If there has been one idea that has stuck with me over the past few years it’s to learn how to live in the moment. Staying present and practicing mindfulness has been a defining value of 2018. I admittedly struggle with this and have tried to learn how to manipulate when I need to remain present, when I need to reflect, and when I need to forecast. Being a student of design from an early age, I have learned how to be a critical thinker. Analyzing, discriminating, reasoning, predicting, and transforming knowledge are a few of the skills required in order to make such reasoned judgments about quite anything. This has made some tasks especially challenging in a world where so many decisions are designed to be black and white. My world is every shade of gray…and my purpose is to decide which shade is the best for each situation. 

“You have to know the past to understand the present.”

 Carl Sagan, American astronomer, would be beaming with pride if he knew I was quoting him in regards to fashion trends yet this is what I continuously consider at the beginning each season. I am no longer as accepting of trends but have become astute at how to guide my clients towards the ones that fit their style and how to avoid blind acceptance of those that don't. If fashion were Mount Everest, I consider myself the sherpa hired to conquer what can seem so overwhelming to many. This is, after all, my landscape. I’ve lived and breathed fashion, style, and design for most of my life. I can proudly say I have made many errors and taken many wrong paths along the way. With the knowledge ascertained by each victory and defeat, I have become highly skilled at understanding the terrain. By carefully assessing each woman’s strengths and capabilities, I confidently can put them on a successful course at the onset of each uncharted season.With only a few days left in 2018, each of us has an opportunity to look back and reflect upon what the year has taught us, as well as set goals by forecasting how we wish to direct our future. The sport of fashion has an ever-changing terrain but the landscape of style should level out over time. We all have the power to establish our own boundaries with style. Fashion, on the other hand, will attempt to throw us off course if we aren’t grounded. For the trailblazers, the onset of each season can be a thrilling time where the fashion runways roll out an avalanche of information that not only comes on strong but seemingly wipes away nearly all we had come to know. Some seasons feel bewildering until a path has once again been established by the fashion editors, bloggers, and most importantly, your personal stylist!Lucky for you I’ve done my research and thought I’d share some of the upcoming trends of the new year! Some of the longtime readers of Alexandria Stylebook may recall my forecast from 2016 when I started to prepare this audience for an inevitable shift away from skinny jeans. This suggestion came with an inevitable backlash; it’s human nature to resist change. The basis of the article was the “why” with regards to timing around trends. For skinny jeans, the denim industry had been suffering a decline in sales. This occurrence usually identifies a void that begs to be filled, ergo a change in fashion is on the horizon. I wrote that piece nearly three years ago and I think it’s now safe to say Alexandria has loosened their grip on skinnies and welcomes a wider perspective with their leg openings!For the record, wider perspectives can still use a filter. Some of the upcoming trends I will respectfully avoid for myself, and probably even avoid them for my clients. All this aside, the truly beautiful thing about style is that it’s a personal form of expression. Once you know your own past, you will have your own unique way of understanding how to be present. Now let’s run down the best (and worst) of what’s ahead for 2019! 

Saturated Color

There are two strong color themes coming in 2019. The first is saturated color. “Aspen Gold” is one of the hottest colors of 2019. As is the case with some of the other trends, this earthy yellow made its debut in the summer of 2018. And in case you haven't already heard….neon is back. Hello, 1984! Color is a place where you can participate regardless of your age or body type. The trick is to choose a color that works with your skin, hair color, or eye color. If you’ve been eager to be more adventurous in 2019, go bold with all over color. 

Neutrals

The other major trend will satisfy all of you who love the world of neutrals. I’ve come across many women who keep their wardrobes based in beiges, ivories, and whites throughout the year. It’s a very clean look that communicates a love of order and serenity. If you are interested in changing it up a bit, I advise introducing a washed out pastel, such as lilac or powder blue, in the form of tank or a shoe. The unexpected hint of color will immediately elevate your look to fresh and sophisticated. 

Powerful Pockets

How excited are we to discover pockets in the clothing we try on? The delightful phrase, “And it has pockets!” will often seal the deal in those moments of consideration. Well, designers have taken our love of pockets to the next level. This spring you will see our beloved built-in storage on steroids! The bigger the better and why hide them? The coming year wants to see pockets in all their glory, so they will be adorned on the outside of the garments, as well. It’s quite possible to leave your bag at home with the amount of space you’ll find inside the oversized pocket. 

Tie Dye

When life starts feeling too serious, the creatives get nostalgic and playful. A return to color (especially to the saturated brights and neons) echoes a culture's yearning for an optimistic mindset. Fashion has the ability to speak to a culture. When the younger generations start rejecting black and start reaching for the rainbow of bright colors, a change is on the horizon. Remember those tie dye t-shirts you made and sold on your road trips following the Grateful Dead? Well hopefully you kept one or two so you can save yourself a small fortune this spring. Designers like R13 have created blazers in full-on rainbow tie dye! As much as I love a good blazer, I’m more inclined to go dig up my husband’s hand-dyed t-shirts to throw under my many blazers. 

Biker Shorts

That ongoing controversy about whether leggings are pants? Well you might welcome the idea of conceding to this argument upon knowing that the biker short is taking a spin among spring trends. Ever since I stumbled on the image of Kim Kardashian wearing black biker shorts with a byline crediting her for getting these out of the gym, I’ve been in denial that this would establish itself any further. However, once Chanel walked them down that “fake beach” in the city’s Grand Palais during Paris Fashion Week, complete with a moving tide-line, I had to come to terms that this was indeed happening. Unless I take up the sport, I won’t be rocking the shorter version of the biker short, but I may decide the Capri length is “suitable” again. Critical thinking says a little black blazer with a Capri legging could be worth exploring. Let’s be clear though, Karl Lagerfeld will get the credit (sorry, Kim). The Chanel Spring 2019 show was BA-NA-NAS! 

Crochet & Netting

Finally, crocheted clothing and fish netting are casting wide this spring as I lament ridding myself of one of the best crocheted pieces from none other than Esprit -- remember ESPRIT?!  I had owned it since I was in high school and once it stretched beyond looking cute any longer, I had to cast it aside. This is a tricky trend if your aesthetic isn’t Bohemian-chic but when the netting is kept tight and designed with structure, it can become more classic and modern.