My word. I can’t remember a season with a wider assortment of denim colours. There are the classics like shades of blue, grey, black and white. And there’s brights, mid-tones, pastels and patterns. Something for everyone. 

I like all denim colours, from the classics, muted shades and midtones, through to the brightest of brights. I own blue, black, white and coral jeans. I might purchase another pair of coloured jeans but I’m not sure which colour most tickles my fancy. But my heart is still with blue jeans because they are virtually flop proof. I wear them the most frequently and that’s why I’m batting for Team Blue Jeans.

Over to you. Are you on Team Blue Jeans or Team Non-Blue Jeans? Tell us why and no batting for both teams.

Pencil skirts have been the skirt silhouette for many seasons. They are a versatile classic and often very form fitting. 

Form fitting silhouettes have their structured advantages. Their tailored integrity is attractive and achieves a polished appearance. Match a curve hugging pencil skirt with a form fitting top and high heels and you’re on your way to bombshell status. This is an undeniably alluring combination. And one that works every season. 

On the other hand, looking like a bombshell may not be your style aspiration. If this is the case, you’ll want to take some of the bombshell-factor out of a pencil skirt. Matching the slim silhouette with an untucked roomy top is one way of reducing the body conscious effect. As seen in these photos, the tops can be long or cropped, soft or rigid. Some tops are more voluminous than others. Some tops are more dressy than others. You’ll probably find that soft boxy tops are more flattering because of their ability to drape against the body. Boxy poncho type tops work well with pencil skirts too. 

When I suggest the pairing of an untucked roomy top with a pencil skirt, some of my clients are very receptive, while others have their reservations. Understandably, the curvier and fuller busted ladies are less inclined to wear boxy tops because it’s makes them feel larger than they are. Interestingly, it’s also often the curvier ladies who felt “too bombshell” matching a form fitting top with a pencil skirt in the first place. But never fear. We find other clothing silhouettes and outfit combinations to tone down the bombshell-factor, and that’s a topic for another day. 

How do you feel about matching roomy tops with pencil skirts?

We had a discussion on the forum a few months ago about whether colours and colour combinations can look dated. For example, a particular combination was dated because it looked “very ’80s” to some forum members. 

Of course, some colours and colour combinations are more on trend, fresher and “newer” than others because they are the so called colours of the season. But I do not think that colours and colour combinations have an expiry date. It is the silhouette of an item, or the items you pair it with, that makes it look dated. Much more so than the colour. 

If certain colours and colour combinations are attractive to you, if you love their vibe, and if they look great against your complexion, then I say they are always in style.

It’s fun to look back at my own trend predictions for Spring 2012 and compare them with what’s in retail stores so far. This type of comparison reminds me of my fashion buying days, and I very much enjoy the analytical process. 

The Big Five

• Midi Skirts and Dresses: There has finally been a length break through. I’d like to see even more midis on shop floors, but I’m not complaining. Still lots of minis and knee-lengths around for those who prefer shorter hemlines. 
• Patterns: There are patterns everywhere, especially striped and plaid designs. Love it! 
• Soft Dressing: I see loads of soft woven tops and soft slouchy knitwear. Soft trousers are slowly making their mark. Not much in the way of soft skirts just yet. Rigid and tight pencil skirts still reign supreme. 
• Refined Footwear: This trend is not making a statement at all. Chunky high heeled footwear with mega platforms are still the fashion statement. My fingers are staying crossed for a bit of variation as we head further into the season. 
• Orange: It’s out in full force.  

General Trends

• Brights: Absolutely! It’s been a pleasure seeing a sea of brights alongside the neutrals. Emerald is huge, with red, cobalt, citron, yellow and pink making their mark. 
• Midtones: I’ve seen a few, but brights are surprisingly dominant at the moment. 
• Neutrals: Beige, nude and blush were supposed to take a back seat, but I still see lots of beige and blush.  
• Tribal prints and urban jungle: We saw this come through in Winter and I’m not seeing the Spring interpretations just yet. 
• Asymmetry: In tops for sure, and in the odd asymmetrical skirt as well. 
• Pattern Mixing: HUGE. Most retailers are pattern mixing big time. 
• Colour blocked garments: Last season we blocked with individual outfit pieces. This season we are seeing colour blocked items. I have a hunch this trend will go very mainstream.
• Soft, slouchy tapered trousers: As I mentioned above, they are definitely coming through in neutrals and colours. 
• Daytime Sparkle: I’m seeing the odd bit of daytime sparkle. I expect that we are still recovering from large volumes of holiday sparkle, so things will probably glitz up more mid season. 
• Black & white and blue & brown: We will always find black and white combinations in stores, but I don’t see many blue and brown combinations. 
• Flat loafers and oxfords: I had expected to see an abundance of loafers and slipper flats. They are making a small Spring statement at best. I hope this changes because we need a closed shoe option that’s different to ballet flats, pumps, booties and oxfords.  
• Hard edge: There are still plenty of store items in rigid fabrications. Coloured jeans, denim shirts and stiff pencil skirts are a plenty, as are leather jackets and structured blazers. As much as I like the soft dressing trend, I love to mix up soft pieces with rigid pieces most of the time. To my eye, the juxtaposition of these contrasting vibes is a great look. 

Remember that we are at the very start of the Spring season and have at least another 5 months left to go. We’ll see some trends make a stronger statement while others stay fringe. What I find even more interesting is how new trends are received by my clients, our forum members, the blogosphere and consumers in general. It’s fun to see which ones go mainstream and how long it takes for them to mainstream. 

Personally, I am particularly excited about this Spring season and attribute that directly to the vibrant colours, longer dress and skirt lengths, cheerful patterns, flat loafers and beautiful soft boxy blouses. I guess it’s just more fun to shop for a season that is aligned with your style persona. Goodness knows we have all had our fair share of disliking fashion trends, which makes the whole process of refreshing our style a little less enjoyable. 

As we head into six months of Spring and Summer retail fashion, I’m also very focused on Fall 2012. We are off to New York Fashion Week next month where the interpretation and analysis will start all over again.