{ From left to right: Mary Katrantzou, Proenza Schouler, Jason Wu, Altuzarra, Camilla and Marc }

To me, the new year is about looking ahead; thinking about how you want the year to turn out, things you hope to accomplish, and of course the clothes you’re going to wear. Since fashion is always a season ahead, I’ve been sitting on my favorite trends and looks for spring since last September. Suffice it to say, my buns are sore and it’s time I stood up and shared them!

Take the floral prints above.  At first all I could think was “flowers? for spring? groundbreaking.” (we all know that Devil Wears Prada quote) but then as I reexamined I realized that these aren’t your average peonies and roses, these are some crazy city chic flowers that are as vibrant as a tropical school of fish!

And while we’re on the vibrant note, let’s discuss the jazzy tinfoil treats below. I’m a big fan of metallics – on my feet, on my body, on my silverware – and I am loooovin the colorful metallic tones from last season’s runway. The holographic iridescent leather trousers from Theyskens’ Theory (second from the right) had me totally transfixed on the runway and ditto goes for the Prabal Gurung dress on the far left. Both have that sleek feminine look while still being entirely unusual and daring.

(Keep reading! More trends and descriptions below!)

{ Prabal Gurung, Suno, Balenciaga, Theyskens Theory, Giles }

Now, I’ve never been one for pastels; they wash me out and have always felt a bit too Easter eggy for me. But oh, these cotton candy hues had me droooooling and it’s not just because I love me some cotton candy. The colors seen at 3.1 Phillip Lim, Jill Stuart, Versace, etc. had a crisper feel that made them sophisticated instead of baby-chick-in-a-basket-cheesy. Though I’ll have to see how they look on my skin tone, I’m looking forward to trying out some mint green and strawberry sorbet hues come springtime.

{ Prada, J. Mendel, Jill Stuart, Versace, 3.1 Phillip Lim }

 Give me a tribal print any day of the week and I am as happy as a beaver in a dam. Alexander Wang (far left) went the sportier route while BCBG (far right) took me on an island cruise with resort ready dresses and kaftans. And you gotta love Christopher Bailey for putting all those embellishments and rich tones on the staple Burberry trench coats! As much as I love the signature trench, it’s refreshing to see the switch up, especially with crazy collar and lining ornamentation.

{ Alexander Wang, Proenza Schouler, Burberry Prorsum, Barbara Bui, BCBG Max Azria }

Last, but certainly not least, we have the heavily structured and detailed candy colored dresses that dominated (and I mean dominated) the runways at Chanel and Louis Vuitton. Again, normally something I would shy away from, but hot diggity dog if Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty were getting dressed today this is most certainly what they’d be wearing. Between Marc Jacobs’ broderie anglaise at Louis Vuitton (far left) to the lacey details at Oscar de la Renta (center) to the razor cut outs at Valentino (far right), I’m going to have to give my spring evening attire a complete and utter makeover!

{ Louis Vuitton, Christopher Kane, Oscar de la Renta, Chanel, Valentino }

Can we just go ahead and skip winter?