The Craze: A Pop of Bold Color

The Craze is a trend report bringing you the latest (and, duh, the greatest) in beauty and style.

In the spring 2011 collections we saw the rebirth of color. Even though nudes and neutrals still remain to be in the fashion forefront, bold hues are making a bold statement in spring.

You don’t have to wait until weather starts warming up to add them to your fashion wardrobe. Amid the heavy layering and structural cuts, bold colors are popping up for the fall 2011 leading collections.

Get ahead of the game and start mixing colors whether it’s greens, turquoises, fuchsias, oranges or vibrant reds; there is a color for you that will guarantee stares of jealousy.

Here are some style tips for going bold:

- If you’re wary about going too bold with the colors, wear two colors of the same family. For example a light lavender and magenta.

- Use accessories to add bright accents to your wardrobe like a scarf or necklace. Even colored heels are good for making your outfit stand out.

- Don’t forget colored skinnies! They are making their way back into the fashion circuit.

Color is a great mood booster. It’s a sure way to lighten up your spirits and complexion. Make sure you find a color that looks best on you and, most importantly, have fun mixing these vibrant colors!

Gucci Spring 2011

Mulberry Fall 2011

Haider Ackermann Spring 2011

Jill Sander Spring 2011

- ASOS offers a slash neck knitted dress in a vibrant blue. Wear this look to a lunch date or an outing with friends.

- Get these hot orange suede platform heels from TOPSHOP, if you want all eyes on you!

- ZARA has narrow leg trousers that come in a variety of color from a vibrant pink to a royal blue.

– Ivie Igbeare

The Orange Carpet: Off the Catwalk

The Orange Carpet scours SU to roll out the best of campus style (die, hoodies, die!).

Sick of the same old winter staples: leggings, boots, and blazer? Add a delicate silk scarf to any outfit and instantly personalize an ordinary ensemble. The Orange Carpet spotted junior magazine major, Rachel Tipovski, sporting the typical leggings and blazer combo topped off with a silk cheetah print scarf. The extra thought of a lightweight scarf makes her outfit look smart and fresh. With only so many options winter outfits can become mundane, and there’s nothing like a little animal print to perk up any outfit.

Silk scarves are a great transitional piece from winter to spring as well. The lightness of silk makes it a perfect accessory for spring, and an adorable match with chunky winter sweaters. Try a pattern or animal print to take winter neutrals to a new level.

Rachel Tipovski

Major: Magazine Journalism

Year: Junior

Favorite trend right now: fur vests

Trend that needs to die: liquid leggings

Pants: citizens of humanity

Top: Zara

Blazer: Zara

Scarf: Zara

Boots: B.P. Shoes

Nordstrom.com

-Victoria Troxler

Fierce+Foreign: Layer like a Brit

Fierce+Foreign draws on the fashion experiences of SU's students in our favorite abroad capitals. 

London: Carine Umunhumuza  

We’ve already established that Brits love their fashion. As with every fashion lover, half the fun is showing it off, whether it’s how you style, accessorize or make it your own.  London’s climate, however, doesn’t allow for showing off the cute new dress you picked up at Topshop or the great blouse you found on sale at Zara.

The solution: layering. 

And Londoners — after much practice and frustration, I presume — have become masters at this.  But don’t be fooled, the art of layering isn't simply done by throwing together random pieces of clothing. Following the lead from the fashionistas across the pond, here are some tips that you too can master to layer like a Brit:

 With a cardie and tights, Brit fashion icon Alexa Chung nails this technique

It’s all about staying warm — so build layers under the pieces that you want to show off. You can layer with tanks, tees or long sleeve shirts, leaving your showcase piece for last. With enough layers you can ditch your coat altogether! 

Push the boundaries by mixing colors too! Photo: Flickr

Layering works on the bottom too — don’t be afraid to double up on leggings or wear socks over tights. The contrast not only creates an interesting texture mix but keeps your toes toasty warm! 

Lastly, I say embrace hats! It’s common knowledge that heat escapes from your head, so find a warm hat and rock your new looks no matter what the weather is.

- by Carine Umunhumuza 

Fierce+Foreign: Finally, men inside the harem

Fierce+Foreign draws on the fashion experiences of SU's students in our favorite abroad capitals.

London: Elton Wong 

Being in Europe, I realized that men’s fashion is a lot more prominent than in the States. There are more clothing options for men in London than New York City or Los Angeles. Not only are there more options, but these options costs less and can be afforded by fashionistas like moi. 

 

A trend that's slowly been in the works...Dior Homme fall 2007

There's been a slow trend of harem pants for men for the past year or so. These are basically “baggy in the crotch but skinny on the leg” kind of pants, ala MC Hammer but with a chic twist. Now, baggy pants throw off people who are purely in to skinny jeans or pants. However, with the recent trend in parachute pants in women, it was only a matter of time before men start reverting back to baggier pants.

The question that runs through my mind is, “Why haven’t harem pants caught the American male fashion attention as quick as the European?” I believe that it lies within the construction of what the harem pant means today. In the ways that the harem pants are styled on the runway shows and on the streets on Europe, they are styled in a rebellious, almost punk way. Punk culture thrived in London, and Punk fashion was what set the city’s designers apart from of Europe. Vivienne Westwood, anyone?

 

Guys, take a note from Vivienne Westwood spring 2010

For now, while I’m still in Europe, I’ll get myself a pair of harem pants from Zara or Topman and strut the streets of London town. By this summer, I’ll hope to strut with them in New York City. Join me?

- by Elton Wong

The Craze: Deep in the trenches

The Craze is a trend report bringing you the latest (and, duh, the greatest) in beauty and style.

 

The Burberry white trench...we're in love

In the spirit of the recent Sherlock Holmes movie, we thought it would be appropriate to talk about a classic look that is reappearing this spring in a big way: the trench coat.  

Originally worn by British soldiers as early as the late 1800’s, the coat offered men in the military an alternative to heavier jackets.  Who was on the front lines of trench-coat creation?  Burberry, of course!  Today, Burberry still designs what we call the perfect trench, seamlessly combining its classic elements with some fresh twists.  Last fall Burberry launched a unique social networking website based solely on guess what?  Trench coats.  

Photographers shot children, men and women all over the globe, in all types of weather and landscapes, in their Burberry trenches and built a site from the personal images.  Users can scroll through the pictures one by one or organize them by male/female, weather, location, popularity, etc.  Users can also comment on the trenches, and in the style of Facebook simply “like” the looks.  We highly suggest you check it out to inspire great ways to wear your trenches.

The problem is we can’t all be so lucky to wear one of Burberry’s luxurious trenches.  

 

Zara trench, $115

Thankfully there are some options for the thriftier crowd. Zara makes a beautifully-fitted, classic camel-colored trench for around $115 (we found almost brand new ones on ebay.com for just $50).   

 

The Gap trench, $88

Another one of our favorite options is this black trench from Gap, for $88.  The double buttons and side tied belt give the coat the classic trench look with a splash of femininity. 

- by Monica Delameter