.
We're talking neutral colors, linen galore, and a whole lot of white. Bold, bright colors splattered on silk and stretch jersey in primal instinct patterns (Matisse-like prints of jungle leaves and exotic swirling patterns of bright colors).
Short Swingin'-London mini-dresses in optic black-and-white sit on clothing racks next to loaded layers of natural ethereal fabric with Prairie home feel. Rock star chic (leggings, minis, faded-print tees and bright colored stripes) meets nautical goddess (navy and white, rope and sailor pants).
This spring, there are several trends all piling into one fabulous closet. There's a taste of Swinging London, Beatle-mania and Studio 54; a Western prairie feel with a safari twist; a spicy dose of exotic island getaway; and a bit of rich yacht club attitude.
It's hard to decide just which trend to go with. Many designers had difficulty, too. While some designers fit neatly into a specific trend -- Balenciaga was all rockstar London (though with a baroque opulence) and Ralph Lauren was all about nautical -- some designers couldn't commit to one single trend (this makes it easier for us to individualize our style, but harder to synthesize the many designers' shows into a few simple-to-understand trends).
Lucky for us, designers are often inspired by more than one thing at a time. Michael Kors' show was mostly Georgia O'Keefe-inspired, but had a distinctly city edge to it, with sleek black fabrics and some strange allusions to the war through camouflage (though perhaps that was just another homage to the prairie land).
Diane von Furstenberg used bold, often exotic, prints to channel the essence of a devilishly charming international lady of mystery.
Carolina Herrera promised a modern trip back to early 20th century Vienna. And white chiffon -- with a few splashes of kelly green and purple -- dominated the ethereal almost-60s-inspired Calvin Klein runway. The fabulous thing about the direction in which fashion is moving is that we, the customers, have so many options.
Trends may abound, but what we can take from the trends are the silhouettes created and the inspiration to do our own thing.
Balloon skirts, empire-waist baby doll dresses, wedge sandals and fitted-yet-forgiving tops are the wave of elegant, fashionable future. Whether you find these silhouettes at a '60s concert, '70s disco, the yacht club or the ranch is up to you.
If you are to buy one thing this spring, make it a white dress. It can be a long, flowy, Southwest-inspired piece or a short flirty frock, but as long as it's white, it will be modern, hip and very in-style.
Most of all, because of the choice you make, it will be yours and no-one else's.
It may not be spring yet, but it's not too early to dream -- and to shop.
Spring Break's so close I can taste it. And the spring weather that should hopefully follow here at Dartmouth isn't too far away either.
We may be suffering now, but the sweet reward is soon to come.It's time to reward ourselves with a new batch of fabulous clothes -- the ultimate form of self-expression.
