You could not escape it this spring and there’s no sign of it stopping this summer; Flowers, in every shape and form, are everywhere in fashion. Floral print to flower appliques, floral crochet dresses to flowers in our hair, we just can’t get enough. In past-era fashions, flowers seemed to only be a touch to an outfit. Now though, with the mix-n-match trend so heavy, we’re throwing flowers together like mad; some of us dolling up in them head to toe (floral pantsuits are the jam right now). So let’s explore this trend— literally— from head to toe.
Throughout the ages, women have been putting flowers in their hair. It’s the most classic of hair accessories, and its organic beauty can instantly add a natural, ethereal feeling to any look. When jewelry, fabric and hardware just won’t do, it’s something that will always be there for the picking. On the runway this spring, flowers were taken to the limit and what was last year’s dainty flowers in the hair is now full-on flower hats. Take a look at the Moschino S/S 2012 Ready-to-Wear collection, for instance; Her sky high floral sculptures were just as much art as they were wearable headpieces. Dolce and Gabbana went less vertical but equally as full with their velvety flower crowns in their spring collection. Fashion bloggers have been playing with this trend like crazy lately too, and one girl who owns it hands down is, aptly named, The Girl with the Flower. A fellow Tennessean, this chick dons a different bouquet crown with every one of her eclectic and fun outfits, making every gal want to try the look at least once.
No stone has been left unturned when it comes to floral in our daily outfits this season; And we’ve drawn inspiration from looks on the S/S ’12 runway like Roberto Cavalli’s floral suits, Jason Wu’s sheer floral-print blouses with matching shorts and Christopher Kane’s transparent jackets and dresses doused in vivid floral appliques. And we don’t stop there; Shoes and bags weren’t left out this season either. Preen’s pixelated floral heels digitalized the flower trend and Blumarine’s faux flower heels mixed with graphic floral knee socks took us back to the Clueless days (and so did their flower-covered bags). As such, these looks spawned flower-laden DIYs on fashion blogs everywhere.
We all know that floral prints are in abundance in a thrift store’s clothing aisles, but what about the pieces you need to make your own fun bouquet headpiece? In a lot of thrift stores, there’s a small craft section, and a lot of times you can find neat vintage faux flowers. Now that you’ve grabbed some of those, head over to the pins. Chances are you’ll find some fun floral brooches. To complete the mission, visit the hair accessories section. Snag some of the fluffiest 80’s hair clips possible (you’ll use this as the base for your headpiece creation). Attach some of your brooches to this and then either safety-pin or bobby-pin those faux flowers in your hair. Et voila! Instant flower hat. Carmen Miranda, eat your heart out!
NOTE: Every piece in this look (minus the Jessica Simpson platforms) is thrifted!
By Whitney S. Williams
Photos by Gabriel Gould and Whitney
Runway photos via Vogue.com and Style.com (clockwise from top left: Jason Wu, Dolce & Gabbana, Blumarine, Moschino, Christopher Kane, Roberto Cavalli)
