TRENDS

By Guest Contributor

Spring / Summer 2013 Trend Report

Print Trends Spring/Summer 2013 (Courtesy of Patternbank)

The summer trends for 2013 dare you to turn to flesh baring neons, baldly stated ideals and towering heels. Fabricators are enjoying their zenith by creating a range of new materials that have altered the very fabric of fashion. Plastics, rubbers and sheers are recreating every fashion facet from manicures to sportswear, giving men and women a novel approach that is taking active outfits to the streets. While men turn to utility wear and workmen`s styles for inspiration, women are turning to the humor of Andy Warhol based trends. Vivid color blocks and graphic print on print designs are adding a whole new level of brightness to summer fashion.

Men`s wear has been hoisted to heightened levels of sophistication through the addition of intricate washes and accents. Charcoal suits receive a splash of color through aqua or indigo soles. Casual wear is altogether scruffier, with over dyes that are untidily faded into adjacent materials on shoes and bomber jackets. Worn looks are achieved through realistic paint spatters and rugged denim washes. One of the starkest looks for men came through the use of texture and black on black garments. Rubber jackets were paired with ebony crochet shoulder bags, with pops of siren red being introduced through contrasting socks worn with high trouser hems.

Joe Fresh SS 2013 (Photo courtesy of J.M. Wakani)

Prints for women`s wear create fun crazy optics. Black and white combinations of stripes and polka dots are wildly daring and occasionally worn with flashes of neon. Structure is everything this summer, giving hips and waists an overemphasized curvaceousness that has instantly turned the boyish size zero figure into an outdated aesthetic best left to the past. Exaggerated bra lines appear through mat fabrics, while sheers are given simpler cuts that allow the female form to act as the focal point.

Eighties futurism has been given a far more elegant style through graphic monochromatic fabrics with tiny slivers of color. Peplums have not been relegated to last year`s shelves yet, but for summer they are used together with alternative hues that give the body a defined hourglass shape. Tailoring has seldom been as imaginative as it is this year. It is being used to add lateral panels to skirts, which are accentuated by pale and sheer fabrics. Midriffs play a central role in every outfit, whether through narrow belts, chain links or sheer color strips.

Texture is receiving ornate treatment that uses fine embroidery and lace to add detail to sheers and opaques. Leather is another important fabric for men and women. In menswear, patent is the core leather for accessories, while women enjoy far more diversity through crocodile, ostrich and perforated hides. These are worn against sheer chiffon as part of a major move towards placing bold color blocks against translucent materials.

Print Trends Spring/Summer 2013 (Courtesy of Patternbank)

Fashion has entered the terrain of philosophy. Idealistic dressing began with a fresh Pop Art movement late in 2012. The style has been built upon so that opinions can be expressed in a more elegant way through blocks of text worn against eclectic prints. Eastern designs and saris have been reinvented for a Western silhouette. Shortened hemlines take Indian frocks far above the knee. Mini-saris with empire lines are worn with ballerina shoes, bringing flats back to catwalks after a lengthy hiatus.

In men`s wear, acidic hues are giving suits a fresh vibrancy. There are three dominant palettes for men. These are black on black, indigo and emerald variations and citrus tones. Olive green, stone and straw are relegated solely to Couture Candy styles inspired by adventure wear. Linen, denim and cotton twills have a ragged aesthetic reminiscent of Indiana Jones. For added exoticism, a splash of leopard print completes the look. Alternative utility wear takes denim to new levels of variation through chambray, wild washes, shredded holes and prison stripes. Skinny jeans are rolled above the ankle while suit pants are cut short. 

Overall, trends are transforming summer into the most joyous season of the year.