In case the recent bout of random clouds, dust storms, and torrential rain didn't clue you in, spring is on the horizon. The first pretty purple blossoms of the season are dotting the desert landscape -- and a new crop of equally colorful fashions is popping up on runways.
Designers unveiled their spring and summer lines at the recent London and New York Fashion Week events. Among them was Ted Baker, who followed some of the runway trends and bucked others.
Which of their designs would make it across the pond to Scottsdale Fashion Square? We got a sneak peek at what's in store for our local Ted Baker shop this season -- and were generally pleased, though a few concepts left us scratching our heads.
Peep the good, the bad, and the totally uncomfortable after the jump...
This year's themes: Color and Romance
It seems counterintuitive, but during times of economic strain, clothing tends to get more playful and vibrant. You'll see that in Ted Baker's Spring/Summer line, which highlights intense spring colors such as deep purple and robin's egg blue. After a long run of matte monocolor, bright splash patterns reminiscent of a Jackson Pollack painting are back in fashion, as are brighter, sleeker jewel tones. Roses and hummingbird patterns also make an appearance, if you're in a playful mood.
Romance plays out in light, gauzy fabrics and longer hemlines. We're talking much, much longer. While Ted Baker hasn't eliminated the minidress or short shorts, the floor length "maxi-dress" dominates their casual dress offerings.
What about the bro-mance?
Fashionable dudes can breathe a sigh of relief that Ted Baker's menswear only briefly touches on the romantic fashion trend with muted pastels and softer edges. Not to say you're stuck in a pink shirt, bro -- not every guy can pull that off -- but combining a light blue shirt with a charcoal linen blazer will up your trendy quotient.
Ted Baker's new collection also includes casual "man's man" clothes like hybrid polos that temper the preppy golf look with t-shirt inspired sleeves. Any dude can rock that style and look cool.
What we could live without:Playsuits. Jumpsuits. Hell, any "suit" that doesn't consist of a separate jacket and pant/skirt. Ted Baker's bright, bow-studded short-plus-shirt combos are a nightmare for pear-shaped ladies. You can't help but look like you've got a whole junkyard in your trunk in a jumpsuit with a tailored, strapless top and roomy, harem style bottom.
As for the shorter "playsuits" with bow details and Daisy Duke-short hemlines, anything that a ten-year-old would look better in is out in our book. We'll stick with the dresses instead.
If you're a baseball fan, you could score $500 in free clothes from Ted Baker's Scottsdale Fashion Square store. Stop in during the month of March with your spring training ticket stub and you'll get a free stadium cushion with Ted Baker's cheeky motto on it ("Get off Your Rear and Cheer"), plus you'll be entered into a $500 Ted Baker shopping spree drawing that goes off on April 1.
