Flirty, feminine and fun fashions are hot looks for spring

Three trends made a strong appearance at The Luxe Show at Lenox Square as models strutted the runway in approachable, wearable outfits that still gave a nod to high fashion.

"The look for spring is chic, elegant and things that you would wear in real life," said Samantha Brown, The Luxe Show stylist. "It's understated elegance in softy pretty colors with lots of yellows, really beautiful pastels, coral, pink and soft blues hues. The spring palate is light and airy."

Brown notes that there are three big trends for spring. The first is what she calls the new romantic, which includes feminine touches such as lace, light breezy layers with lots of whites or monochromatic color schemes.

The second is the cut, which is often asymmetrical with unique tailoring and shapes as well as uneven hemlines. "There's a little bit of bohemian and we're seeing a lot of high and low skirts. A major part of that is the jumpsuit with an overskirt," Brown said.

The third trend, which was seen both in men and women, was a sporty look. "It's athletically inspired without being too literal. You're seeing this in the handbags, sportier totes and men wearing espadrilles with suits," Brown said.

For men looking to be au courant, aim to pull together an updated preppy look that plays with different patterns. On one model the pants, sports jacket and shirt all had different patterns but the overall look was grounded in the same color palette. "You can play around with patterns in a strategic way as long as the look is cohesive. And, again, wearing espadrilles is a playful way to be more casual but still tailored and refined," she added.

In addition, men's pants are a little more cropped, dress shoes can be worn without socks and don't be afraid to pair brown shoes with a grey or blue suit instead of the traditional black.

The runway models continued the light and feminine look with neutral daytime makeup and red lips that are not only on trend but go well with the fashions' yellows and blues. Hair was flat-iron straight and parted down the middle. "We were thinking Cher," said Brown. "I think this overall trend is back to the 70s and that may be because of shows like 'Vinyl,' which are big now."

The participating stores included: Bloomingdale's, Brooks Brothers, CH Carolina Herrera, Diane von Furstenberg, Escada, MCM and St. John.

The private event fashion show is a "nice reminder that Lenox Square and our retailers are committed to fashion, and we are fortunate to have such wonderful high fashion retailers participating," said Carol Cox, director of marketing for Lenox Square. "It shows a variety of stores and designers that our consumers want, and our message is to come and enjoy our shopping experience."