Fashion Forecasting- Guide to the Key Trends for Spring/Summer 2018

While fall just started, most of us are still looking for our cute fall outfits. We tend not to think about the winter season until around November, but believe it or not, a fashion forecaster's job is to predict the upcoming trends for the future, whether it's the near future (i.e Spring or Summer) or even further. Some industry experts are even predicting trends to 10 years into the future. Isn't that incredible if you don't even know what you are wearing tomorrow?

As I have a forward thinking mindset, but, don't worry I'm not going to be telling you what you're going to want to wear in 10 years, I wanted to focus on comparing the trend forecasts from fall/winter 2017 to spring/summer 2018.

Here are some similar trends that you'll want to keep ahold of:

1. Side Stripe Jeans: Everyone knows by now that the side striped jean trend is a popular one taken from activewear styles. Almost every single store that I've visited has them. Personally, I love this style of jean because there are so many different versions and they look killer with absolutely everything. There are the basic darker or lighter wash stripe, but there has also been types that are including colors, specifically bright colors. These bright colors are supposed to go in contrast with the denim, to add a little pop to the jean.

2. Wide Cropped and Flared Jeans: The wide cropped and flared jean is one for the ages. Starting to trend during Spring/Summer 17, people were shocked. We were so used to wearing our skinny jeans, people were not a huge fan of switching. As people started getting used to seeing them on celebrities and other brand ambassadors, they tried it out for themselves. Bringing back the wide and flared was definitely a hyped up thing, but it's still going to be one of those trends that will follow us into the Spring/Summer of 2018.

3. Ruffled and Frilled Denim: Thanks to high end brands like Gucci, the attention to details like ruffles, buttons, and frills have been the style of the season. This trend has brought a lot of focus on how to bring the details to denim. Almost everywhere I go, I see frill on jeans, jackets, shorts and skirts which adds character to the clothes. Ruffles and frills is something that turns denim from being ordinary to unique, which is what almost everyone is looking for these days.

Here are some new trends that you'll want to look for in stores:

1. Slouchy Fit Jeans: Hmm.. interesting? According to WGSN, there will be a trend of slouchy fit jeans going around. What do you think of that? Unless something changes my mind, I don't think the slouchy fit jeans will be a good fit for me (no pun intended). I think it's interesting though how we have gone from from the slim and skinny jean to now slouchy jeans- the complete opposite. We will see how it goes!

2. Vintage high rise: High rise vs low rise, what do you like better? I'm personally a low rise kind of girl because I feel like it's more comfortable on a daily basis for me. When there's a special occasion, high rise can add something that low ties can't. You can wear more with high rise that you can't with low rise, including crop tops. They are also easier to keep up, so you don't have to keep pushing them up.The vintage aspect of the high rise jean is what makes the trend new. I feel like everything these days is all about the vintage, one of a kind look.

3. Colored Denim: Colored Denim is the new thing. Any color jean besides denim, so green, pink, red, brown, black all have to do with colored denim trend. In spring, colored denim will be a super cute way to mix up your wardrobe. It's definitely a statement in itself because it's something that isn't normally worn as much as the typical blue jeans are. It will make an outfit pop with the contrast or blend of colors.