Summer 2011 Trends

The first nice day of spring every year at college campuses across the country seems to bring every student around out onto well manicured lawns. Today, this sunny afternoon at Hood was no exception. Freshman, sophomores, juniors and seniors gathered from dorms and off-campus apartments to soak up the sun, play the guitar, work on homework, play volleyball with friends, or take a nap.

As I sat on the quad this afternoon with two of my friends trying to enjoy the warm weather before it gets too hot, I couldn’t help but noticing all of the cute outfits girls were wearing as they walked by! After such a long and cold winter, I was so happy to see bright colors, sandals,  and sundresses galore. However, two trends seemed to be more prevalent than others: maxi dresses and gladiator sandals.

Maxi Dresses

Victoria’s Secret ,                                                                                                 Old Navy

The one summer trend that I noticed more than others on campus today were maxi dresses (or patio dresses, as my mom calls them). Although girls have been wearing these for the past couple of summers now, I think they are going to be huge for this summer! It’s definitely different from traditional leg baring mini dresses that many women are used to wearing, but these floaty dresses make bodies long so long and lean, that I think the trend is really going to stay around for a while. Plus, they come in so many different patterns and styles, that it’s hard not to find one to like! When shopping for a maxi dress, make sure that the dress hits the floor and goes away from your body, to ensure a lean silhouette.

Gladiator Sandals

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

American Eagle ,                                                                                                                      Steve Madden

The other trend I noticed was gladiator sandals, usually worn with maxi dresses. These simple shoes go so well with everything, and are about 100 percent classier than traditional flip flops. However, they versatile sandals also go great with shorts and skirts. These sandals are usually available in neutral colors, such a brown, black, silver, and gold as to complement all of your summer dresses perfectly. I would definitely recommend buying a pair!

What do you think? What trends are going to be big?