The Spring/Summer fashion season 2011 for women is characterised by a strong feminine vibe – elegance and glamour run throughout all the fashion trends for this season. This is a season of colour and revival, of beauty and glamour. This SS11 season will see period revivals for 70s glamour and sophisticated punk, biker chic and 1960s elegance.
The 70s revival has dresses in maxi, granny and halter-neck styles, draped and voluminous dresses slit high and cut low. Trousers are flaring and high-waisted. Jumpsuits are back. Accessories include floppy hats, bohemian beads and heels with everything – a revival of platforms and a re-working of the clog. Hot-pants and thigh-high boots make a daring choice. Extreme high heels feature as a fashion cross-over item.
1960 chic features circle skirts, pencil skirts, leather skirts, and dresses – mid-length or below the knee. Dresses are sheath-like and fitted. It is very much a girly look – elegant, demure, with an underlying kittenish sex-appeal. The look is accessorized with gloves, kitten-heels, pretty bows. This trend sees the blazer as a cross-over item.
Biker-chic and punk have many points of cross-over – in both trousers are skinny cut, leather or denim and shorts also feature. The style point to remember with these is that the entire look must be built around a truly feminine vibe: nothing harsh or manly. Key fashion items will sport straps, studs and safety pins, killer-heels, buckles and boots, rips and ruffles.
There are a number of key items that a FFD can adapt to any of these trends. Belts of all shapes and sizes – thin, thick and multiple – will adorn the different styles, adding layers of detail and sophistication. “Loungerie” (lingerie as outerwear) in camisoles, bodices, teddies: feature across the season to add expressions of feminine seduction
In all trends fabrics and colours will be bold, beautiful and colourful. Sheer fabrics will update the 60s look, glamorise the 70s, and feminise the punk and the biker. Crochet, macramé and lacework will be updated for a fresh, ladylike appeal and leather is a key addition to the wardrobe this year. Evening wear fabrics are sheer, metallic, sparkling. Orange will be a focal colour for this year’s palette along with natural earthy tones. Prints, geometrical accents, stripes, floral motifs, and the naive prints all create an absorbing patchwork to adorn much of this year’s fashion – across all styles.
In hair and makeup the romantic, feminine look prevails. The natural look includes free waves in the hair, loosely tied knots and nude makeup with a romantic twist. The trend this year is for bright colours – and even the natural look will feature every colour of the rainbow on the eye. For a glamorous look, bold colour, glitter and audacious eyeliner are in and bold reds, oranges and hot pinks feature on the lips. Updos and extreme side-partings for sleek hair also add that touch of glamour. Overall, this year will be girly, colourful and fresh – a welcome change from the woollen, welling toned winter that we hope is passing us by.
