Bright hues ‘hot’ at night

Bright colors, floral prints and wide-legged pants are dominating spring and summer fashion with styles coming out in Europe and the United States.

“What we saw in Europe last year is coming to America now. America has always been slow in keeping up” with the latest fashion trends, said Charlease Bufford, co-owner of Therapy Boutique, Chicago.

Bufford said Europe-inspired wide-legged pants, called plazzos, are “very popular” now. Women are “wearing plazzos for both day and evening wear,” she said.

Similar to plazzo pants, but shorter, are split skirts, which also are popular this season, said Beth Becker, assistant chief operating officer of Hendersen’s Department Store, Sycamore.

Plazzo pants generally extend to the ankle, while split skirts end just below the knee, she said.

Bright colors are “hot” in evening formal wear, said Adrine Becker, a supervisor at Maurices, 260 E. Lincoln Hwy., DeKalb.

“Bright colors as lime green, hot pink and orange, which we saw in Europe last year, are being used for formal dresses,” Bufford said.

However, U.S. designers also are setting trends, Adrine Becker said.

“Neon colors for both men and women as well as tight lycra, in dresses and skirts, from California” are selling well, Adrine Becker said.

“Men and women are both wearing neon this summer,” Beth Becker said. “A lot of beachwear and sunglasses are neon.”

“Neon never really left” the fashion scene over the last few seasons, but “it is making a bigger comeback now more than ever,” Adrine Becker said.

Polka dots and other prints are popping up in this season’s pants and shirts, Beth Becker said.

A new trend is suede shoes, Bufford said. “Generally, suede was only used for fall and winter, but now we are seeing it for spring and summer,” she said.

The fall fashion forecast shows a comeback of stirrup and lycra pants with big shirts, Beth Becker said.

Hair styles for women are shorter this season. “Even the runway models are wearing their hair short,” Bufford said.