BARE Magazine’s Summer Trends Tell-all

BARE Magazine is Berkeley’s first student-run fashion and style magazine. Our friends here at ShoeTube have asked us to share some insight on Berkeley trends. Style at UC Berkeley has always been about individuals and their stories! In fact, students on the Berkeley campus already seem to be flaunting summer styles.

Summer ‘09 is the time to get creative and bring out all the accessories–your statement necklaces, sunglasses, gladiators and of course bags, our arm candies! Some notable trends include:

Lots of Prints, Florals, and Vibrant Colors

Photo from Glam

Showing up on the runways in NY to Paris are exotic and sweet floral prints as well as tribal patterns and prints. We’ll be seeing a lot more color on campus. For example, have fun with nail polish and experiment with brighter colors like yellows, pinks and blues.

There will also be a lot of nude. And with the switch in season, we’ll be enjoying lighter, sheer and more transparent fabrics, a great choice for the warmer weather.

Decorated pants & Jumpsuits, inspired by Lanvin RTW Spring 2009

Photo from Satorialist

Photo from WWD

These are eight pieces from the Lanvin show that I favor and feel are presentational of current trends. I love how all the silhouettes are feminine, how the fabrics freely drape over the body, making the clothes look so comfortable, light and cute! The colors, prints and necklaces are all refreshing.

To view more Street-Styles, check out the BARE Blog!

Many thanks to:

Jooyoun Kim, BARE Reporter / Events Coordinator

Karen Kwok, BARE Blog Editor (karen@baremagazine.org)

The Art of Shoes

Thanks to crafty lady Allison Galland for today’s guest post. -Wendy

I’m a girl who loves arts and crafts (and shoes, of course)!

Sky Downtown Chiffon Shoe Corsage

Any opportunity to combine my two passions is a good thing. In this economic climate, we can all use a little creativity to restyle what we already have into something fresh and current. Believe it or not, it can be done with footwear! You may have seen our previous post on shoe corsages, a simple way to spice up your shoe wardrobe. Shoe corsages, such as these sweet chiffon clip-ons by Sky Downtown, can spice up everything from ballet flats and sexy stilettos to flip-flops.

Sheeshoo's custom TOMS

There are other ways to DIY if you’ve got a flair for the artistic. Painters and drawers might enjoy creating a custom pair of canvas kicks. I’m a big fan of TOMS Shoes, who give a pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair you buy. These simple soles are the perfect canvas for your creative visions, but any canvas shoe will do. Check out this pair designed by Sheeshoo. Paint markers, acrylic paints, and fabric paints are all appropriate and effective materials to style your sneaks. You can even use a needle and thread to sew on sequins or other embellishments!

The Purple Fern's Marilyn Pumps

Hand-painted footwear does not stop at sneakers. Etsy seller The Purple Fern specializes in painted high heels that will make you swoon! Purchase a pair or take inspiration from this artist. She uses paint then seals her work under a clear coating to protect it from chipping. I absolutely love The Purple Fern’s Marilyn Monroe pumps. The artwork gives them a classy-yet-colorful 1980s-inspired edginess.

‘Tis the season to get crafty! Instead of tossing a pair of shoes that has lost its appeal, I encourage you to think of some ways to revitalize and revamp them with your own personal style and creativity.

Allison Galland is a crafter, art teacher and artist. She’s blogged about crafts and scrapbooking for SheKnows. She lives in Brooklyn with two roommates, three fish and LOTS of shoes.