Haute Right Now
by Danny McCarthy and Tara Rudomanski
Graphic by Kate Radin
After a rollercoaster winter, warmth is greatly appreciated. However, this is New England and the weather is always unpredictable—from 70 degrees to hail storms within 24 hours, it might be hard to determine how to dress. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. As the heat (hopefully) turns up, here’s how to finish the semester off strongly in the style department.
Women’s Trends:
Sneakers with Skirts/Dresses It’s time to ditch the heels and go with a far more comfortable option to pair you’re your formal attire. Inspired by the athleisure trend, this is not meant to be a recreation of when you awkwardly wore Converse with a dress to your middle school dance. It’s a conscious, high fashion choice. Wear colorful sneakers to add a pop of color to an outfit or a pair of crisp white Adidas to look like a “Superstar.”
When done correctly, it’s the total model off-duty look. While this trend can work with any dress, sneakers tend to look best with flowing box dresses, t-shirt dresses or tank dresses with a lot of layers. Off-the-Shoulder Perfect for this transition from spring to summer, this look is subtly sexy. Bare shoulders leave just enough skin exposed to be classy and alluring. This look works best when the top is billowy to balance everything out. It looks great with a pair of skinny jeans or a maxi skirt. Even though this trend may seem very Bohemian, it is definitely versatile and can mix with any style.
If you’re not into the flower child interpretation, you can choose the more fitted option that is sweeping the ‘going out’ section of clothing stores everywhere. Far less Kelly Kapowski and more HBIC in a coming of age teen comedy/drama, add a choker if you’re totally dedicated to your role.
Plaid Plaid is the classic spring print—plaid shirts, plaid skirts, plaid scarves, even plaid shoes. This look can be preppy, but pair it with leather like Gigi Hadid does in her Vogue photoshoot (see ‘Fashion News’ below) to give it a totally different look. The print is so versatile that it can be worn with basically anything, even other prints—if you need some inspiration, check out Marc Jacobs’ red, white and blue explosion of a Spring ’16 ready-to-wear show.
This look has gone from private school uniform to high fashion over the years, so it is definitely a staple for your closet this spring. If you’re looking for an alternative, try gingham—plaid’s simpler counterpart. Choose larger squares, in the style of Victoria Beckham’s Spring ’16 ready-to-wear to avoid looking like a picnic blanket. You’re welcome.
Men’s Trends:
Field Jacket
The temperature’s up and the layers are falling off. But May’s no August, so you might get cold. Keeping in trend with the military vibe that the top fashion brands—Brunello Cucinelli, Craig Green, Burberry—and the on-the-street stores—Allsaints, He by Mango—the field jacket is an excellent way to stay warm in the chilly evenings but still be masculine and fashionable.
Stick with greens and khakis and pair with dark denim and a statement shoe—a bright white sneaker or a leather boot—but make sure that that statement is less of a paragraph and more of a sentence because you still want to have the field jacket be the focal point.
Leather sandals
Warmer months can make it a hard time to have man-feet. Flip-flops are sometimes too fratty, but shoving your dogs into a pair of TOMs or Vans can be too restricting. Michael Kors, Maison Margiela and Versace are leading the fashion mob with beautiful leather sandals, evoking a modern, urban gladiator. Wide straps and a sturdy sole make walking easy and comfortable, plus the leather will stop you from looking like a tourist. And for the love of all things haute, steer clear of pairing them with socks. Some things are sacred.
Branch out into Birkenstocks, or throw back to the ’90s with a pair of Aztec-y Teva strapped sandals. Or if you’re feeling hip, Dr. Martens has beautifully crafted sandals in amazingly vibrant leathers.
Lighter scents
There’s more to style than what you wear. A strong aroma is perfect for the winter months, when scents lean towards the statement. But as the months get warmer—and we get sweatier—heavy cologne becomes oppressive. For the month of May, stick with lighter colognes such as white tea musk or a sport, or lightly fragranced body moisturizers like shea butter or citrus to enhance your natural body musk rather than mask it under a cloud of cologne.
Check out the Body Shop or local boutiques to get a summery, fresh scent.
Fashion News:
Beyoncé released Ivy Park
Queen Bey has a new athletic wear line, Ivy Park. The line has a sick website with gear that makes you feel like you like you should already be a backup dancer for Beyoncé herself. The clothes are monochromatic and minimalistic, but don’t necessarily scream “Beyoncé merchandise.”
River Island Launches Activewear It must be the month of athleisure lines. Not only did Beyoncé launch a line, but British brand River Island also announced a new line coming in May. The new line, dubbed “RI Active,” will feature 23 different pieces that designer Hannah Hope said they aimed to make both aesthetically pleasing and structurally sound. This will be the London-based brand’s first athletic wear collection. The pieces will be available online and in stores. Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik Photoshoot This power couple is no stranger to the spotlight, but their latest photoshoot for May Vogue is jaw dropping. Taken in Naples, these photos seem to be taken out of a classic romantic movie. Malik plays the “bad boy” clad in a leather jacket while Hadid plays the beautiful, love-swept girl donning gorgeous dresses. Designers featured include Saint Laurent, Miu Miu, Dolce & Gabbana and Calvin Klein.