Spring into Fashion

Spring has officially arrived, and that means one very important thing: spring fashion. Sorry guys, this one is just for the girls.

Although it will still be jacket and boot weather for a few more weeks, the warmer weather is approaching and will be here soon enough. In the meantime, taking a look at your closet and preparing for the spring season's wardrobe is a good idea.

After a long and harsh winter, no one wants spring and summer to arrive more than Buffalo's residents and students of the University at Buffalo.

"I'm really excited to get out of my winter clothes and start wearing my spring dresses," said Caroline Philbin, a freshman business major at UB. "Urban Outfitters looks like they have some really cute dresses for this spring, and I can't wait for it to be nice out already!"

Clothing stores and their websites tease customers with their spring and summer collections as early as February. Almost every shopper looking through racks in stores or searching for clothing on the Internet wishes that the spring weather would finally arrive.

Since the weather is still chilly in Buffalo and we're still dealing with snow in April, getting ahead of the rest and investing in a few items is a smart move. Who knows? Maybe buying clothes for spring and summer might even bring on the warm weather faster.

"I'm excited to finally be able to wear dresses and skirts out and to class without freezing," said Alison Bates, a freshman undecided major. "Also, I'll be happy to wear flip flops and sandals instead of Uggs all the time."

From the many clothing options we have to choose from, where is a good place to start and what are the key items you want to look for this season?

New York's fashion week kicked off back in February and left the world with the newest trends and the latest must-haves for spring. Designers are more creative and innovative than ever this year and have gifted the rest of the world with some pretty great looks to follow after.

While the designers had many trends and creations to show the world, a few really stuck out that are both easy to accomplish and easily accessible.

The runways were adorned with extremely bright colors that scream spring, summer and warmer days. Color blocking is huge now; matching has finally met its match. Don't be afraid to mix daring colors together, in fact, embrace it because it's trending and has been a hit amongst celebrities.

"Two is swell, three is better—and make sure the shade closest to your face is flattering. Keep bags and shoes neutral, your lips either bare or brilliant, and hair minimal. It all adds up to a very colorful new you," according to Instyle.com.

Also, bold animal prints are growing to be a hit. From flats, to dresses, to handbags, the prints are inescapable and encouraged to wear, as is menswear. From blazers, to the classic white button up and loose pants, any woman can look the part in menswear if done just the right way.

Another new trend and a Spring must-have that comes as no surprise since people are wearing it more and more lately, is lace. While it once may have been deemed old fashioned or even outdated, lace is back with a vengeance. It adds glam and class to any outfit and it doesn't age the clothes either; instead it maintains a girlie feel.

"I'm really glad lace is trending because it really is so classy and pretty and [it] can either make an outfit dressy and elegant or casual and fashionable depending on how you wear it," said Natalie Spinola, a sophomore environmental design major.

Instyle.com has eight new ways to update one's spring wardrobe that are helpful to keep in mind in the hopes of standing out amongst the crowd and making a statement through clothing this season.

It suggests that every girl must have a ballet-inspired dress, '70s single-sleeve tops, lace skirts, color block dresses, denim shirts, striped tunics, boldly printed pieces, and embellished leather jackets.

Email: features@ubspectrum.com