As a fashion fanatic, this time of year holds a special place in my heart.  Though it is still cold outside, I can walk into any brick and mortar clothing store and be surrounded by spring.  I can scroll through my favourite online shops and feel the warmth on my face as I imagine myself wearing those beautiful clothes in the warm sunshine.  So what are the biggest trends of the spring?  Here are my top picks.

BOLD CRAYOLA COLORS

On a blog dedicated to living a colorful life, of course I am very excited about all the color on the runways last fall, and now in the stores.  I never understood why so many people shy away from wearing color.  Color is uplifting; it makes us feel good.  Think about our world: the flowers, the sky, the trees.  How boring would it be if everything was black, white and shades of grey.  Especially for women in midlife.  Many of us find our skin gets dull as we age.  There is nothing wrong with that.  It’s just part of the aging process.  Adding bold color brings out the various tones in your skin and brightens our faces.  I would encourage all of you to add some of these beautiful tones to your wardrobe.  Maybe it’s a new jacket, a classic button up, are a simple scarf.  Once you see what adding a bold color does to your skin tone, I’m sure you will be sold too.

LAVENDER/PASTELS

Bold is not the only color story this spring.  Lavender is the color of the year.  You will find it everywhere.  You can where it head to toe or pair it with other pastels.  Be sure to add a piece to your wardrobe.  Lavender will also pair well with the more neutral colors we all have in our closets: black, white, grey, and even brown.

CHECKS/PLAID

A classic pattern that keeps coming back again and again is a great option to invest in a wardrobe essential that will be in your closet for years to come.  You just have to pull it back out every time it comes around again.  A beautiful blazer, a great pair of trousers, a classic shift dress are all great options to add a wonderful check to your wardrobe.

FRINGE/FEATHERS

Fringe is a fun detail that will add some pizazz to any outfit and it doesn’t have to be reserved for evening.  We’ve seen fringe on jeans for a couple of years now.  And fringe on handbags and boots is also common place.  So you can go as simple or as fancy as you like with this trend.  And if you really want to be ahead of the curve, wear your fringe as feathers.

TRANSPARENCY/SHEER

We have seen a lot of transparency on red carpets for some time now.  Bras and underwear have become common place.  I’m not suggesting that you adopt this trend to your everyday.  If you have been following me for a while you know I hate those fashion rules that try to tell you what is and what isn’t appropriate for your age.  If you haven’t, check out my post Slave to Fashion………..Rules?  But in this case, I will make an exception and say it is not age appropriate.  There are many ways we can play with this trend.  Many women hate how their arms look so they refuse to go sleeveless.  Try a sheer sleeve.  It provides the coverage you need and plays up the trend.  Try a long sheer layer over a short underskirt.  You can definitely get creative and have fun with this trend.

PLASTIC/RUBBER

We are not strangers to wearing rubber.  After all, we love our Hunter boots.  But now, rubber and plastic are being used more extensively for other articles of clothing as well.  On the positive side, how easy will laundry be.  Just simply wipe clean.  I have to admit, I’m not sure how I feel about this trend.  There are some lovely pieces, but I can’t imagine it will be all that comfortable to wear.

FANNY PACK

Now here is a trend I never thought we would see again.  Part of me thinks we shouldn’t be seeing it again.  But part of me is secretly happy to see the fanny pack come back.  How often do you wish you had an easy, hands free way to carry your “stuff.”  I’m very interested to see if this one takes off.  I have a feeling it will.

So those are my top seven trends for Spring/Summer 2018.  Go ahead and start adding some of these essentials to your wardrobe.  Before you do, tell me what you think.  Which of these trends are you excited about?  And to which are you going to give a pass?  Make sure you leave your comments below.