Mid-season rant
April 11th, 2008We’re half way through Spring 2008 and I’m pretty pleased with what we’ve seen thus far. The resurgence of bright colours and higher rises and have been among my favourite trends.
That said, I do have a few complaints:
- Skirts and dresses are generally too short. Most gals require lengths that are on, or just below the knee, which are hard to find. Miniskirts are a fashion statement but the industry has gone overboard when Ann Taylor raises its hemlines to well above the knee. I can’t believe that I’m taking petite clients to shop in regular sizes to gain a couple of inches on the hem.
- The absence of cream jeans and cream pants. Unlike white, cream is a seasonless colour (hence the term “winter white” which is a rich creamy colour). White bottoms are a Summer essential, but cream bottoms should be available all the time. Retailers have opted to make beige a basic instead, which is often harder to wear.
- The absence of A-line denim skirts. Denim pencil skirts are everywhere, but A-line denim skirts are universally flattering. This is a missed opportunity.
- An abundance of wide-legged pants. Most of the silhouettes are too wide and clown-like. What’s worse is that wide-legged pants are selling alongside voluminous tunics which encourages them to be worn together. This is not a good look.
- A shortage of skinnies and straight leg jeans. Voluminous tops continue to flourish which means that streamlined bottoms should be widely available. But they’re not. It’s interesting how skinnies remain the “it” pants in Europe, but they’re few and far between in the US. You’ll battle to find skinny jeans unless you’re shopping in a Euro chain store.
A fab fashion season provides sufficient choice in style, colour and fabric. In some areas this has not been the case for Spring 2008. I’d love to hear your feelings on the current season. Don’t hold back!
April 11th, 2008 at 6:22 am
for skirts that hit at just the right spot (and i’m 5′ 7″), i always know that i can find exactly the right length at eddie bauer. i can’t get their talls, as they are too tall, but their regular skirts hit me just below the knee!
April 11th, 2008 at 6:39 am
Skinny jeans are scarce because they’re flying off the shelves. That’s what I was told at National Jean Company. I had tried on a pair of skinny jeans that fit perfectly, but I wavered about buying them, wondering if maybe I’m too old for them. When I went back a week later, they were gone and it was slim pickings. The shop persons told me that skinnies were selling out within hours. Whereas wide legs are not selling so fast.
April 11th, 2008 at 7:02 am
Too old for skinnies? Unless you’re over 60, Jen, I don’t see a challenge. It’s all in how you wear them.
They’re flying off the shelves because naughty fashion buyers did not include enough skinnies and straighter legs in their product mixes which is precisely my point. There is a shortage of skinnies and an overstock situation of wide-legs. A J.Crew manger confirmed my suspicions yesterday. Sigh.
April 11th, 2008 at 7:27 am
I am still a little confused by wide leg pants/ with voluminous tops. I remember the post you did on this subject but those pants were huge. I can still do a small wide leg pant with baby doll tops that are fitted in the shoulders but float away from the hips, can’t I?
April 11th, 2008 at 7:35 am
I agree with you about enjoying all the wonderful colors this year–so great! I’ve even seen some splashy trenches that I’d love to have. However, Nik (my husband) and I agree that the white trenches we’ve been seeing look a little too much like lab coats.
As for not being able to find skinnies, Lucky Brand Jeans (my favorite) doesn’t even carry a skinny style. What a bummer.
April 11th, 2008 at 7:42 am
Lol Meredith, I totally agree with you and your husband re: the white trenches. I don’t know if anyone else here is a project runway fan, but Wendy Pepper in season 1 always wore this long white coat/jacket and I always thought she looked like a mad scientist in it.
April 11th, 2008 at 7:49 am
I love the colors, skirts and dresses,trenches, bright shoes.
I am also happy for both high waists and wide legs (I ‘m very long waisted with a bit of ’saddlebags’ on my hips). Skinnies only work for me if tucked into boots, and summer is no time for that.
I recently bought a denim A line skirt from NY&Co out of all the places!
Angie, I totally agree with you on skirt lengths. I also got two super cute skirts from Express, which were too short to begin with. They had thick waistbands to be worn as high waists, so i sized up from my usual 0/2 to 6(!) in order to be able to wear the waistbands just bellow the belly button. That added enough length!
I also like all the prints: flowers, geometrics, ikat, ombre…
I’m sick of all the super voluminous tops and wish they would go away already.
I don’t mind volume on the sleeves and trapeze jackets, but hate stuff that looks like tent/or bad maternity wear.
April 11th, 2008 at 7:50 am
You need contrasting buttons on a white trench coat and off white or cream is always better.
Annette, this depends on the wide leg. Do you mean boot cuts? And is the baby doll short or long? Your height and body type will have a lot to do with it. I have a client who is pushing 6 ft and she’s an hourglass. She gets away with wearing trouser jeans with floaty tunics an shorter baby doll tops.
April 11th, 2008 at 7:53 am
LOL at the white trenches comments. I am currently debating between white and a bright color for a new one and am more drawn towards white. However, since I AM a scientist in real life, I would certainly nor like to add the “mad” in front
Maybe I should stay away from the white after all…
April 11th, 2008 at 8:24 am
I’m only 5′, and an hourglass. I can get away with a voluminous blouse provided I wear a structured jacket or cardigan over it, buttoned just below the chest to nip it in and give me a waist. Or if I belt it. I really like this look, particularly because the extra volume skims over my trouble zone (my mid-section).
Sometimes a wider leg (slightly wider - not super wide) can work with a voluminous top, simply because a skinnier pant will make me look way too top heavy… like a lollipop!! (I have very skinny legs). This is especially true if the top has puffy sleeves. Puffy sleeves tend to make me look like a line-backer! The only way I can wear these is if I have something wider on the bottom to balance the proportions out. Otherwise … Lollipop effect!
The key is to find a top that’s not too voluminous, and not too long. For example, I just bought this top yesterday and do plan to wear it with wider-leg trousers (white, not black) - with heels for height - such as in this photo:
http://www.anntaylor.com/catal.....goryId=183
I think this works because it’s not overwhelming volume, and it’s sleeveless, so no line-backer effect!
April 11th, 2008 at 8:33 am
The AT top is pretty and I’ve seen it on a real person. The cowl has a super elongating effect if you’re not too busty. This is not what I’d call a voluminous top though, Jen. It’s a fairly streamlined cowl neck shell top and perfect with wide legged pants and heels, which is just how you planned it.
Your “lollipop scenario” makes sense. The jacket gives your ensemble the structure, and quite right, no puffy sleeves for you.
April 11th, 2008 at 9:53 am
Tanya–my husband and I agree that if you are indeed a scientist, you have special dispensation to wear a white trench. I think it even adds a bit to your style quotient!
April 11th, 2008 at 10:07 am
I find it curious that the people who look best in wideleg and skinny jeans are tall gazelle-like creatures. These are two completely opposite silhouettes and yet they both work for this body type. I find it discouraging, personally. I’m not surprised that widelegs aren’t selling well. Unless you have height, you can’t really wear them without heels, and even then there has to be a perfect balance at the hip and thigh area for it to work–too loose makes it dumpy, too tight makes it vacuum-packed.
I think a lot of women were expecting them to be more forgiving than skinnies, but they’re really not any easier to wear in my opinion. If anything, they’re harder. Skinnies will work with a variety of shoes and both body-skimming and voluminous tops. Widelegs are more limiting. I can wear skinnies if I am very deliberate about what I wear with them; wide leg pants will never work for me.
I actually like mini skirts, but I agree that they should not be the prevailing style, especially at a more conservative store like Ann Taylor.
April 11th, 2008 at 11:15 am
Tanya: I agree with Meredith.
PS - the “Mad” part of Wendy Pepper looking like a Mad Scientist was not related to the white trench
: )
April 11th, 2008 at 11:40 am
I love the many bright colors this spring, it’s such a joy to see. I also like that patent is still very much en vogue for shoes. Nothing like a ballet flat in bright patent leather to signal that spring is here
Angie, regarding your comment about cream pants, would you blog about the color cream someday? I have trouble distinguishing the colors cream and beige and would love to see some examples. I also would love to figure out whether one of these colors is wearable for me. I have always shied away from anything in the whole wide spectrum of white to beige and everything in-between, but I like those colors on other women, especially in spring and summer. What makes cream wearable near the face?
April 11th, 2008 at 5:31 pm
i completely agree with you on the high hems. everything is too low cut and high hemmed these days — one of my favorite small boutiques is shabby apple (shabbyapple.com) whose mission is to make dresses you don’t need a cami for. i love that prints, florals, and bright colors are in.
i’m loving the bright colors and prints in shoes too but there is a total lack of comfortable closed-toed shoes. but spring is still too cold and rainy to be wearing open toes all the time. i honestly don’t have a single pair of closed-toed shoes that i would walk around in for a couple of hours without tears, bruises and/or blisters.
April 11th, 2008 at 7:36 pm
I’m feeling better about the color selection in the stores so far. I’m a low end shopper and have been having a great time shopping at Target lately. They have a lot of great flat sandals this year, though I am too short for that and am sticking to 3″ wedges. Old Navy is carrying skinny jeans if anyone cares to look at them. Their skinny “Diva” jean is not perfect but it’s pretty good for me. The dark rinse fits better than the light one.
April 11th, 2008 at 7:55 pm
Yes, Antje. I will blog about cream vs beige. Cream is NOT beige. Beige is hard to wear unless you are dark skinned, or it’s contrasted perfectly with another colour.
April 11th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
Yes, you are right about ALL that. And I have still not found a regular jean in a decent rise. The trouser jeans have a higher rise, but not the straight legs and skinnies. I WANT a higher rise. Hmph!
Also. The voluminous tops do NOTHING for me. Fortunately t-shirts are still to be had. But I wish I could find something that is NOT a t-shirt that is flattering. Sigh…
April 11th, 2008 at 10:12 pm
I am not a fan of wide leg pants, I much prefer a trouser cut for denim (this is as “wide leg” as I’ll go). Skinny jeans just don’t work for me unless they are tucked into boots (with heels) and worn with something that is substantial, like a sweater. I have short legs and tunic length tops just emphasize this. I do agree though, a voluminous top needs to be balanced with a skinny leg. Because of this, I stay away from those as well.
April 12th, 2008 at 8:56 am
I like trouser styles but when all I could find was a wide leg pair of jeans, I altered them by taking about 6 inches of width out of ea leg. It took a few hours of work with a yardstick and a pencil to mark them and resew the seams.
April 12th, 2008 at 3:07 pm
about 2 weeks ago i went to Nordstom looking for straight white jeans. The sales girls (and yes, they were girls) looked at me as though i was hopelessly out of touch. Even in the other departments, all i could find was wide. what gives?
April 13th, 2008 at 6:09 am
I saw a nice A line denim skirt at jcrew…
http://www.jcrew.com/catalog/p.....=cat301216
well its technically ‘chambray’, but it’s denimy enough.
April 13th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
Here is one more thing I love about this spring season: the prevalence of dark blue (ink blue and navy). I have always liked dark blues, and they are flattering on me, but in the past I’ve found that dark blue was mostly reserved to classy/conversative items, which is not my style. Now it’s a trendy color and you can actually dress it up funky, very nice!