Bold prints and batted lashes: How to adapt spring’s runway looks to your wardrobe

I present to you below vitamin J's first ever guest post, courtesy of the lovely Jax Kimball!  Jax is a self-professed beauty addict who's looking to get some writing experience before starting her own blog, and approached me with the following article.  She's definitely given me some ideas for the spring (and summer)!

Read on!

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This Spring is big. Big like a triple sundae. Big like Michael Jordan’s feet. Big like a double-decker bus on a back road. To celebrate all this big is betterness, the fashion world has been adding a little bit of bigness to the list as well. Runway looks for Spring 2012 are all about big prints and bold makeup. What makes this spring’s looks different from the 80s crazy shoulder pad and Full House hair look is that it’s tempered by a bit of restraint. Clothes are cut trimly, hair is pinned back, and with the exception of fearless eyes, makeup is toned down.

The great thing about this blend of “out there” and pulled back is that you don’t need much to pull off the new trends. All you need are a few key wardrobe pieces to mix with articles of clothing you already have in your wardrobe.

1. Find a statement piece

Mara Hoffman Spring 2012 Lookbook

via Mama’s a Rolling Stone online

Large and brightly colored prints have been all over the place. Mara Hoffman’s spring collection exemplifies the kinds of prints to go for – abstract geometric, modified animal (I know this sounds like genetic engineering – but go with it), neon tribal, etc. Mara Hoffman’s collection emphasizes pant suits and dresses – but a pair of harem-esque pants with a crazy print or a pair of patterned pumps or blazer would be just as much of a statement.

2. Pair statement with sedation

Roberto Cavalli Ready to Wear Spring 2012

Via FirstH-Mode online

It’s not enough to have just anything with a print. You want to balance the bold clothing article with simple, chic pieces to create a rounded look. Think Duchess of Windsor meets Madonna. There are some basic pieces you should already have in your wardrobe: a simple cami, a loose sheer shirt, a black blazer. And though it might not be considered an essential wardrobe piece, if you don’t have a pair of harem pants yet, you should invest in a pair for the spring – either in black, gray, or olive. Now put your statement piece together with these basic ones. If you’re having trouble envisioning how to pair crazy prints with a toned-down look, check out Roberto Cavalli’s spring collection. Wild pants with a sleek black blazer, a loose skirt with a gold tiger-print jacket, a metallic and peach skirt with a sheer black shirt and sedate black blazer. (So Roberto Cavalli was really into blazers this spring…)

3. Beach face

Spring 2012 at Tracy Reese

Imaxtree.com via Harper’s Bazaar online

There’s no point in going all out in your wardrobe if your makeup doesn’t match. Similar to the trend in fashion at the moment, makeup is blending bold with restrained. Face makeup is generally nude – as little as possible on the face with bronzer or blush on the cheeks to create a “just finished working out” or “just got back from the beach” look. I’ve been totally hooked on this blush from Tarte called “blushing bride” which, applied directly below the cheekbones gives a natural, healthy glow.

4. Bold eyes

Creatures of the Wind Spring 2012

Imaxtree.com via Harper’s Bazaar online

Makeup in Spring 2012 is about exaggerated eyes. Swaths of bright colors like aqua, tangerine, and yellow are great for a daytime look, while exaggerated smoky eyes or cat eyes are perfect for evenings out. (Investing in eye makeup is probably the biggest cost for Spring 2012 – I had to buy a bunch of new colors, since my usual palette is in brown. If you’re in the same boat, there are great, inexpensive ways to get more makeup – like signing up for free samples or subscribing to a monthly beauty box like Glossybox, which is huge in Europe and finally coming to the states this month!)

5. Highbrow hair meets windswept beach bum

Spring 2012 at Bottega Veneta

Redken via Harper’s Bazaar online

Hair is a combination of restrained and relaxed (are you starting to see a trend?). If you have long hair, wear it casually tangled and pinned back in a loose knot. If you have short hair, experiment with teasing it into a messy bob (as popularized by Arizona Muse).

So there you go. Spring is an elephant wrapped up in a jewelry box. Its big prints and tailored pants. Silks that loosely hug the shape of your body. Tightly-cut jackets and eye-catching metallic detailing. Hair that says done, but casually and makeup that reflects the same but with bold eyes.

- Jax