The Summer retail season is almost at an end and it won’t be long before the first Fall collections hit stores. I’d like to hear your thoughts on what was fab, and not so fab for Spring and Summer 2012. 

Based on the shopping expeditions with my clients and shopping for my own wardrobe, these are my perceptions. 

Raves

• It’s been an outstanding season of colour and pattern in ALL wardrobe items. The best variety and interpretation I’ve seen in years. And if you prefer neutrals and solids, there were plenty of those around too. 
• The variety of denim product has been stellar for several seasons, and this year is no exception. 
• No ruffle overload. 
• No empire cut overload. 
• Great assortment of Summer knitwear.
• Great assortment of flat footwear. 
• This has been the season for the breezy blouse and top! Gorgeous options. 
• Woven tops are as widely available as knitted tops. 
• Although there are still too many sleeveless and capped sleeved items in stores, sleeved tops are far less scarce. 
• Summer jackets and blazers are plentiful as cardigans take a back seat. A nice change after the cardigan overload. 
• The assortment of sandals has been superb, especially if you can wear high heels. 
• The availability of fabulous low heeled footwear is improving. 
• It’s been a brilliant trouser and shorts season. Variety galore.  

Rants

• Unless you like maxi dresses, it’s been a dismal dress season. It’s been hard to find a flattering dress that’s not too short, too flimsy, too body conscious, too synthetic, too naked, too expensive or just too oddly proportioned. 
• It’s also been a pretty dismal skirt season unless pencil skirts and minis were your thing. No skirt variety at all. It’s been a trouser season all the way. 
• Tops have been more covered than in previous seasons, but many were awfully sheer. Camisoles are great, but we also have the right to NOT wear a camisole and still feel covered. 
• Cropped pants overload. 
• Coloured jeans overload.
• Although I love the voluminous blouse trend, there was a shortage of structured sleeved tops for those who prefer to wear their items more tailored. There were plenty of stunning button down shirts, but they aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. We needed more variety in tailored top silhouettes. 
• And here’s my largest rant: Warm weather can mean vacation and casual days by the beach and pool. But many of us actually need Summer clothes that we can wear to work. Stores are completely overloaded with beachwear. 

Over to you. 

Cheryl thoroughly enjoyed the packing tips offered on A Femme d’Un Certain Age. Nice capsule visuals. 

Velvety Chocolate was disappointed when she read in the LA Times that former Target Corp. retail executive Michael Francis is leaving J.C. Penny. She had high hopes that he would sort out their sharp drop in sales. 

MaryK enjoyed reading in Slate about the afterlife of cheap clothes. Apparently clothing waste is a real issue. 

Diana recommends reading the fascinating article on Kate Davies Designs about the history of pleats, and hopes that we see a resurgence of Irish pleated linen. 

ManidipaM enjoyed this post on how to update the classics with modern equivalents on Refinery 29. 

Inge, who loves outfits that have been inspired by artworks, liked seeing how these outfits from Miss Moss were inspired by Matisse. Look at the British Queen! 

Mochi read in The Japan Times that Japanese men are spending more and more money on grooming and beauty products. It’s quite a trend. 

Ironkurtin likes this study of white by The Animal Orchestra.

Last but not least, you can look sensational in wet and muggy weather, as Allie from Wardrobe Oxygen does in this outfit. It’s elegant, modern, classic, edgy, retro and crisp all at the same time. Love the umbrella. 

Knotting shirts and blouses at the waist has been gaining in popularity over the last few years. You can achieve the look in two ways. Tie the two fronts of a regular shirt/blouse into a knot at the waist, leaving the front either buttoned or unbuttoned. Or, purchase a shirt or blouse that is supposed to be worn with a waist knot (the fronts are designed to tie so they cannot be worn like a regular shirt). 

Knotting has advantages:

• Adds structure to a boxy garment
• Shortens the length of a shirt
• Shortens a long waist
• Adds a casual vibe to an outfit
• Provides a tucked or semi-tucked look sans the tucking
• More comfortable than a structured jacket
• Reveals skin
• Looks retro

It also has disadvantages: 

• Might reveal too much skin (unless you wear a camisole under the shirt or stick to layering over dresses)
• Can look a little juvenile
• Can feel uncomfortable and bulky
• Looks fussy and untidy
• Overly casual

I’ve heard mixed reactions from my clients when it comes to shirt knotting. Some are dead set against the look for the reasons mentioned above, while others are all for it. Those who are in favour tend to prefer to knot shirts and blouses over dresses to prevent skin exposure. Others prefer to wear waist knotted shirts with higher rise bottoms, again to prevent skin exposure. 

I don’t knot my shirts and blouses at the waist very often because I like to tuck my tops when I’m not wearing them un-tucked. It’s dressier and more polished that way, which works well for my style. But occasionally, I do the waist knotted thing for a casual and retro effect.

Do you ever knot your shirts and blouses at the waist?

Your sense of style twenty years from now is probably far from the top of your mind, but let’s think about it just for fun. I’m interested to know whether there are items you’re wearing now that you will still be wearing in twenty years.

I’ll probably still be wearing button down shirts, jeans, dressy trousers, tailored blazers, Converse sneakers, Rayban sunglasses, pearl necklaces, turtlenecks, my wedding rings, a Burberry scarf, my Chanel and Valentino handbags, lipstick and mascara.

I think I will be wearing specs, but it is also possible that corrective eye surgery will be very advanced and there won’t be a need for prescription eyewear at all.

And will brands like Converse, Rayban, Chanel and Valentino still be relevant? The sentimentalist in me hopes so, but I also imagine that there will be new ones.

Your turn. What will you be wearing? Or do you think our clothing will be completely different in twenty years? And if so, how?