By Nancy Hogan Neill, Wordsmith and Marketing Assistant

Mid-winter brings some wishful thinking that nature’s transition to spring was already upon us. Here in the Pacific Northwest, our winter was rainy and mild until early January, so ornamental cherry blossoms are already revealing their pink promise of the season to come. Thoughts inevitably follow of what to wear as the warming spring sunshine freshens up your exterior landscape.

The bad news? The choices seem endless, as the Spring 2013 ready-to-wear shows are showing lots of tantalizing possibilities! Think colors like orchid pink, tangerine, chrome yellow, poppy red, aqua and sky blue:

Also you’ll see bold graphics in black and white, often mixed with and color, and floral prints combined with black and/or white. Plus the bold pattern-mixing trend is still with us--and it’s tricky to pull off well.

Here’s a personal favorite: Any similar sheath, with any variation of skirt and sleeve lengths, looks stunning whether you’re 25 or 65!

The good news? Just like you may be, your DRES System Certified Personal Stylist is already thinking about spring and how she can incorporate some of the wonderful new trends into her clients’ wardrobes! Don’t have a DRES Stylist yet? It’s the perfect time!

By Nancy Hogan Neill, Wordsmith and Marketing Assistant

It is Emerald Green is the color of the year; more specifically,

PMS 17-5641! 

This particular shade of green sparked childhood memories for me, as it’ this very same color that was popular in past decades, especially for in clothing.

Are there colors for you that evoke a particular time of your childhood or young adult years? Pantone the international company is so sure that color plays a role in one’s nostalgic memories that it has recently published PANTONE: The 20th Century in Color. 

PMS stands for Pantone Matching System. Their unique and utterly scientific color matching system is used all over the world, by everyone from a mom-and-pop print shop in Carefree, Arizona, to an internationally known interior designer working out of New York, Milan and Beijing, say.

Another great resource to find the upcoming color trends in fashion is the website for Color Solutions International and their sister site, Fashion Snoops. Their genius is in delineating all of the base, cool and warm colors that were seen on the Spring/Summer 2013 runways. And the base, cool and warm categories are further broken out into men’s and women’s fashions, like so:

This site’s information is a great way to start thinking about which of your most flattering will be showing up in your local department stores and boutiques. This can make the time you spend updating your wardrobe or accessories with your DRES System Certified Personal Stylist all the more productive and fun, too! Or it’s a great way to learn your 42 ultimate colors and get your very own DRES System Color Palette.

By Connie Zunigha, Marketing Assistant

The Bellevue Collection began their fashion week with the first ever Independent Designer Show. This was an amazing opportunity for eight local fashion designers to show off their immense talent and make connections within the Puget Sound fashion industry. Margaret was able to be one of the five hundred attendants, and was very excited to support each of the creative designers. While all of the eight collections were spectacular and received much deserved praise, Carole McClellen was chosen as the winner of the event. Carole, who specializes in leather and fur, stepped out of her comfort zone by introducing denim and other fabrics into her show. A few of Margaret’s favorite collections were Lizzie Parker, a contestant on the NBC hit show Fashion Star, Built for Man and Anne Sylvain.

Read more about the show here.

By, Amy Zentz DRES Marketing Assistant

Marc Jacobs first met avante-guard artist Yayoi Kusama in 2006 when they collaborated on a custom bag for the designer.  This collaboration has since led to an entire collection inspired by the artist’s signature dot motif, on everything from bangles to scarves.  The collection is timed to arrive in stores two days before a retrospective of the 82-year-old’s art at the Whitney Museum in New York.

Marc Jacobs creative director of the luxury house(LV), said of Yayoi when explaining his love of her work, 'the obsessive character and the innocence of her artwork touch me. She succeeds in sharing her vision of the world with us.'

Following the launch of the initial collection, seven pop-up stores for Louis Vuitton are set to open, Kusama-themed in dots or formed after her famous pumpkin motif.

In addition Louis Vuitton launched a free iPhone app allowing fans to see the world through Kusama's eyes. The new app allows Kusama lovers everywhere to customise their photos with dots, waves and mirrors.

Kasuma has recently launched her "Hong Kong Blooms in My Mind" exhibit in a 15,00 square-foot space, taking over the entire fifth floor of Shopping Center One Pacific Place.

By Margaret Spencer, DRES Sytem Founder

Above: Kelly & Katie Sandle from DSW

A great shoe can take an outfit that looks good on you to an outfit that makes you powerful and polished from head to toe. Use inspiration from summer footwear trends to spice up your looks. All of the trends below are fun and easy, and you can start working them into your current wardrobe right away.

70’s style

Chunky platforms, giving the impression of super-high heels, along with organic, natural materials like leather, raffia, and wood are classic 70s style. Pair these “free love” details with a mix of flowy and hard fabrics to make the 70s come to life in a modern way.

Patterns and prints

Floral and tribal patterns are the hits for warm weather, but animal prints never go out of style, so don’t forget to add in a punch of leopard or giraffe print to your looks. Try metallic accents in your clothes with animal-print sandals, floral wedges with sundresses, and tribal-pattern flats with casual jeans.

Americana

Use combinations of red, white, and blue stripes, flower details and espadrilles to bring a breezy and chic American attitude to your outfits. White jeans, blue denim and cotton tops or bottoms give the impression of true American style.

Color-block

Play with mixing solid colors, from bright jewel tones to pastel sorbet colors, to put a pop into your summer outfits. Color-blocking isn’t just for loud solid colors, though: you can put beige and black or softer colors and black together to achieve the same effect.

 The silhouettes on your body and shoes on your feet are what make your outfits unique. Feel confident and new this summer: play with memorable details from the 70s with your shoe and clothing choices, or mix classic silhouettes with footwear that has exciting prints and patterns. For more on color-blocking, learn our DRES Stylists’ tips on how to include bright and modern colors in your wardrobe.