Spring Styles In Full Bloom
When rain is falling and an appointment reschedules, what is one to do? Window shop. This is a term my mother used to make adventures out of nothing. As immigrants on a very tight budget, shopping was a dream. Window shopping satisfied curiosities and gave us ideas for fashion and styles that we can imitate by sewing our own clothes and repurposing accessories in different ways.
Today, window shopping still satisfies my fashion curiosity, inspires my creativity, and lets me reminisce a bit about my past adventures with my most brilliant mother. Window shopping at a designer mall – perfect for the day. While I entered stores and physically inspected items, my goal was to see what is for sale, explore fabrics and textures, and see applications of the ideas.
I was greeted by a profusion of color, shapes, and textures. Flowers! Flowers permeate this spring’s fashions. There are large roses, small roses, daisies, and a plethora of bouquets on dresses, shirts, jackets, and pants. There are flowers that have been embroidered, appliqued, printed, and woven into the fabric. Color is in. Accents like buttons also echo the floral theme.
Soft silks, delicate cashmeres, polished cottons, and a variety of organza and gauze-like fabrics drape and gather for visual delight. The quality of fabrics has dramatically improved from past years. There is actual thread count in these fabrics. It was refreshing to see that care was taken to create a garment with detail, style, and innovation. Certainly, this is not fast fashion. It was less than 10 years ago that I tried on a pair of expensive Italian wool slacks with so little thread count that my skin color shone through on black! I was told then, “That is how it is made and the style of today.” Regardless of style, I did not consider such trousers acceptable for me.
The mall is a place where major designer boutiques display the latest styles and applications, from clothing, to jewelry, and many accessories. There are flowers in and on almost everything including handbags, shoes, and on stunning necklaces. This is the ideal window-shopping environment.
Not needing anything, I did not leave empty handed. I was almost out free but ducked into one more shop with an irresistible handbag and left with my lovely purchase carefully wrapped in its satin bag. Window shopping can induce impulse purchasing. Fortunately, it was closing time, and no more damage could be made.
There is an art to window shopping. Operating hours do not dictate opportunity. The window lights illuminate treasures to admire. The window displays varied from stark and minimalist to opulently colorful. There are ruffles, flourishes, puff sleeves, mini to maxi lengths, skinny to ultra-wide leg pants, bolero jackets to maxi overcoats. This season promises a variety of opportunities to look chic and modern while enjoying items and garments already on hand. Adding one or two new items can update many existing items for fresh looks.
Today’s fabrics and textures are rich, supple, and flexible. They have a “hand” unlike previous versions. To that end, the saying, “What is old is new again,” is a bit of an exaggeration. Holding on to previously loved items in hopes that they come back in style does not work as we wish. There is always a twist on the style, a different texture, and the print, if any, is different as well. One thing I find important is that today’s fabrics is that they have some “give.” Bending elbows and knees and reaching with shoulders is not restricted as in earlier garments because the fabric has a little stretch. While I will always love certain items for the way I felt wearing them at certain occasions, I am happy to let them go now in favor of style with comfort.
In addition to sensory creative stimulation, the exercise is great. It was easy to cover two miles of walking. Window shopping, although alone, I heard, in my head, my mother’s ongoing dialogue as I looked and admired.
Whether walking along a city street or in an enclosed mall, look in the windows and consider the styles, the designs, and even the window composition. It is a wonderful activity to do with children, friends, and even alone. Ducking into a cafe or restaurant for a little bite with a favorite beverage can be the “pièce de résistance.”
Good News. Reviews. Events. 