14 DAY TRIAL // This season, forget about the hobo look or the boho chic, both of which caused quite a frenzy on the streets around the world last year. Somber colors, with just a more powerful accent here and there, are making a strong comeback, while street chic no longer equals comfort, but rather office wear adapted to the concrete jungle, stylists are saying.
With the ‘80s powerdressing marking all items that are being released this year, the must-have one of this spring is an oversized jacket. For the cheaper road to trendiness, we might as well take a well-cut jacket from our boyfriend/husband, and have it adjusted to our body, while making sure to leave the shoulders as they are and the male cut not too altered.
Also, street chic means plenty of gloomy colors (but only in patterned materials), combined with more visually-striking ones and a certain careless elegance that requires as much attention to look that good, as it does a strong personality to pull it off.
If last year street chic was all about ballerina shoes and skinny jeans, 2009 brings a shift in focus towards high heels (plenty of gladiator-inspired shoes and sandals) and skirts. Bubble skirts, for instance, will know a rise in popularity come spring, especially if they come in gorgeous colors as electric blue or dark violet, which will go just wonderfully with grey jackets and long, dark green scarves.
Speaking of which, since nothing goes better with the rigidity of a white shirt and grey jacket as a loose scarf, this is one accessory that we’ll be seeing plenty of this season. Just like last year, the longer the scarf the better, its whole point being that of going loosely wrapped around the neck to create the effortless chic look. Useless to say, it’s highly advised that the scarf complement the rest of the outfit or, at the very best, make a contrasting note from it, but not for bad taste and/or tackiness, stylists warn.
With these in mind, spring 2009 will bring us a street chic style that will be more on the elegant side, as opposed to comfort. For a few ideas and combinations, see here.