Spring into fashion

New styles and daring combinations are predicted to make appearances this spring season, or, in the case of Texas, just about any day now.

Though the official season doesn’t begin until March, spring trends and styles are already making their way to boutique and department store racks. The slow return of warmer days and greenery brings with it a colorful assortment of new styles and fashion. From feminine and edgy to clean cut and light, students have much to look forward to and possibly a few purchases to make in the next few weeks.

Amanda Hoffman, senior English major and sales associate for a local women’s boutique, said this season’s trends for women are a contrasting combination of themes and styles.

 “I think mixing really feminine with edgy pieces is the way to go,” Hoffman said. “Like leather with studs but then a floral dress or something.”

It appears as though girly-meets-punk is the look to aspire to for women this season. According to Hoffman, popular items include leather and denim jackets, lacey tops and flowery patterned pieces. She said it’s not new items that are trending this spring, but rather the pairings of differently themed pieces.

“I think there will be a lot of pastels and lace,” said Victoria Gamez, junior health major and sales associate for Pine. “Like see-through lace, where you can wear colorful stuff underneath. And then I think that leather is going to be in, leather and lace for the spring.”

Gamez said details are extremely important this spring, expressing femininity and adding extra flare. She said the cut of a top or skirt can put a whole new spin on the outfit.

“There are a lot of the peplum tops — those are huge too,” said Shelby Hawkins, a sales associate for Merge, a local women’s boutique. “I think that the high-low dresses and high-low skirts will still be big. Long sleeve dresses that are shorter will also be in.”

Of course, no outfit is complete without the right accessories.

“I think that bubble necklaces are going to be way huge,” Hawkins said. “I love the bright-colored bubble necklaces with solid-colored long sleeve dresses. They would be cute with boots or wedges.”

Kayla Cavazos, junior international studies major, said she’s excited to wear lighter clothing and footwear again.

“I’m excited to get back into sandals and skirts,” Cavazos said. “I’ll miss the boots, though.”

For the guys this spring, Tai Ma, the men’s department manager at Dillard’s, said the traditional polo and dress shirt cuts will remain in style but with new colors and shades to show. Of course, men’s staple jeans and khakis are also sticking around.

“We have the same classic styles coming in,” Ma said. “But we’re also seeing a lot of linen, lighter colors and pastels. We’re moving away from our cardigans and winter colors and transitioning with the seasons.”

Ma said men’s fashion doesn’t alter as drastically as women’s. For men, jeans, traditional button ups, plaid and a myriad of color combinations are here to stay.

Wilkins Vargas, senior political science major, said that he’s missed the warm weather clothing but believes that men’s fashion will stay the same this season.

“I think with guys, it’s really just jeans and a traditional shirt,” Vargas said. “It doesn’t really change for us much.”