LEWISTOWN - For spring 2011, the more colors of the fashion rainbow you incorporate in your look, the more you will look like the pot of gold at the end.
Local vendors, such as JCPenney's and Payless Shoe Source, have incorporated color, romance and form-fitting, to sell customers a look straight from the catwalks of New York City.
The Pantone Color Institute fashion report includes visions of "honeysuckle, coral rose, beeswax yellow and regatta blue" to dance around in any fashionista's head this season.
Article Photos
Sentinel photos by SARAH KRAMER
A blousy, floral top paired with dark skinny jeans makes a chic early spring outfit.
The institute serves as the color trendsetter for the fashion industry. For example, Pantone gave designers such as Yves Saint Laurent and Oscar de la Renta an innovative color for their 1999 fall collection - Cerulean blue. That famous blue was the color that Meryl Streep's character, Miranda Priestly, defends in "The Devil Wears Prada."
This year, Pantone pegs "Curacao blue" as the "new blue." Curacoa, a name for a tropical liquor, made with dried peels of citrus, gives off a bright, tropical blue as a finished product. Unlike Cerulean blue, with its periwinkle, light-feeling undertones, Curacao blue is bold and bright. And, because bright colors are in this season, it's not surprising that Pantone selected a blue that packs a punch.
However, JCPenney's is take a softer colored approach toward spring. Kim Wagner, a supervisor at the local store said, "There is more of a softer pallette-lavender, pink, peach aqua.
Fact Box
Incorporate your spring look into your daily life:
With this spring's colors and styles, you can create the perfect look for all occasions.
The office:
Pair a light gray pencil skirt (about knee length) with a ruby colored blouse, either sleeveless or short-sleeved.
Simple black stilletos finish off the look.
Remember, the ruby blouse is meant to be the accent, not the accessories. Swept back hair and a chandelier earring polishes the spring work
look.
If it's cold in your office, bring a spring cardigan featuring crochet or lace, both spring 2011 featured materials.
School:
The look on campus this spring will incorporate tight, skinny jeans, baring the ankle, and slinky crop tops.
Pair a crop top with ankle pants and a pair of gladiator sandals or flats. Keep accessories light, if wearing a low-key outfit.
Evening wear:
Wear dresses in bright colors. A bright peach dress, with a white pashmina wrap and light accessories, with a tan sandal creates a romantic spring look.
Pair brightly colored evening wear with basic silver and gold jewelry - as minimal as you can.
All clutches and evening bags may have a tiny accent, but mainly stick to neutral colors.
If you choose to wear a white or tan dress, choose brighter accessories.
Inversely proportionate evening wear is a spring must.
"We see more of a feminine look, with ruffles and peasant blouses. In fact, we have sold a couple new peasant blouses in our misses' section already," she said.
"We are getting more layering pieces in for spring," Wagner said. "Tees and layering camis and tanks" are always a staple year round.
"We are starting to favor a more romantic look, yet there are still some sequined pieces," Wagner said.
In addition, "Fitted pants are also popular for spring - those and a ruffled, free-flowing blouse. You see a lot of the fitted bottoms with loose shirts," she said.
JCPenney's has had the honor of having items on the People Magazine Style Watch for spring 2011. Wagner said, "There was a striped cardigan with rosettes in particular, that our store carries that was on the watch list."
Hannah Buchanan, a store employee said, "In shoes, we have more of a wedge style shoe, some gladiator sandals and stilletos."
Buchanan said that not many spring shoes have been sold yet, because "shoppers have been busy buying winter boots that are now on clearance."
Target in State College is also taking a softer approach to spring. Lindsay Frikker, executive team leader, said, "We have lots of florals and looser tops for spring."
Frikker said, "In shoes, there are still flats and now more sandals are coming in with embellishments. The handbags are coming in neutral colors - more tan, dark brown, and we have more headbands in accessories." Frikker said that the handbags were more cloth material, and the bags are a lot larger this season.
"We have been seeing spring items fly off the shelf just recently because Penn State students have been stocking up on spring items for their spring break coming up," said Frikker.
Target in State College is one of the participants in the "Go International" spring fashion campaign that is to appear in stores mid-spring. The "Go International" campaign focuses on bringing a collaboration of high profile designers that had previously designed lines for Target, such as Behnaz-Sarafpour, Issac Mizrahi and Zac Posen, and making a line from fashions found all of the world, with a spring twist.
Payless Shoe Source have become more fashion forward with their spring shoe collection. Pattie Fleegal, manager of Payless Shoe Source said, "The toes are out. I saw a girl with skinny jeans wearing peep-toed shoes, and it looked very stylish."
Payless Shoe Source is also carrying an assortment of gladiator sandals with jeweled embellishments and sandals in neutral colors. And, despite spring being about bright, springtime colors, Fleegal said, "there are shoes favoring darker and neutral colors colored shoes for spring."
Fleegal said, "Payless has become more fashion forward in their design. I remember when the store had just regular, plain, affordable shoes, and now for a couple more bucks, you can have a stylish shoe that is still very affordable."
Local vendors in Mifflin County are quickly filling their shelves with spring fashions comparable to those seen at New York Fashion Week, only much more affordable.
