Spring Into Style Trends 2018

Winter 2018 dumped a lot of rough weather on us but spring has finally sprung (even if it is off to a slow and wintry start) and fashion-lovers everywhere are ready to swap their sweaters for shorts and bring in a pop of color.

Here’s a rundown of top trends for Spring 2018

Athleisure: Think athletics + leisure. Not like the sweatpants that were big with the Kardashians and Selena Gomez last trend cycle. More like the 70s track pants from Adidas with thick white stripes down the side but tailored to fit more like high-waisted trousers. The new trend combines comfort with a retro 70s look and an updated, tailored look.

Florals: Spring and flowers go together like snow days and hot cocoa. You can’t think of one without the other. This spring, small floral prints and paisley are out. They’re being replaced by patterns of bigger vintage flowers.

Floral print tops are great for styling, because a busy print can offer endless variety for matching single-color bottoms. Simply pick a single color that’s featured in your print as a skirt, shorts, or pants to create an instant outfit.

If you don’t love the busy feel of print tops, you can pull in floral prints as an accent on your handbag, backpack, or shoes instead for a fun, feminine look.

70s-inspired fashion: Out with the 90s; in with anything groovy and low-key. A good way to cut costs on embracing this trend is to hit vintage shops. Seek out wide-collar blouses, peasant tops, bell-bottomed jeans, disco berets, and oversized colorful plastic sunglasses.

Embellishment: According to apparelsearch.com, “embellishment is anything that adds design interest to the article of clothes being developed.  A very common use of embellishment is the utilization of embroidery, printing, bows, cord, or rhinestones.  In addition, you will often find beads, buttons, toggles, zippers, appliqué, piping or lace used to embellish women's fashion or men's fashion.”

2018 is a big 1970s throwback year, so fun, playful fringe as well as anything you can attach to avoid looking plain or ho-hum is everywhere on shirts, skirts, dresses, blazers, and scarves.

You’re also going to find sequins everywhere, even for day wear. Traditionally sequins are reserved for evening wear and holidays, but this spring, sequins are making their way into everyday wear. Elevate your casual wear to add a little sparkle and glamour to your day on a cap, belt, purse, scarf, or even a cute sequined skirt.

Sheer fabrics are another new way to embellish the ordinary. Tutus that were kind of on the rise in 2017 are now going away in favor of a single-layer of mesh, lace, or tulle (tutu fabric). Sheer overshirts, base tank tops, and stockings made from these see-through fabrics are great for layering under a structured tailored jacket or blazer, over a plain shirt, or even over jeans or a skirt.

Purple: Color is back for spring, as it is every year, so it’s time to ditch moody autumn and winter shades in favor of brighter, more saturated colors. Every year, The Pantone Color Institute forecasts global color trends and selects one color to represent that year’s personality. Companies use that color in their designs for the year.

2018 is the year of Ultra Violet. Also known as "PANTONE 18-3838", Ultra Violet is "a dramatically provocative and thoughtful purple shade that communicates originality, ingenuity, and visionary thinking that points us toward the future," according to the Pantone website. Whether you believe in color personalities or not, once you know the color of the year, you’ll start seeing it everywhere, so get your purple on wherever you can find it!

 

 

Not into purple? No worries. You’ll also find yellow, royal blue, and leftovers from last year’s millennial pink to work into your spring wardrobe. Color from head to toe is the trend but if it’s too bold, incorporate it in small doses like in your nail polish or shoes.

Shop for style without breaking the bank

Vintage and thrift shops are a great way to shop for trends, but don’t forget about resources that are closer to home, like hand-me-downs. Ask a parent, sibling or cousin if they’ll be spring-cleaning their closets this year and get first dibs on their discard pile.

Host a clothing swap. Have you ever heard the saying “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure”? How about “everything old is new again”? A clothing swap party brings both of those ideas together to help you create your new free spring wardrobe! Encourage your besties to gather their clothes they’ve grown out of or don’t wear anymore and pick a day where everyone can swap out the old for someone else's discarded treasures. They can also bring accessories like belts, bags, shoes, hats, and costume jewelry. 

Bargain stores like TJMaxx, Marshall’s, Ross, Stein Mart, and outlet malls buy leftover stock from designers and resell them at reduced prices. The upside is, you get new clothes — it’s like vintage shopping but everything is brand new. But you do need to check the quality of the clothes, as you might find a shirt has one sleeve longer than the other, a makeup stain from when someone tried it on before you, imperfections in the color, or rips. If you do find an imperfection but want to buy it anyway because you might be able to fix it, point it out to the sales person and you might get 10-20% off the lowest price.

Shop the sale racks at your favorite stores. Just about every store from low-end to super high-end has stock they’re trying to ditch. You can get the best deals at department stores like Macy’s and Kohls when you pair their clearance rack with online coupons. Follow your favorite brands and stores online. Some brands reward loyal customers with exclusive deals when you follow them on social media or sign up for their mailing lists.

Trendy stores like H&M, Justice, Charlotte Russe, Forever 21, Aeropostale, and Old Navy churn out inexpensive, in-season styles that aren’t necessarily made to last, but they are made to embrace the season’s trends. Shop their sale racks and avoid the styles at the front of the store as soon as you walk in — they reserve the front of the store for full-price items that will likely go on sale within a few weeks when you can pick them up for a much lower price.

More trends to look for

• Mini Pom-pom fringes
• Nerd-chic
• Collegiate looks
• Denim on denim, pairing different washes and colors in the same outfit
• Soft fabrics like velvets in lighter colors and slinkier designs
• Chunky boots
• Pearls, real and faux

Have Your Say

Which trends are you excited about this spring? Share your favorite looks in the comments below!