runway trends

Spring 2014 shoe trends: mules and slides

 in Shoes / Trends  tagged 1990s / mules / runway trends / slides / spring 2014 / summer 2014 by

mules slides spring 2014

From top right: Alexander Wang / Stella McCartney /Sophia Webster / Manolo Blahnik

Mules and slides are back! Get ready to scrunch your shoes as you walk! Mules and slides were huge in the mid-1990’s and Fashionistas everywhere learned quickly how to scrunch up their toes in order to keep their shoes from flying off their feet. Oh memories. . .

Mules and slides stayed in style until the early 2000’s when pointed toe mules had their moment. After enduring pinched toes inside of shoes which were next to impossible to keep on ones’ feet, mules and slides ended up in the back of the closet; and the d’Orsay Pump took its’ place.

Well, for spring.summer 2014, the mule and the slide are back. Hold on tight! Mules and slides look amazing and are actually comfortable when you are standing still. There isn’t anything in the back of the shoe to rub and cause blisters, nor is there a strap which could break or become too tight as the day wears on. Mules and slides are easy to take on and off when driving as well as underneath ones’ desk at the office. (of course, when no-one is looking!) 

That being said, mules and slides are not meant for sight-seeing, long walks or cardio shopping at the mall. Mules and slides are perfect for events where you might find yourself standing such as at a fundraiser, auction, luncheon, wedding etc. Since they are actually comfortable, and hot off the runway, it would be wise to own at least one pair of mules or slides this spring/summer 2014 season!

Mules and slides were most popular on the Milan and Paris runways; although designers around the globe are favoring the style this warm weather season. If you kept a pair from the 1990’s or early 2000’s, go ahead and move them to the front of your closet. If not, look for a fabulous pair of mules or slides in a neutral color. If you find them easy to walk in, then more power to you; buy all the colors you can find! If you are like me and prefer mules and slides for less mobile situations, look for a neutral pair which will take you through the trend.

I found a few fabulous pairs of mules and slides and assembled them into the shopping widget below. I hope you love them! Happy shopping, and stay fabulous 😉

Spring 2014 color trends: pink

 in Color Trends / General Fashion / Trends  tagged pink / runway trends / spring 2014 / street style trends / summer 2014 by

Pink is one of the hottest colors for the spring/summer 2014 season. Emerging from resort 2014’s fuchsia trend, pink has become one of the top colors favored by store buyers and consumers for the warm weather season.

The runways in New York, Paris, Milan and London showed a variety of rainbow colors for spring/summer 2014. While pink graced the runways, it was by no means a dominant hue. During the resort 2014 season, store buyers and consumers favored both pink and cobalt blue, leading stores to stock up on the sweet hue for spring. The result? Pink is dominating store shelves more than the “IT” color of 2014; Radiant Orchid. Can it be?!

Normally associated with flowers, demure styles and innocent personas, pink is sometimes ignored by more sophisticated dressers and those who want to project a more mature being. Not for spring 2014! Pink is being shown in every shade imaginable from sweet pastels through to bold neon hues. Pink is taking the season by storm and not allowing anyone to classify it as a “girly-girl” type of hue. 

Since pink is being shown in so many variations for spring 2014, it is taking on many personalities. At Burberry, pink was shown as an accent to traditional classic hues; making it the perfect way to add a pop of color to an ensemble as well as a way to update one’s look. Burberry also showed pink on vintage inspired silhouettes perfect for a wedding or fundraising luncheon. Chanel gave pink an edgy 1980’s look on its’ couture runway in both medium and pastel shades. 

There are also designers showing pink for spring/summer 2014 who did not show the hue on their fashion week runways! Valentino is showing neon pink on store shelves as is Rebecca Minkoff. Gucci is also showing pink for spring although after watching the Italian powerhouse’s runway show from spring/summer 2014 one would have assumed to see purple, purple and more purple!

It is interesting how consumer interest and store buyers are able to sway which colors actually make it from the runway to store shelves; and ultimately reality. After all, if it was on the runway and it never made it to the store, how will it make it to reality? Just a side note 😉

What do you think of pink for spring/summer 2014? Will you be wearing it? 

Shop pink for spring and summer 2014:

Chunky heels for spring 2014

 in Shoes / Trends  tagged dolce and gabbana / runway trends / sandals / spring 2014 / summer 2014 by

The chunky heel is back! Chunky, thick and stacked heels graced the runways for spring/summer 2014 in New York, Paris, Milan and London signaling a slow end to the tall and skinny heel. (The skinny heel will never disappear, but it is not the only choice anymore!) Ankles everywhere are thanking designers as we speak 😉

Chunky heels for spring 2014 bring a new feeling of stability to fashion; allowing Fashionistas everywhere to walk with confidence and stand for long periods of time without tipping over. Love that! Heels on the runways for spring/summer 2014 were shown in varying heights from 1″ through to 4″ and they were generally shown with flat soles. The design of the heels varied according to the designer and his/her inspiration for that particular collection. 

The most popular versions of the chunky heel included stacked heels, wooden heels, sculpted heels (think Dolce & Gabbana pillars) and leather/fabric covered thick heels. All versions of the thicker, chunkier heel are on trend for the spring/summer 2014 season. If you have any chunky or thick heels hiding in the back of your closet this is the perfect season to bring them back life! Just make sure they are not platforms 😉 Think flat sole or “single soled” shoes.

The shorter versions of the chunky heel, 1″ to 2″, offer a vintage vibe which reflects many spring/summer 2014 collections that have a 1950’s and 1960’s flair. The taller chunky heels, 3″ to 4″, offer more of a 1970’s vibe and look amazing with the flowing wide pants of the season.

This is the beginning of the return of the chunky heel, so you can rest assured this trend will continue for several seasons to come. To build the perfect chunky heel wardrobe, find the heel height you are comfortable in and then invest! Look for neutral shoes first and then add one or two colorful pairs to the mix. You will find yourself wearing this style all the time since they are actually comfortable! Imagine that?! Fashion can be comfortable and practical; who knew?!

I found a few fabulous pairs of chunky and thick heeled shoes around the web and assembled them into the shopping widget below. I hope you love them! Happy shopping, and stay fabulous 😉

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