Spring 2012 Fashion Trends #3 ~ Prints

One of the things to do for Spring 2012 is to mix prints. I'm not quite able to get behind this particular branch of the trend. (Although I might try it while in England just to be experimental.) Perhaps it reminds me of the 80s too much. Perhaps it is the fact that you need to buy prints in the same color family to pull this off well and I just don't invest in prints that often. However, I am getting rather taken with all the pretty flower prints I'm seeing everywhere.

So my thought on flower prints is to pick one statement print you really like and roll with it. Something light with clear colors for spring. If you don't want to bee too gilry there are some pretty cool abstract and stylized pieces out there.

This skirt has a peplum too, very on trend. I tend to be wary of overly bold prints, like the one above because (particularly with The Rack) I want to be careful about how the prints cover, point out, and emphasize body parts.

Here's a relatively subtle one. I like bolder prints if they lean a little Asian, as the one above does, or decidedly retro, which the smaller prints will do.

Here are some lovely retro ways to wear this season's prints.

Left is a funky street retro 60s look; right is the lovely Tuppence Ha'penny by Charlotte

 Here are some of my favorites from Spring 2012.

And here are some blasts from the past . . .

 1922 Wiener Werkstätte The Metropolitan Museum of Art & Emilio Pucci, 1970s  1stdibs.com

mark shaw model in studio of marc chagall (1950s?)

Recently spotted in magazine, awfully familiar looking, no?

Don't want to do your print as a full dress? There are some great ways to accessorize with print these days. Also I do love the partial print, jsut at the hem or neckline. Like an embellishment they will act to draw attention to a particular area.

Or you could accessorize with cake!

And, of course, I could let you go without choosing something for one of my characters to wear. Here we have a gown for Sophronia, the main character in the Finishing School books.

1850 Dressing Gown The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Spring 2012 Fashion Trends #2 ~ Leather

I love leather, Fashionable Reader. I may have an unreasoning love of leather. I know there are many out there in interweb-land offended by this. There is an old saying about being a meat eater, "I didn't work my way to the top of the food chain for nothing." My version of that would go something like, "I worked my way to the top of the food chain so I could wear cow on my feet." For in actual fact, I don't eat much red meat. Boy do I love to wear it, though.

So most of my leather is shoes. I'd say 95% of my collection is leather. I put my poor feet through a lot ~ sky rocketing heals and platforms, crazy straps and shapes ~ the least I can do is wrap them in something that breaks to the shape of my foot and breathes properly. That said, I have a few other leather items ~ the odd motorcycle jacket, a blue pencil skirt from the 80s I can't bare to part with (it has pockets, people, pockets!), and, of course, the odd purse and belt.

Vintage 1930's evening purse leather with embossed decoration.

But this isn't the time for me to confess my leather hording sins. This is the time for me to point out that this leather trend I've been seeing all over the runways can be done in a delightfully retro manner. In fact, what the runways were lousy with for both fall and spring were little leather dresses cut to be very ladylike indeed, rather than the normal ultra tough and sexy look (not that that isn't nice on occasion). I adored them and I can't wait for them to trickle down to the high street and bargain bins.

Cushnie-et-Ochs

Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti & Reem-Acra

Or, here is one with just leather detailing.

Narciso Rodriguez

Or how about the ultimate LBD in  . . . leather?

ICB by Prabal Gurung

Not feeling up for an entire outfit of leather? There were some nice tops as well. Or you can always do like I do, and go with a skirt.

So here are a few retro ways to rock the leather.

The most classic of classics.

My personal favorite of all the offerings.

And here are a few modern takes.

Lastly, for my own amusement (although I hope you like it), I've styled my 80s leather pencil skirt two ways, for day slightly Retro and for evening a bit Modern. I've been using the Stylebook App, which I like very much. (I'm waiting for the next update before i do a formal review.) FYI: Also I just joined Pose. If you use it too, please feel free to follow me. 

 H&M lace jacket, Max Studio black & white sweater, amber or lapiz necklace, blue leather skirt, Via Spiga peeps, Target red patent belt.

Rock Republic shirt, steampunk-ish blazer, vintage bag, black tights, Via Spiga red sandals, mod cloth pouch necklace.

Spring 2012 Fashion Trends #1 ~ Color Blocking

So, before I depart for Points European, Fashionable Reader, I thought I'd tackle a few of the spring trends. I'm going to attempt to give them to you along with a reinterpretation Retro Rack style.

 

Here is some of what I've been seeing in this vein on the runways and in fashion spreads.

Here we can see they go daring by pairing two contrasting colors broken up with a bit of black, very eye catching. Or, a second option, with toning down the bright with a pastel and a little extra pop of contrast on the feet. Note the color pairing: bright blue shoes with pale blue bag, bright pink top with pale pink coat, black elsewhere.

And here is a very bright trouser toned down with white and neutrals and a matched bag, or with the pink they show just one major pop of serious eye-searing color. Not for the faint of heart, these looks.

Some retro takes on the brights. All matched yellow swimming costume. Or pair a pink suit with black accessories. Or chose a pretty pattern dress (on trend for spring as well, we will talk patterns in a future entry) and add more bright color with a cardy or blazer.

Some retro brights paired together for the street. A bright purple dress with a pink hat and black accessories, very chic. Or red hair with a pink hat, very daring (from Good Stuff Only by Miss Amelia) with a little nautical inspired top. You don't have to die your hair but could do a take on this with a pink scarf and red hat, for example.

I love the purple in particular: as a fashion forward look and as a retro take and as something suited to the Rack ~ a nice full coverage tailored dress with interesting details, a sensible sized bag, and a hat for shade. Sign me up!

Don't feel strong enough for a whole dress in a bright color? You can just do a crazy shoe and a whole bunch of neutral. Either of these above would look lovely with a little white or black frock. Just be ready for everyone to look at your feet!

So what about you, Fashionable Reader. Will you be giving brights a try this Spring? What's your take?

Here's a cake, because, why not?

"To wear pink and green, red and yellow, together, is to violate very principle of taste."
~ Etiquette for Ladies, c. 1850

Speaking of  pink and green together, A dress worn by Lady Linette in the Finishing School series . . .

1850s Whitaker Auctions

Just a reminder:
Extra images and my thoughts on current street fashion and runways show up between blog posts on Retro Rack's Facebook Page.