Women wear the pants this season.
OK, so they also wear flirty lace dresses and bold, Aztec warrior princess necklaces. But first: pants, big pants. From full, fluid trousers to high-waist flare jeans, the spring/summer 2011 silhouette is long and loose. It has a powerful, in-control attitude, helped by its natural pairing with tall wedge platforms, which add height and length. Stovepipes and jeggings, begone!
One look to try: high-waisted flare denim with a white linen blouse, woven belt and chunky platform sandals, wide-leg trousers with a stylish trench or even a flowing jersey jumpsuit.
Pants aren’t the only big, long bottoms to sport for spring and summer, either. Skirts, too, reach new lengths as hemlines drop. As maxi dresses were to last summer’s boho-chic set, maxi skirts are so this season. For those who want to show a little more leg, good options are a calf-length skirt or a long skirt that’s either slit or sheer.
Indeed, the ‘70s is the go-to era for hemlines and pant silhouettes, so fashionistas will be looking to Farrah Fawcett and Diana Ross for inspiration and pairing disco attitude and accessories with mega-maxi pants and skirts. Floppy felt hats work well, too, and all things macramé and crochet, which, brings us to our next must-wear: lace.
A little lace dress will be a staple for spring and summer, and also a good carryover piece for fall. It’s ultra feminine, like its sister trends sheer and floral, which are also big this season, but it’s infinitely more complex. Lace can be fun and flirty, girly or seriously sexy. It can take the shape of something rather prim and Victorian or delicate and romantic.
One example: an antique-style white lace dress paired with chunky wedge heels to ground it and keep the look from going too girly. The more daring types will skip the slip or wear black lace—or combine the two: a below-the-knee black lace sheath with vintage-inspired, high-waist undies and a cone bra, preferably in a bright, vivid hue.
Lace does beachy well, too, as in lace mini-over-borderline bellbottom jeans or super-short denim cutoffs, or even as a casual but-elegant cover-up thrown over a bikini between sunning and sipping cocktails, preferably from an ocean-view patio.
As with the other two trends, our final pick for spring/summer fashion is decidedly feminine yet powerful: a fierce necklace. Big pants, while they may be soft and fluid, are, well, pants, and by their nature project a take-charge attitude—especially these pants. Even lace this season is more womanly and strong than the usual peek-a-boo girlie stuff. This season’s accessory in chief takes the tribal jewelry trend and turns it up a notch. Take anything ethnic or nature-inspired that looks handcrafted by South American or African artisans and go big with it. Leather, rope and heavy metals are good choices, as are lots of coins and earthy stones—tiger’s eye, obsidian, hematite, coral, even freshwater pearls. Wood and even feathers work, so long as they are paired with heavy beads or metal so they look more warlike than ethereal and fanciful. The necklace should have a thick collared shape to it and can be worn on top of a minimalist, high-neck top or on bare skin with a maxi dress for maximum impact.
Be inspired by the warrior goddesses of the ages and wear the attitude with the fierce necklace. Remember, though, this is a statement piece, so keep other jewelry to a minimum. The look is proud Aztec princess, not over-the-top drag queen. As with the other two trends, it’s fashion that gives a nod to the past while expressing who we are and who we want to be.
