Tops Thursday

Its Tops Thursday! I'll be highlighting some of my fav spring trends for this year and sharing some great examples of these trends available in retail and in extended sizes! For anyone who does not know me, I suppose by now I should introduce myself. I am a plus size woman, a mother and wife, and a student in Fashion Design and Merchandising. I'm in my junior year and plan to go on to open a plus size boutique which will eventually sell my own label. It has frustrated and saddened me for years, the way the fashion industry largely ignores and stigmatizes the plus size community. Over half of women in America today wear a size 14 or higher and we deserve to be offered up the same choices given to anyone who wears a "normal" size. With that said, my aim with this blog is to bring more attention to the opportunities for a plus size market, as well as to aid any of my fellow fashionistas out there looking for cute on trend clothing and having a difficult time finding it. I want to use my knowledge and experience I have gained while attending school to open doors and broaden horizons. Its not ever just about the clothing, it is about how we feel, think, and view ourselves. How wearing something beautiful can externalize your own inner personality.

Now  - into the topic of the day: tops. I've shown a few of this spring's trends, the lace trend for example, I'm completely in love with and am bringing back today. One of my favorite things in fashion is combining tends. Today's tops combine trends and color, creating fashionable garments. Vests, fringe, peplums and roses, are all trends we've seen on the runways for Spring 2013. 

These are designs shown by (from left to right) Tibi, Catherine Malandrino, Nanette Lepore and Nicole Miller. Done in many different fabrics and silhouettes from denim to chiffon and from stiff structured looks to light and flowy they are all super cute and versatile. Vests can make any outfit look a little more put together and can be worn with anything. 

Roses were featured in collections from Naeem Khan, Preen, Ralph Lauren and Oscar de la Renta. It seems to be a free for all when it comes to the style of rose, here we see many different colors, pattern styles and different ways to incorporate them into the garment. 

Ralph Lauren, Marchesa, Catherine Malandrino and Custo Barcelona brought the fringe. It was seen at hemlines, down the sides of pants and edging ponchos.

I have found a couple vests that are perfect spring at simplybe.com. The vest on the left is the Joe Brown's Vest and not only follows the vest theme but also incorporates Monaco blue, one of pantone's colors for this season. It is light and airy with a handkerchief hem and loosely woven construction. My second pick combines three trends: vests, roses and fringe. The Joe Brown's Funky Fringe Vest is a dusky rose color which is actually a darkened version of the pinkish Linen from this spring's colors and it is combined with Dusk Blue roses. 

My final pick for tops combines lace and peplum. 

Lace was featured in many designs such as these from Lela Rose, Tadashi Shoji, Jill Stuart and Oscar de la Renta. 

Peplums could be seen in the designs of Rebecca Taylor, Jill Stuart, Christian Siriano and Badgley Mischka. Both trends are forever classic and will always repeat themselves, just indifferent incarnations. 

This top which is my absolute favorite thing I've found so far this spring is from fashiontofigure.com. It is a Poppy red (so on trend) and black lace sleeveless peplum top. What can I say? adore adore adore!!! It's fun, flirty, seductive and just plain looks sooo good! I hope you've enjoyed my Thursday Tops I'm off now to scope out some fabric and grab a quick lunch. 

Til next time ~ Noir