Expressing Your Own Style with Spring Knits
For this task we look to “The Geriatric Glamazon” herself, Iris Apfel…
At the age of 90, socialite Iris Apfel has been deigned “The Muse of New York”. Apfel is known for her flamboyant style and disregard for trends and fashion conventions. What makes her such a powerful force in fashion is that her style is completely influenced by the way that the clothing makes her feel. She buys pieces that she falls in love with, regardless of the designer label or what store it came from. She is notorious for causing shockwaves by pairing exotic, one-of-a-kind pieces with garments from a department store.
Her style has been immortalized in museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and in the critically acclaimed “Notorious and Notable” exhibit at the Museum of the City of New York. When asked about her ensemble in a recent interview with reporter Helena De Bertodan from fashion.telegraph.co.uk, she remarked, ‘The jeans are from – what’s that cheap store? Old Navy – but the sweater is cashmere’. But in typical Apfel fashion, her understated outfit was engilded with lavish jewelry from her line which can be found at yoox.com.
So what can we learn from Mrs. Apfel? There is nothing wrong with pairing high-end garments with less expensive pieces. Quality pieces like high-end knitwear are a necessary staple for your spring wardrobe. Items like these are transcendent, they will outlast all the fads of the coming seasons, and since they are well-made they will look just as beautiful as the day you purchased them.
A perfect example is Vanity Fair’s Hollywood issue in which they gave a nod to the glamorous stars that paved the way and introduced the new stars that are breaking into the scene. And guess what style secret the trail-blazers and the new young starlets had in common…knits!
Brigitte Bardot (Left) Isla Fisher (Right)
The trick to expanding your spring wardrobe with knits is spending most of your budget on some high-quality, timeless knit pieces and then spending the rest on a bunch of trendy pieces that aren’t as pricey. Mix and match your designer pieces with pieces from stores in the price range of Forever 21 or H&M. Stores like these are meant to provide the styles of the moment, they aren’t meant to last so you won’t feel bad about throwing them out next season once they start to look outdated. There are an endless amount of options when it comes to styling knits for every personality from The Sophisticate to the Show-Stopper.
The Sophisticate
Here is some style inspiration from the February Issue of Vogue which showcased refined looks incorporating knits for Spring.
The Show-Stopper
On the opposite end of the spectrum we have the glamour girls who never want to fade into the background. For tips on how to achieve this look we checked out what some of the hottest fashion bloggers are wearing for spring.
No matter what your style, start with knits as a foundation and then add your own flare with accessories and pieces from different designers. Get out there and start experimenting, don’t be chained to what you see in window displays and on mannequins. That styling is just a suggestion not rule, get what you love and reflects your radiant personality. To quote Mrs. Apfel, ‘You can’t try to be somebody you’re not; that’s not style. If someone says, “Buy this, you’ll be stylish,” you won’t be stylish because you won’t be you. You have to learn who you are first and that’s painful.’
Try starting with a classic piece like this from Jia Collection and put your personal twist on it!
Yours truly,
