For this Spring ladies, you can say goodbye to your leather and studs, and keep your shorts and body hugging outfits on standby, because the big trend to hit the runways - and soon the pavement - are long, flowy hemlines on skirts and maxi dresses.
For skirts, the hemlines being ushered in seem to hover between mid-calf or floor length. Take a look at Kate Bosworth in a skirt and tee combination that is not only super chic and flirty, but a great look for Spring that would be easy to add - and recreate - within your own wardrobe.
The new length of these pieces display the carefree, light, and airy feeling which we all would love to experience with the oncoming of Spring. This trend definitely plays on the more romantic looking collections we saw this year from such design houses such as Elie Saab and Valentino (my two personal favorites). This amazing trend is also playing along with the softer palettes of pinks and greens, and of course, the neutrals.
Here are some examples straight from the runway:
Valentino Couture Spring/Summer 2011
Elie Saab Couture Spring/Summer 2011
Here are some looks for less that show a more “ready-to-wear” point of view:
So, here’s to going back to feeling like a (slightly whimsical) woman, after seasons and seasons of dressing like your boyfriend and drowning in layers of material. This is personally one of my favorite trends this season and I feel as if it will be here to stay for seasons to come.
Melissa is back - and in an outfit so effortlessly trendy and hipster cool its hard not to find something about it to love. Maybe its the unexpected cutout on the shirt sleeves; or maybe its the bib necklace who's opulence is counterbalanced by the rolled-up sateen-sheened harem pants; or could it be the playful pairing of the socks and sandals? Whatever the case, its the embodiment of smart casual.
Something says this won't be the last we see of Ms. Karl...or her sense of style.
Name: Melissa Karl, USC Student – Retail Management major
Think you've got enough style to be considered a shopping savage? E-mail your photos to dwaun@shoppingsavage.com with a breakdown of your outfit and your photo may be our feature of the week!
Spring is around the corner, somewhere, and that means it’s time to revamp our color palettes! The change in temperature means color trends shift in beauty just as they do on the runway.While winter is the ideal time for dark nail colors such as Black Onyx by O.P.I. and Navy Baby by Sally Hansen, spring finds us moving into lighter, more playful hues with a touch of sophistication.
A Mean Case of the Blues
Light blues are everywhere now and the reason is clear: it’s simply stunning.In shades ranging from a Tiffany’s box to a robin’s egg, these colors will leave you feeling all but blue.
Using a nude varnish gives any look a bit of sophistication.While the color itself is understated, it makes for a bold look! The idea is to get as close to your skin tone as possible.And unless you want your fingers to look like those of a mannequin, I recommend using a varnish with a high-gloss finish or using Seche Vite top coat - a personal favorite - to add sheen to the neutral color.
Your nails will be ripe for the picking in these hues!This color palette reminds me of easy-breezy days on the veranda sipping a glass of sweet tea – or catching up with girlfriends alfresco over Sunday brunch!
Not just a song by his Purple Majesty, Prince, anymore, purple reigns supreme this spring in soft, pastel hues. Now's your chance to rule with an iron fist, with nails in various shades of the grapes of wrath.
The future is now for those bold enough to brave the latest varnish frontier!These colors give a futuristic feel to nails in bold colors.Perfect for those of us who love a dark nail all year long!
“Cracked” nail polish is the look that everyone has been trying to get their hands on and it’s clear why. This polish gives a “cracked” look to any color polish. Simply use one color as a base - the display below shows black as the base color - then paint over it with the Cracked color of your choice.
On March 26, 2011, Judy Hill of High Cotton Ties brought an assortment of bow ties and cummerbunds from her spring collection for a trunk show at Brittons hosted from 11-6. High Cotton Ties offers washable, 100% cotton bow ties and cummerbunds hand-made in North Carolina. Hill celebrated her 1 year anniversary that same day, marking a momentous year for the bright, new company that supports the revival of North Carolina’s textile industry by choosing to hand-cut and hand-sew their products locally.
The idea for the business came to Hill after she made her eldest son four bow ties to take back with him to school. Unable to find a suitable silk, Hill, a seamstress since childhood, opted to use cotton. After the bow ties' debut, Hill received feedback that led her to believe she was on to something, and she was right.
Hill is pictured here with Todd Young, a sophomore at USC and member of Beta Theta Phi, in search of a bow tie and cummerbund for upcoming fraternity functions.
The company focuses on "classic southern mainstays" like tattersalls, ginghams, and madras plaids. Judy stands true to the company mission that, “Now more so than ever, consumers require more out of their products, which is why we offer washable products produced from some of the finest cotton fabrics available, as we feel it speaks to our cost-effectiveness and durability. Simply put, we not only trust that you will fall in love with our bow ties and cummerbunds, but we also expect them to become a long standing member of your wardrobe.”
High Cotton Ties works with a motto of C’s – ‘cotton, comfortable, clean, classic, and custom-made’. The easy-to-wear and easy-to-wash ties, as they've been tested many times through home-based stain washing, have customers raving about the wearability of the products, as they maintain professionalism without pretentiousness.
"Bow ties should be a regular part of a gentleman’s wardrobe, not simply reserved for formal events," said Hill in a press release. "By avoiding novelties and embracing traditional patterns, we create our bow ties with the expectation that they will be worn often and be admired just as frequently."
High Cotton Ties has already been picked up by a number of the South’s finest men’s stores and has launched campus campaigns at universities in the southeast who are setting up trunk shows and making regular appearances at football games and campus wide events.
Hill works with her son, James, a recent graduate of UNC’s entrepreneurship program who has always wanted the opportunity to help a start-up business grow. High Cotton Ties represents a greater social mission he believes all businesses must have in order to succeed. “Too often business seemed to be ‘all talk’ to me. I kept hearing that it was difficult for business owners to sleep at night, and knowing that I wanted to be a part of a start-up down the road, I knew the value of delivering a genuine product through a genuine process. If nothing else, when I do get a chance to sleep, I plan on doing so comfortably knowing that we've done everything in our power to stay true to the mission we've set out to accomplish.”
With High Cotton Ties, a family feel resonates when you hear their story. Maybe it is because of the way their company grew straight from the traditions their household kept, or perhaps it is from the way they have decided to do business, but either way, every customer seems to become a part of the High Cotton Ties family the moment they tie one around their neck. Customers are encouraged to post pictures where they ‘have been spotted wearing a HCT tie!’ and when you contact High Cotton Ties, you can rest easy knowing that you will be talking directly to Judy or James, the way they believe customer service should be handled.
Products are always available for custom order, including the option to monogram the material for an even more personal touch. Another unique service High Cotton Ties provides is the conversion of vintage pieces. If a customer has a special cotton shirt or pair of shorts that they cannot bear to part with, High Cotton Ties will use the fabric to make a new tie or cummerbund to reinvent the beloved piece.
High Cotton Ties leaves their customers with this thought: “We understand that when you choose a bow tie to wear, it will end up saying a lot about your character. It is our hope that High Cotton Ties will be able to extend itself to our customers as a helping hand to properly reflect their individuality, in good conscience and in good style. Knowing that all of our products represent the revival of a southern tradition, we are more than happy to welcome you as a part of our mission.”
Charleston, SC has history, culture and for five years in the running, a fashion week. Presented and sponsored by the Art Institute of Charleston, Charleston Fashion Week showcases local retail stores as well as two competitions for emerging designers and local models.
On the second day, March 23, 2011, the two retailers showcased were Tommy Bahama and House of Sage. It was a packed house filled with great fashion and fun! Here are a few of the great fashions of the night from the runway:
But the runway wasn't the only place you could see fashion. Take a look at some of the trendy patrons with Savage Style!
Stay close for a recap post of Charleston Fashion Week coverage!
