Printed Pant Alert: What do Beyonce, Kristen Stewart, Amy Smart and many other celebritites and designers have in common this summer besides an amazing personal stylist and personal shopper?  Printed Pants!  While Kristen Stewart made a stylish appearance in the south of France for the Cannes Film Festival wearing Balenciaga printed pants, the undying trend has made its way through retail stores worldwide.  Get a head start on your personal style this summer by incorporating a fun pair of printed pants into your wardrobe rotation. This trend comes in many shapes, patterns and fabrics; celebrities love them and fashion magazines can’t get enough of them.  Before daring to incorporate this new trend into your wardrobe be sure to find a pair that suites your body type.

Keep all the excitement in your pants. Yes, I said it! Be careful when mixing colors and let the pants be the highlight of your outfit.  As a fashion consultant I strongly advise you to select one of the styles below and when putting your outfit together, keep everything else simple.  You don’t want to give someone a seizure by mixing patterns or bright colors.  If choosing the wide legged printed pajama pant style, wear a fitted cami, t-shirt or halter top.  Consider your body structure when selecting a pant cut.  The wide legged style is a great way to elongate your legs and give your lower body a slimming shape with femininity and movement.  If you have an hourglass shape and are an average height, than this is a great style for you! Our image consultants recommend an espadrille or wedge to add some extra height and be sure to tuck your top inside the pants.

Trend Alert- Lace Overlays and Sheer Fabrics:  While Lace over lays are a bit more forgiving than sheer fabrics, a sheer top can capture that retro 50’s look that is making its way through every designer collection this season.  Sheer tops can be worn with anything underneath.  Our personal favorite is a dark colored strapless bra with a light colored or neutral top to expose a hint of skin underneath.  It’s nice to leave some things for the imagination.  Fashion experts and stylists usually combined high-waist items with a fitted shirt to accentuate the curve in the natural waist.  Adding a sheer top will help elongate the torso when you elevate the waist line. This in turn is great way to style any sheer top.  They are light weight which makes them easy to tuck and breathable for the summer months when the heat is simply unbearable.  If you sweat a lot, sheer fabrics are normally pretty forgiving in regards to perspiration stains and can be a better shirting option can cotton.

Lace overlays are a feminine retro look that is fun and playful.  Most dresses in this style come with a contrast lining underneath to offset the dobby or lace pattern.  Our fashion stylists tend to favor the neutral tones underneath as it gives the pattern more definition and contrast.  Some lace patterns can be seen with neon lining underneath which helps create a trendier look for the summer.  This option is playful and feminine as the neutral lining underneath tends to be a sexier look.This look is great for evening or cocktail hour and to pull it off during the day, go towards a cotton crochet lace like the middle photo shown below.  Keep your accessories simple and avoid wearing necklaces or strappy shoes.  A nice clean peep toe or pump should do the trick and play up your wrist jewelry.  Image consultant Erika Chloe believes that textured patterns should not be mixed with heavy or distracting jewelry.

Neon Color Alert: This summer is so bright you have to wear shades.  Or maybe it will be so hot you have to wear bright shades of neon!  Either way, neon and bright colors are taking over color palettes this season like it or not. From shoes to accessories and everything in-between, fashion consultants are introducing neon accents to every outfit and you can see this trend in just about every fashion magazine accessible to man-kind.  To get this look, start small and merge yourself into a bright color story with accessories that have neon accents like the necklace picture below.  This is a great way to add this color trend into your wardrobe effortlessly.  It will help to update all the dark colors in your wardrobe and revive older garments from last summer.  Bright colors when used in small doses look great next to most skin tones. You can also start with a bright colored clutch or shoes with neon trim accents.  Once you’re comfortable with the neon trend you are ready to step it up a notch. Opt for a bright top or skirt and pair with a pastel version of the same color or white.  You can also mix bright colors together but careful you don’t overdo it.  If pairing a bright tops and bottoms together, go for a neutral blazer or denim color blazer to stabilize the look.  Neon colors usually looks best with light tan or orangish- tan shoes!  Neon accents like accessories and shoes usually work best with neutral outfits and dresses.

Your closet should be full of function and also allow you to mix and match items effortlessly.  When buying into trends, be sure to select items that will match your existing wardrobe.  This will help you to maximize your budget and expand your outfit combinations.  Your personal style should be a mix of basics, prints, colors and statement pieces.  Our personal shoppers use this philosophy when building a successful wardrobe for individual clients.  If you need help coordinating your closet or updating your look, be sure to contact one of our image consultants who will teach you how to create a powerful personal appearance through your image.  Remember to always lean towards garments that are flattering for your figure and accentuate your body in all the right places!

Get the Look:  Once you have a clear understanding of what the seasonal trends are, you are ready to start creating your own individual style.  We mentioned mixing trends together and below we have created some looks for you try on your own.  These looks may not be suitable for everybody type, but you can interpret the look and “tweek” it to accommodate your individual body structure and weight placement.