ALTHOUGH the spring sunshine is still a bit elusive, now is the time to start getting ahead on your 2022 spring wardrobe refresh. The fashion industry’s tastemakers are making notes on recent runway shows, and spring 2022 is shaping up to be a stylish smorgasbord of color, texture, and aesthetic. The trends are a hybrid of an early pandemic comfort-or-bust-vibe and modern maximalism that demands a spotlight. Y2K fashion continues to trend in full force. Then there is an abundance of platform shoes and twee styles to take note of. Many brands delivered dreamy, globe-trotter-status clothing and accessories ranging from brightly saturated tunics to artfully embellished maxi dresses. This spring’s wish list also includes fringe and crochet detailing and supersized tote bags you could just about fit into yourself. For lower-key sensibilities, closet classics like button-down shirts, blazers, easy knits, and trousers continue to get reinvented for the season with a fresh feel you’ll lean on again and again. What’s more, this trend lends itself to life’s continued limbo status where we split our time between hibernating at home and actually doing things in the real world. Y2K fashion Y2K nostalgia lives on and is only going bolder in 2022. Think of daringly-low-rise bottoms, miniskirt suits, and “whale tail” pants if you’re really gutsy. Halters tops and dresses are big this season, as are cutouts — a continuing trend from 2021 that proves skin is still in, whether you go the spliced, cropped, or bra-top route. To top it all off, go with playful jewelry like multicolored beads layered with pearls. Vacation mindset Ulla Johnson’s, Chloé’s, Gabriela Hearst’s, and Anna Sui’s spring collections all showcased pieces that work for everyday moments yet are ready for a getaway at a moment’s notice. Airy-as-ever dresses, crochet tops, and printed separates rendered in crisp cotton poplin are just a few key vacation-ready looks to try when emanating this trend. Big bags Big adieu to your minis for now; ultra-big bags are in for spring. From festive raffia to polished-for-work leather, labels like Khaite, Tory Burch, Marni all make a case for supersizing your next handbag. These carry-alls can also double as a stylish travel bag that’ll hold at least a few days’ worth of essentials should your luggage go missing. Romance A romantic Regency-core-meets-’60s-era glamour aesthetic emerged from designer collections, including Markarian, Jason Wu, and Carolina Herrera. Floral dresses with fitted bodices and puff sleeves, ladylike suiting accessorized with pointed-toe heels and pearls, and bedecked bubble hems were accompanied by rhinestone earrings, all with a prim and proper feel that’ll get you excited to dress up again. Basics reimagined It’s a fact you can never have too many button-down shirts, well-tailored suits, classic sweaters and neat pants. Jil Sander, Peter Do, and Victoria Beckham, to name a few, championed clean lines and neutral colors to maximize versatility — though not without flickers of modernity, like a spliced back or uniquely-shaped collar. They also offered versions in colors like hot pink, yellow, and periwinkle should such shades call to you. Twee time With a ripple effect sparked by Y2K mania, twee fashion is not only happening but an embrace-worthy trend for spring. We’re talking romantic collars and darling minis, loafers with socks, baby tees, and shrunken cardigans. Platform ready From Givenchy and Versace to Stella McCartney and Lanvin, one thing is evident in the shoe department: It’s time to pump things up. We mean this literally in the case of high-set heels and Mary-Janes but also with platform clogs, loafers, and sandals (including flip-flops and slides not unlike the stretchy Steve Maddens from the ’90s). This soaring shoe trend appeals to every aesthetic — chunkier soles suited to edgier or pragmatic tastes and more refined, heeled versions for those who lean minimal or feminine. Bold colors vs. all white Color lovers, and those willing to dabble in new shades, set your sights on mega-saturation for spring. We’re not talking about a mere accent, however. Instead, the modern way is dousing yourself in a hue — or, even better, several. Valentino, Saint Laurent, and Marques’ Almeida are just a few collections you’ll want to reference for inspiration. Then, spring 2022 isn’t all bold colors and statement skirts. In fact, there’s a growing swell of simplicity this season climaxing with all-white ensembles. So, anchor your spring wardrobe staples with a simple, white maxi dress. (SD-Agencies) | 