Spring forward with a look back
One of the most famous faces of the feminist movement seems to be the muse for the 1970s fashion revival this spring.
Activist Gloria Steinem, known for her trademark wide-brimmed glasses, long mane, sharp flares, statement belts, and loose-fitting button-ups, came to prominence for her political activism that helped propel women forward in the fight for social justice.
That strong female image is as important today as it was during the ’60s and ’70s, when Steinem emerged as a key figure in the fight for equality, Lisa Tant, Holt Renfrew’s vice-president of exclusive services, tells Westender.
“International Women’s Day was last week and my Instagram feed was jammed with photos of Gloria Steinem, and I thought ‘Oh that’s interesting that she is being seen as a fashion muse right around now, because certainly she never would have intended that at the time,’” Tant says.
The spring runway at Chanel especially highlighted Steinem’s influence, where models clad in colourful wide-legged power suits, carried protest signs with slogans that read, “History is her story” and “Ladies first!”
“The ’70s trend is loaded with a lot of meaning right now, because I think a lot of young women are questioning what feminism is,” says Tant, who describes herself as someone who generally rejects the notion of dressing for one’s age, except in the case of ’70s boho.
“I don’t believe in dressing for an age, I hate that…this is one trend, though, where I think you have to be really careful, because if you put on a floppy hat, you put on the culottes, you’ve got a fringed handbag and you’re past 29, I think you have to be really careful because it tips into looking like a costume,” explains Tant, a former Flare magazine editor who was in Vancouver last weekend to present a fashion show of spring trends at Holts.
The style expert says she would take one element of hippie chic – loose-fitting culottes, a fringed bag, or a floppy hat – without mashing all of the boho bits together.
“One piece,” she warns, but adds, “if you are 22, and you want that whole Coachella vibe, go for it. But otherwise I would be very, very careful.”
Vancouver fashion blogger Jill Lansky says hits of hippie chic are seen on the streets in the fringe skirts and jackets, and high-waisted denim that women are wearing for spring.
Lansky, whose style tends be Parisian-inspired, also loves the classic denim-on-denim (the Canadian tuxedo) look that is big this season.
“My best advice for working with trends is to only pick what you like and only pick what works with your own style, because you want to stay true to what your own style is and what you feel comfortable in,” says Lansky, who runs The August Diaries, where she posts pics of herself in some of her favourite fashion-forward looks.
Less is more
One of the strongest styles this season is the sleek, minimalist look, which Tant calls “good investment dressing.”
In terms of silhouettes, it would be sleeveless jackets, a longer, fuller trouser, a great pencil skirt, she says.
When she thinks of minimalism, Claire Underwood from the Netflix series House of Cards comes to mind.
“She really personifies it,” Tant adds, saying the character, who wears perfectly tailored looks, is a stunning example of minimalist dressing for professional women.
White-on-white
Punch up the simplicity with accessories, suggests Tant, who adds that white-on-white is also big for spring. She advises bringing in a subtle dose of textured fabrics, such as lace or a raised stripe, to save an all-white outfit from looking too bridal or like a uniform.
For Lansky, it’s important to consider proportions when wearing all white.
“I think most people can pull it off; they just have to do it the right way,” she says. “You want the pieces to hit you at your slimmest part, so think about your waist and think about the slimmest part under your knee and at your ankle, … because white can make you look bigger.”
Fit style
The fashion sneaker – specifically in white – has leapt to the top of this season’s must-have list.
“Clothes with an athletic feel are becoming more of a classic,” Tant says. “It’s not really trendy anymore because it has become such an important part of our lives. I first saw sneakers on the runway – Chanel did them at a show in Versailles a couple of years ago – and I remember at the time thinking, ‘Sneakers, hmm, that’s interesting.’ And now they’re everywhere.”
For Tant, it’s about quality performance fabric and details like zippers, hoodies, and mesh. While the athletic look is obviously comfortable, it can also be sophisticated.
“I think it’s just a really easy-to-wear, great classic that can be done in a fashion-forward way,” Tant says.
Spring flowers
Expect to also see plenty of flowers this spring with punches of big, beautiful floral patterns.
For those who are overwhelmed by the floral prints that blossomed on spring runways, Tant recommends opting for smaller hits of the seasonal favourite. Go for a floral clutch, heels, a scarf, she says. But for Tant, a key floral piece she would have in her closet this spring is a dress or skirt that she could mix into her wardrobe.
In the end, whatever spring trend works, or doesn’t, for any woman of any age, modern fashion is all about choice.
• All photos courtesy of Holt Renfrew.
