WEARING WHITE

If you thought you weren’t allowed to wear white before Memorial Day, think again. The myth has been brought to reality, and the truth: white is ruling the runways this spring.

There are many ways to wear the fresh, bright color of white.



In an interview with Vogue.com reporter Esther Adams, Calvin Klein Collection’s Francisco Costa gives advice to “stick to ivory or winter white in cooler temperatures. It’s a neutral color, so it’s hard to overdo it, even with layering.”

However, it’s important to not get the “whitewashed” look when wearing all white. Try delicate beauty options, dark nude accessories, or bright colors to mix and match with white.

"White is so great for the summer," said sophomore Randi Anderson. "It matches just about everything and it's really pretty."



As for college students, white has proven to be a great color during the spring and summer weather, because it's such a versatile color that matches almost any top in your closet, day or night.

"My white jeans match every top I have," said sophomore Amy Copeland. "I love wearing them to work in the summer, and they even work at night time too."

You can buy white clothing at just about any store, which is another great aspect of this trend. Every store has different prices and styles of white clothes, and all you have to do is pick out your favorites.

*slideshow music courtesy of YouTube.com.
"The Look Of Love (Madison Park Vs. Larry B Remix)by Nina Simone". From, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrWPSzn3BvM retrieved May 1, 2011.

Boyfriend Jeans

Who knew your boyfriend’s jeans would be such a trend? It’s time to borrow their jeans and make a statement with them.

InStyle.com advises fashionistas to “wear slouchy boyfriend jeans with heels and bold accessories for a style statement”.

However, InStyle.com also suggests wearing a tee and sneakers if you want to keep it comfy.

Need some help wearing them? “The trick is to roll the bottoms several times for a cropped length that flatters the baggier style,” according to InStyle.com.

These jeans are also great for the crazy Oklahoma weather, especially when it’s cold in the morning, and hot and sunny by noon.

“My rolled jeans are great because I can walk to my 8:30 a.m. class and still be warm,” said Rachel Santschi, broadcast journalism junior. “By the time I get to go home for lunch, it’s usually hot outside, but I can just take my jacket off and still be cool enough in my boyfriend jeans.”

You can buy these boyfriend jeans at the Sooner Mall, 3301 W. Main St., or online at piperlime.com and anntaylorloft.com at various styles and prices.

Maxi Dresses

One of this summer’s hottest trends is the maxi dress. These floor-length dresses are essential this season, because they are chic by themselves: there’s no need to accessorize a lot.

According to TeenVogue.com, “a flowing maxi-dress looks positively ethereal with a delicate pair of flat sandals”.

Maxi dresses are great for going to class, running errands, or doing homework during the school week because they are comfortable and don’t require a lot of thought when getting dressed in the morning.

"Maxi dresses are one of my favorite things about summer time," said Whitney Cochran, electronic and broadcast media sophomore. "I think they're special too because they look great on everyone."

Depending on their colors, some maxi dresses can transition from day to night time.

MarieClaire.com also agrees that maxi dresses are the way to go. “The full-length '70s-style sundress is the new staple for girls on the go. Pair with sexy sandals, and you're set for any occasion."



You can find the maxi dress style online at victoriassecret.com or shopbop.com at various prices, or go to Lucca on Campus Corner for different dress styles.

Wedge Heels

The wedge heels are back for this spring and summer, and this time they've added a platform to give them an extra oomph.

According to Glamour.com, "not only can you wear these platform wedges with everything in your closet, but you’ll never want to take them off! Find a pair you love after the jump, and wear them straight [through] spring."



These shoes match about any summer outfit, paired with either shorts and a tunic or a flow-y sundress. They also work great for night and/or day time, for those occasions that don't quite fit the "black tie" category.

"I love my Dolce Vita wedges," sophomore Lindsay Jones said. "They have gold straps and a cork wedge, and they're great for summer days at my internship. Plus, I'll even be able to wear them during recruitment, which is great because they are ten times more comfortable than high heels."

Wedge heels come in different types of material like cork and wood. Different occasions and day times may require different styles, but still the same comfort.



You can buy these great shoes at Dillards at the Penn Square Mall, 1901 Northwest Expressway, or online at piperlime.com at various prices.

Floral Patterns

This spring, flowers are blooming everywhere, and not just from the ground. Floral prints are one of the top trends this season, blooming on everything from shirts, skirts, and dresses.

According to TeenVogue.com, floral prints “bloom brightly with a frenzy of patterned pieces and [you can] accessorize with a solid hued handbag or shoe to offset the print overload.”

Wearing floral prints may be a bit overwhelming, but the great thing about them is that they go with anything, even other floral patterned clothes.

“This spring and summer for floral and prints, it’s perfectly OK to treat them like solids!” University of North Texas fashion merchandising major Tristan Lazor said. “Mix and match flowers with all different fabrics and colors, just make sure they kind of coordinate. I love mixing plaids, stripes and floral with each other, and I've been doing it all through the winter too!”

Usually, mixing patterns with patterns is a little risky, but with floral patterned clothes, just about anything will match, as long as the colors coordinate.

“If you have large flowers and large stripes it won't really work,” Lazor said. “It’s all about balance. If you have a lot on top, you need a little on bottom and vice versa. If you're feeling really daring, mix two florals or two stripes, [and] you'll turn some heads.”

You can wear floral prints with many different accessories, but be careful that the accessories don’t take away from the busy floral pattern already there. Try neutral color or solid colored jewelry, so that they compliment the floral pattern without taking anything from it.

“Whether they’re pretty pastels or intense brights, florals don’t need a lot of accessories,” according to InStyle.com. “Floppy hats, lightweight cardigans, and open-toe shoes enhance the mood of floaty garden party dresses, while vivid patterns resonate in more structured silhouettes.”



There are many different options as to where you can buy these floral patterned clothes. Try shopping at Lucca, 317 Boyd St., Forever21 at the Sooner Mall, 3301 Main St., or Antique Garden, 323 Boyd St. for different styles and patterns.

Jeggings

Jeggings, a cross between leggings and jeans, are this year’s most versatile pants yet. Their stretchiness and variety of color allow you to pair them with lots of different outfits, day or night.

“I love Jeggings because they can easily be dressed up with a high-heeled shoe, or fun and casual with a stylish pair of flats,” Regina Dowling said, style blogger for The Oklahoman’s Mood magazine. “My personal choice of Jegging is one with a dark, rich wash. The dark color gives a nice long and lean look to the leg.”

During the week, Jeggings are handy because they have the look of jeans but the comfort of leggings, which are great to wear for a long day classes.

“Whenever I know I have three or four classes one day and want to look cute, I put on my Jeggings and a long tunic top to match,” said Uyen Truong, Public Relations junior. “I also like to wear a pair of ballet flats or boots with them because the ankle part of Jeggings fits right into boots.”

You can pair Jeggings with lots of different styles to create your own look.




“Pair them with a fitted top and colorful scarf for a more bohemian look,” Dowling said. “Or, class it up a bit with a blazer over a crew necked shirt with a bold long necklace to add that extra touch of glamour.”

Jeggings can be purchased at the Charlotte Russe store at the Sooner Mall, 3301 W. Main St., for $29.50, or online at various boutiques like piperlime.com and shopbop.com for various styles and prices.

According to Dowling, "spring is just around the corner! Adding a pair of Jeggings instantly adds a touch of glamour & versatility to your wardrobe!"

Scarves

Whether it’s winter, spring, or summer, there’s always one accessory that will never go out of style: the scarf. Scarves provide an instant oomph to your look, even if you’re just wearing jeans and a T-shirt.

“I love wearing scarves when the weather is nice out,” freshman Julia Nelson said. ”They’re great to just throw on with some jeans when I’m in a hurry for class, and as long as I have on a white or black top, it doesn’t matter what color my scarf is.”

There are so many scarves out there, varying in color, pattern, fabric, and length. Spring and summer scarves are brightly colored and usually shorter, so they allow you to either tie them or wrap them once around your neck.

InSyle.com suggests “for maximum versatility, play around with different ways to drape and tie.”

Brightly colored scarves are great for pairing with a neutral-colored tank and jeans or shorts. If you do choose to pair with shorts, it’s recommended to stay away from athletic shorts, and go with another type of shorts like denim or colored. That way, you’re still looking chic, and all because of one great accessory.

On the other hand, winter scarves are sometimes longer, so that you can wrap it around your neck several times. The layered look is a winter fashion that keeps you warm and trendy. Longer scarves also have their advantages.

“Wrap a long scarf around your neck and let the ends trail down for a slenderizing effect,” InStyle.com said.

So, in case you’re worried about looking a tad bulky through your cold weather layers, remember that a long scarf can easily take away from that. Try pairing a dark colored (or printed) scarf with colors that match your pants and or coat. When you put on your coat, scarfs can either be buttoned up inside or left outside: it’s your choice. However, if your scarf is longer than normal, try wrapping it around your neck about three times, and letting the ends hang outside your coat.

This season, a new scarf type of scarf has caught several people’s eyes: the infinity scarf. Its circular shape may throw people off on how to wear them, but they’re really just like any other scarf. All you have to do is place the scarf over your head and wrap it around your neck twice; you can wear it just the same as any other scarf!

With the crazy weather in Norman, we never know how much cold air or wind the day will bring or what to wear in the morning! Scarves are clearly a good choice because they allow you to be flexible with your wardrobe. For example, as this often happens, if it’s cold in the morning but it’s predicted to be warmer toward the afternoon, try wearing a scarf with jeans, a short-sleeve top, and a jacket. That way, you can take your jacket off when it gets warmer and still have a scarf around your neck for those occasional bursts of wind throughout the day.

Lucca, located on Campus Corner, has a variety of scarves, solid colored and printed, for which you can choose to use to start the scarf trend. Lucca sells them for $20- $85. Or, you can shop online at stores like J. Crew, jcrew.com, Urban Outfitters, urbanoutfitters.com, or Forever21 at forever21.com for a variety of scarves at different colors, patterns, and prices.

*The above commentary is by sophomore Kendall Kinney.

UGG boots

UGG Australia boots are an essential for the cold weather seasons. Varying in size, shape, color, and design, Ugg boots are warm during the chilly weather in the fall and early spring.

“I love to wear Uggs because they are really comfy and are really warm when you have to walk really far to class,” said Paige Pinkerton, energy management sophomore. “They also match anything I wear most of the time and I have them in a lot of colors like black, gray, and brown.”

Ugg boots are also a great fit for cold weather outfits because they come in variations of heights (ankle or tall), and different designs that allow you to able to play with different types of styles and different outfits. They roll down so that they soft fur on the inside shows, or you can keep them rolled up to show off the color or patterned design on the outside.

“Sometimes comfort and practicality win out over pure chic factor,” Glamour magazine online reporter Tracey Lomrantz said. “I think this is one of those instances.”

To wear these boots, you can tuck them in to either a pair of jeans or leggings. They can also be dressed-up or down, depending on the occasion. To dress them up, try a dress or long top with leggings. On the comfortable school day, a pair of skinny jeans tucked in with the Uggs and a top, sweater, or sweatshirt will match.

As featured in “Oprah’s Ultimate Favorite Things 2010”, Uggs are available for purchase at Dillard’s at the Sooner Mall, 3301 W Main St., from $100-$230, or online at uggaustralia.com.

Nike Tempo Track shorts

Are you always in a hurry to get to class? Ever wonder if there is an easier way to get ready with 10 minutes before class and still dress in style? Try the Nike Tempo Track women's running shorts. These shorts are unbelievably comfortable and are always easy to pick out in a hurry.

“Everyone wears them because they’re comfortable and breezy,” sophomore Ava Brewer said. “When it’s hot, they don’t ride up like other types of shorts.”

These shorts come in such a large variety of colors, that it would be impossible to say, "I don't have anything to go with that". All you really need is a T-shirt and a pair of tennis shoes or flip-flops to put together this sporty look. However, be careful which flip flops you pick out- a pair with rhinestones is not really recommended. You may try a pair of Rainbow brand flip-flops or any solid color ones. As for tennis shoes, wear them no matter the color because basically anything but shiny will match these shorts.

“I wear Nike shorts almost every day,” sophomore Molly Cook said. “They’re great because I can roll out of bed and throw on a T-shirt and my Nikes and flip flops and be good to go, especially when I’m late for class.”

The Nike Tempo Track shorts are made from the Dri-FIT material and have a low, elastic waistband. The Dri-FIT material is great for working out in or walking around campus from class to class because it is soft yet absorbent, which is helpful during the hot Oklahoma days. On each side of the shots there is also a mesh inset, which also provides ventilation.

These shorts also sport the Nike “swoosh” in the bottom left corner, as well as a comfortable, built-in liner and pocket, which come in handy while running because it helps the shorts to not ride up.

Nike shorts are available at Academy, 2010 NW 24th Ave, or online at nike.com for $28.00. Now, you’re ready to get started on your comfortable fitness look.

Lacoste headbands

Lacoste headbands are one of the most common accessories worn by women on campus today. Available in multiple colors, these headbands are easy to wear and come in handy when you have the occasional bad hair day.

"Lacoste headbands are like a beneficial combo,” sophomore Victoria Tran said. “They are cute, comfortable, and convenient. I have bangs, and when they get in the way or if I want to quickly pull them back, I grab a headband. Other headbands may be too tight and may hurt your head, but not this one. It fits just right.”

These headbands are made from a stretchy Pique fabric, and come in different widths. The signature Lacoste croc accent on the side gives them a stylish, preppy look. InStyle magazine is also a fan of accessorizing with headbands.

“The key is to place them at least an inch back from the hairline,” hairstylist Elizabeth Reilly-Davila said on InStyle.com. "If you have bangs, sweep them in front to soften the look.”

Not only are these headbands great for any season, they’re also sure to match anything in anyone’s closet. They come in black, rose pink, red, mint green, white, and many other colors.

If you want to start your chic and preppy look now, these headbands are sold at Cayman’s boutique, 2001 W. Main, or you can buy them online at shop.lacoste.com for $14.