2008 Woodie Awards
Bigger accessories make for a better spring
College Couture
By Jill Sarver-Monk
Rocket Contributor
Issue date: 2/24/06 Section: Life
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Deal of the Day: There is a 50 percent off already-reduced merchandise sale going on at Cache through Feb. 28. Cache is usually pricey, but now is the ideal time to get a deal on a designer addition to your closet. The closest Cache locations to the Slippery Rock shopper are: Ross Park Mall, Robinson, Southpoint in Mt. Lebanon, Monroeville Mall and Southern Park Mall in Boardman, Ohio.
Trend to Try: Rather than flaunting bare legs this season, cover them up with an edgy color. Capri tights are the must-have accessory of spring and hopefully summer. They were huge in the 80s, paired with long sweater dresses and ballet flats, and now they're back and bigger than ever. This time they are popular with a faded denim mini-skirt and, of course, ballet flats are once again the essential accessory to finish the look. Also, try to find tights with a fun pattern, like words or polka dots, instead of flat color to really make a statement. Jump on this trend as quickly as you can shop online, because I have a feeling that this fad will fade as rapidly as it will catch on.
Out with the Old: Bubble, A-line, circle or full skirts are the new pencil skirts. Don't throw out those tight-fitting teasers quite yet, but fuller skirts are the new fad. Bubble skirts are very feminine with their voluminous shape and airy look. If you are not familiar with bubble skirts, they are usually made of thick satin or taffeta, and unlike their slimming counterparts with flat seams and straight hems, the material is looped and hemmed far beneath the inside of the skirt to make it stand out (sometimes boosted by netting underneath). Full skirts in general are all the rage; they remind us of that 50s and 60s retro look embodied by Jackie O'. Right down to the matching circle coats with huge buttons, this look screams classic chic.
Splurge vs. Steal: This week our SRU girl wants to be the first to sport the prettiest spring look as the weather is beginning to break. She could splurge on a mint green and cream-colored lacey blouse by Elie Tahari for $278, belted with a whipstitch leather belt from bebe for $98. The blouse could be paired with a cotton metal poplin skirt with a 4" pleat, from Tommy Hilfiger's new collection "H" for $158, complemented by green and white printed canvas ballet flats with grosgrain trim and bow from J.Crew for $178. Accessorize the look with a three-row bead and chain necklace from Cache for $38 and of course, spring's must have, capri tights by Spanx for $68.
Our SRU girl could get away with a similar look at less than half the price. The steal is a puffy-sleeved Victorian lace top from Rue 21 for $16.99, belted with a 3" wide braided belt from The Buckle for $22. The corresponding skirt by Isaac Mizrahi can be found at Target for $17.50, while brown and pink retro ballet flats with a satin bow can be found at pinupgirl.com for a mere $32. The accessories to finish off the outfit are a pearly necklace, $4.80; a golden antique necklace, $10.80 and fitted lace trim Capri tights, $9.80 - all found at Forever 21.
So Ten Minutes Ago -
Although it is the pinnacle of preppy, popping your collar is no longer the cool thing to do. The problem is that popping the collar sends the message that you are trying too hard. Every once in a while I, too, still get the urge to pop my Polo's because it is so cute, but I come to my senses and leave it un-popped. Like every good thing, fashion fads become popular, adopted by the masses and then they fizzle as the uniqueness wears off.
