spring fashion issue

Spring’s Biggest Trends Organized, Simplified, and Explained

Vertical Stripes

More prisoner than fisherman.

Louis Vuitton, at 1 E. 57th St.; 212-758-8877. Erdem, at erdem.com. Chloé, at nordstrom.com. Proenza Schouler, at 121 Greene St.; 212-420-7300. Marques’ Almeida, at Opening Ceremony, 35 Howard St.; 212-219-2688. Monse, at Saks Fifth Avenue.

Sacai, at Saks Fifth Avenue. Gucci, at 725 Fifth Ave.; 212-826-2600. Fendi, at net-a-porter.com. Rag & Bone, at rag-bone.com. Etro, at etro.com.

Olive Drab

Full-body khaki.

Mark Twain called khaki “an ugly and odious and appropriate disguise, of yellow stuff such as quarantine flags are made of, and which are hoisted to warn the healthy away from unclean disease and repulsive death.” Aldous Huxley agreed: “What a hideous color khaki is,” he wrote in Brave New World.

Marc Jacobs, at 113 Prince St.; 212-343-1490. Emporio Armani, at 717 Fifth Ave.; 212-209-1902. J.Crew, at jcrew.com. Salvatore Ferragamo, at 655 Fifth Ave.; 212-759-3822. Kenzo, at Opening Ceremony, 35 Howard St.; 212-219-2688. Coach 1941, at 685 Fifth Ave.; 212-758-2450.

Giant Bags

For carrying all of your baggage.

Loewe, at loewe.com. Balenciaga, at 148 Mercer St.; 212-206-0872. Michael Kors Collection, at michaelkors.com.

Florals? For Spring?

“Groundbreaking.” — Miranda Priestly

Rag & Bone, at rag-bone.com. Vetements, at net-a-porter.com. Chloé, at Bergdorf Goodman, 754 Fifth Ave.; 212-753-7300. Tory Burch, at 797 Madison Ave.; 212-510-8371. Coach 1941, at 685 Fifth Ave.; 212-758-2450.

Alexander McQueen, similar styles at alexandermcqueen.com. Miu Miu, at 11 E. 57th St.; 212-641-2980. Salvatore Ferragamo, at 655 Fifth Ave.; 212-759-3822. Fendi, at 598 Madison Ave.; 212-897-2244.

Gingham

Subverting a staple.

Gingham wasn’t always checked — it began as striped fabric imported from India, Indonesia, and Malaysia, and the crosshatches arrived in the 18th century. Traditionally, it’s a symbol of innocence, which only makes it ripe for subversion.

Peter Pilotto, at matchesfashion.com. Carolina Herrera, at 954 Madison Ave.; 212-249-6552. Dolce & Gabbana, at 717 Fifth Ave.; 212-897-9653. House of Holland, at houseofholland.co.uk. Molly Goddard, at Dover Street Market, 160 Lexington Ave.; 646-837-7750.

’80s Shoulders

This time with irony.

Kenzo, at Opening Ceremony, 35 Howard St.; 212-219-2688. Gucci, 725 Fifth Ave.; 212-826-2600. Jacquemus, at jacquemus.com. Saint Laurent, at 3 E. 57th St.; 212-980-2970. Rodarte, at modaoperandi.com.

Oversize Ear Gear

Mismatched and gigantic.

In ancient times, earrings were predominantly for men. The Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamen and the Buddha are believed to have worn ear décor, and Shakespeare was depicted in paintings wearing an earring, too. Later, pirates are fabled to have worn them to mark their voyages or as a superstitious attempt to cure seasickness.

Clockwise from top left: Mismatched: J.W.Anderson, at j-w-anderson.com. Erdem, at erdem.com. Saint Laurent, at 3 E. 57th St.; 212-980-2970. Dior, at 21 E. 57th St.; 212-931-2950. Oversize: Delpozo, at delpozo.com. DSquared2, at 166 Spring St.; 212-966-3487. Proenza Schouler, at 121 Greene St.; 212-420-7300. Altuzarra, at altuzarra.com.

Flatform Heels

Prada, at 575 Broadway; 212-334-8888. Salvatore Ferragamo, at 655 Fifth Ave.; 212-759-3822. Versace, at us.versace.com. Erdem, at barneys.com. Gucci, at 725 Fifth Ave.; 212-826-2600. Proenza Schouler, at 121 Greene St.; 212-420-7300.

All White

Maximal and minimal.

Céline, at 870 Madison Ave.; 212-535-3703. Marni, at 161 Mercer St.; 212-343-3912. Stella McCartney, at 112 Greene St.; 212-255-1556. Loewe, at loewe.com. Diane von Furstenberg, at 874 Washington St.; 646-486-4800.

Oscar de la Renta, at 772 Madison Ave.; 212-288-5810. Fendi, at 598 Madison Ave.; 212-897-2244. Alexander Wang, at alexanderwang.com. Chloé, at Saks Fifth Avenue, 611 Fifth Ave.; 212-753-4000. Tory Burch, at 797 Madison Ave.; 212-510-8371. Dior, at 21 E. 57th St.; 212-931-2950.

Trench Coats

Deconstructing a basic.

Balenciaga, at 148 Mercer St.; 212-206-0872. Vetements, at net-a-porter.com. Sacai, at Bergdorf Goodman, 754 Fifth Ave.; 212-753-7300. Junya Watanabe, at Dover Street Market, 160 Lexington Ave.; 646-837-7750. Burberry, at burberry.com. Michael Kors Collection, at michaelkors.com.

The New Suit

Skirts, trousers, Helmuts.

It was once said that women in suits were attempting to fly beneath the radar, to blend in. But this was the year of Pantsuit Nation — even Beyoncé wore one during a pre-election concert for self-described “pantsuit aficionado” Hillary Clinton. Fashion-wise, this season saw a reimagining of the traditional silhouette to something sleeker.

Dior, at 21 E. 57th St.; 212-931-2950. Givenchy, similar styles at givenchy.com. Chanel, at 15 E. 57th St.; 212-355-5050. Versace, at us.versace.com. Céline, at 870 Madison Ave.; 212-535-3703.

Bottega Veneta, at 650 Madison Ave.; 212-371-5511. Louis Vuitton, at 1 E. 57th St.; 212-758-8877. Max Mara, at 813 Madison Ave.; 212-879-6100. Chloé, at 850 Madison Ave.; 212-717-8220. Michael Kors Collection, at michaelkors.com.

Sheer

Nipples on display.

Marie Antoinette once posed for Vigée Le Brun in one of the first known sheer dresses, the chemise à la reine. Made in Britain, it threatened the French silk industry. By 1800 came a more daring à la sauvage, a sheer gown worn over a body stocking. In the 1910s, the X-ray dress (a name coined by designer Jean-Philippe Worth) became the target of bans.

Lanvin, at 849 Madison Ave.; 646-439-0380. Dior, at 21 E. 57th St.; 212-931-2950. Molly Goddard, at Dover Street Market, 160 Lexington Ave.; 646-837-7750. Alexander McQueen, 747 Madison Ave.; 212-645-1797. Christopher Kane, at christopherkane.com.

Every Single Color …

Acne Studios, at acnestudios.com. DKNY, at 420 W. Broadway; 646-613-1100. Salvatore Ferragamo, at 655 Fifth Ave.; 212-759-3822. Versace, at us.versace.com. Emilio Pucci, at 855 Madison Ave.; 212-752-4777.

Marni, at 161 Mercer St.; 212-343-3912. Céline, at 870 Madison Ave.; 212-535-3703. Balmain, at Saks Fifth Avenue, 611 Fifth Ave.; 212-753-4000. Balenciaga, at 148 Mercer St.; 212-206-0872.

Moncler Gamme Rouge, at 650 Madison Ave.; 646-768-7022. Dior, at 21 E. 57th St.; 212-931-2950. Comme des Garçons, at 520 W. 22nd St.; 212-604-9200. Valentino, at 693 Fifth Ave.; 212-355-5811.

Bottega Veneta, at 650 Madison Ave.; 212-371-5511. Kenzo, at Opening Ceremony, 35 Howard St.; 212-219-2688. Molly Goddard, at Dover Street Market, 160 Lexington Ave.; 646-837-7750. Akris, at Bergdorf Goodman, 754 Fifth Ave.; 212-753-7300.

… But Mostly Yellow

The most famous yellow dress of the year has to be the vaguely ’50s frock that Emma Stone wears in the poster for La La Land, a film whose costumes, by Oscar nominee Mary Zophres, embrace every color of the rainbow. But yellow has long been a filmic trope: Natalie Wood wears it in the make-believe wedding sequence of West Side Story, as does Doris Day in Lullaby of Broadway, Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face, Catherine Deneuve in The Young Girls of Rochefort, and Ann Reinking in Annie. But for Zophres, it wasn’t about the genre: “She looks stunning in the color (and not everybody does).”

Chloé, at 93 Greene St.; 646-350-1770. Emilio Pucci, at 855 Madison Ave.; 212-752-4777. Moschino, at 73 Wooster St.; 212-226-8300. Rick Owens, at rickowens.eu. Hermès, at 691 Madison Ave.; 212-751-3181. Erdem, at barneys.com. Gucci, at 725 Fifth Ave.; 212-826-2600.

*This article appears in the February 6, 2017, issue of New York Magazine.

Spring’s Biggest Trends Organized, Simplified, and Explained