Purple Reign and Fashionable Flowers

Fashion Trends for 2018

Fashion0218

by Sharon Mosley

Goodbye, millennial pink. Hello to a new passion for purple. It’s a new season and time to celebrate new fashion trends. Get ready to let a few feathers fly, belt on some fanny packs and see a rainbow or two.

Here’s a rundown on the
newest trends for 2018:

> Prove it with prints.
Just like denim, spring’s traditional florals get the darker treatment with an edgier vibe worthy of wallpaper botanicals. Plaids lighten up in checks and tartans. And whimsical graphic prints take fashion to a whole new level of fun. And after all, isn’t that the best way to dress in for a whole new year?  
 
> Start with dark denim. Winter is the perfect time to transition into the darker side of the fashion moon with inky blue washes that dress up denim duds from head to toe. Do darker denim in tailored jackets, jeans, skirts and even accessories. Put a pair of dark denim pumps at the top of your “to-buy” list.

> Let purple reign. After a year of red, lavender is letting loose...from pale lilacs to deep aubergines (think eggplant). And if you want to experience a little more glow, get your purples on with a metallic shine...another pair of purple pumps, please.

> Invest in plastics. From rubber jackets to transparent boots and bags, plastic is squeaking onto the fashion scene in futuristic designs that give new meaning to high tech style. What to put on your spring shopping list? A giant plastic bangle or some space-age sneakers.

> Sparkle all day. Think sequins are just for evening soirees? Not this year. Daytime embellishments are all the rage. Watch for fringe and feathers to be stars of 2018, too. Luxurious extras are here to stay...day in and night out. And don’t be surprised if you see a satin tracksuit show up at a cocktail party near you!

> Suit up. The pantsuit nation continues to unite women who are embracing matching suits in head-to-toe monochromatic color-blocking. Whether you prefer saturated brights, or chic all white, skirt suit or pantsuit, a new suit needs to be on your shopping list in the coming year.

> Stay in the trenches. When the winter-freeze thaws, it’ll be time to bring on one of spring’s favorite coats...the trench coat. But this year, the trench coat is reimagined in beautiful fabrics like taffeta and dressed up with sheer sleeves and fringed hems. These new trench coats stand alone as style statements.

> Make a rainbow connection. “Ultra violet” may be the “official” color of 2018, but purples are not the only colors beckoning ... think of the colors of a rainbow and think of stripes. Rainbow stripes will be turning up in everything from dresses to tops to coats to handbags and shoes.

Sharon Mosley is a former fashion editor of the Arkansas Gazette in Little Rock and executive director of the Fashion Editors and Reporters Association.

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