Going to new lengths
Source: Agencies |
March 20, 2011, Sunday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THE temperatures are slowly rising to spring-like conditions around the United States, but don't expect hemlines to follow. The big trend for the season is longer lengths - below-the-knee skirts, maxi dresses and flared-leg trousers.
These flowing silhouettes bring with them well-deserved freedom from the multiple layers and heavy fabrics that were de rigueur over the course of a storm-filled winter. Consider the new shapes a breath of fresh air, says Patrick Robinson, creative director for Gap.
"When you come out of such a hard winter, I think people will be looking for soft, easy clothes that you can wear only in the spring. You want contrast," he says. "I always use clothes to tell me what time of year it is."
The looser and more languid look also seems a commentary on shoppers' collective state of mind, too. Perhaps they are willing to give up the sleek, fitted armor they wore to do battle with the recession.
Retail sales were stronger in February than economists expected, with a 4.2 percent increase, and that came off a similar increase in January and the best holiday season since 2006.
Robinson says consumers had been looking for protection but now they're looking for signs of optimism. "We've done the sharp edges. We want the softer pieces to remind us of the change in seasons - it's a trigger for your mind. We want things that help us feel carefree. I think we miss it."
The wide-cuff, long-leg pants are for many women an easier way to move into this look, says Lisa Axelson, Ann Taylor senior vice president of design.
Start there, with a skinny, brightly colored belt and a T-shirt or blouse, she advises. Once you're used to creating a triangular shape with a pared-down top, you'll be ready when it's bare-leg weather for the skirts, pencil or pleated, or even the maxi.
Marie Claire editor-in-chief Joanna Coles already has her new printed Prada skirt that hits her knee, which she'll pair with a crisp white button-down, but she thinks anything longer takes careful consideration and effort.
"There are a lot of maxi dresses and they're easy for day-to-night dressing, but they're hard to wear to the office if it's conservative at all," Coles says. "A calf-length skirt is on trend but it's not as flattering as knee-length. What you can't go wrong with is a bottom that really flatters you. If wide-leg pants make you look three times wider than you are, don't wear them."
She is a fan of the pencil skirt, calling it "almost universally flattering."
Kelly Golden, owner of the upscale Chicago-area boutique Neapolitan, expects young women to fully embrace the maxi, with its bohemian vibe, but she thinks the neater, mid-calf skirt will do better overall. "The 1940s silhouette, a suit with a cropped jacket or a fitted blouse, is a very ladylike way to do the longer length."
The 1970s, however, is the decade to channel right now, according to Alexandra Wilkis Wilson, chief merchandising officer of Gilt Groupe. The way to do it - whether you opt for long and lean, or loose and ethereal - is to wear it with the confidence of a cool Ali McGraw type. "I think one should always dress for your body type and style. Don't embrace something because it's on the runway, embrace it because it works for you and your life."
"There's nothing you need to be afraid of here," says Gap's Robinson. His tips: Pay attention to proper tailoring, even though the style is looser, and mind your proportions; keep it feminine; and embrace the easy attitude.
The wide-leg pant, in particular, seems like it's just starting a long run as a trend, observes Golden. She's invested in several styles for her spring inventory and will likely do the same for fall. You'll get almost the same effect as the maxi with the trousers and a peasant top.
These flowing silhouettes bring with them well-deserved freedom from the multiple layers and heavy fabrics that were de rigueur over the course of a storm-filled winter. Consider the new shapes a breath of fresh air, says Patrick Robinson, creative director for Gap.
"When you come out of such a hard winter, I think people will be looking for soft, easy clothes that you can wear only in the spring. You want contrast," he says. "I always use clothes to tell me what time of year it is."
The looser and more languid look also seems a commentary on shoppers' collective state of mind, too. Perhaps they are willing to give up the sleek, fitted armor they wore to do battle with the recession.
Retail sales were stronger in February than economists expected, with a 4.2 percent increase, and that came off a similar increase in January and the best holiday season since 2006.
Robinson says consumers had been looking for protection but now they're looking for signs of optimism. "We've done the sharp edges. We want the softer pieces to remind us of the change in seasons - it's a trigger for your mind. We want things that help us feel carefree. I think we miss it."
The wide-cuff, long-leg pants are for many women an easier way to move into this look, says Lisa Axelson, Ann Taylor senior vice president of design.
Start there, with a skinny, brightly colored belt and a T-shirt or blouse, she advises. Once you're used to creating a triangular shape with a pared-down top, you'll be ready when it's bare-leg weather for the skirts, pencil or pleated, or even the maxi.
Marie Claire editor-in-chief Joanna Coles already has her new printed Prada skirt that hits her knee, which she'll pair with a crisp white button-down, but she thinks anything longer takes careful consideration and effort.
"There are a lot of maxi dresses and they're easy for day-to-night dressing, but they're hard to wear to the office if it's conservative at all," Coles says. "A calf-length skirt is on trend but it's not as flattering as knee-length. What you can't go wrong with is a bottom that really flatters you. If wide-leg pants make you look three times wider than you are, don't wear them."
She is a fan of the pencil skirt, calling it "almost universally flattering."
Kelly Golden, owner of the upscale Chicago-area boutique Neapolitan, expects young women to fully embrace the maxi, with its bohemian vibe, but she thinks the neater, mid-calf skirt will do better overall. "The 1940s silhouette, a suit with a cropped jacket or a fitted blouse, is a very ladylike way to do the longer length."
The 1970s, however, is the decade to channel right now, according to Alexandra Wilkis Wilson, chief merchandising officer of Gilt Groupe. The way to do it - whether you opt for long and lean, or loose and ethereal - is to wear it with the confidence of a cool Ali McGraw type. "I think one should always dress for your body type and style. Don't embrace something because it's on the runway, embrace it because it works for you and your life."
"There's nothing you need to be afraid of here," says Gap's Robinson. His tips: Pay attention to proper tailoring, even though the style is looser, and mind your proportions; keep it feminine; and embrace the easy attitude.
The wide-leg pant, in particular, seems like it's just starting a long run as a trend, observes Golden. She's invested in several styles for her spring inventory and will likely do the same for fall. You'll get almost the same effect as the maxi with the trousers and a peasant top.
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