Philadelphia: Brighter than Sunshine

Homepage Setup Instructions:

47º F

Win a One-Hour Massage

1. Whiskey Rebellion

2. Hookah Lounges

3. South Philly Bar Crawl

4. Return of the Nightclub

5. The 'Burbs: The Good Stuff

You use Aroundphilly to find out where to party so why not use Aroundphilly.com to help plan a party?

var addthis_pub = 'aroundphilly';

Brighter than Sunshine
May 5, 2008
By: Brittney Barrett
Editorial@aroundphilly.com

Although I was just a tot in the eighties, I saw enough to convince me that I wanted nothing to do with the acrid bright shades of the decade. While seventies stoners have acid flashbacks, I have their neon equivalent, but this year’s summer styles may have just knocked me off my neutral soapbox.

Primary Palette

Tomato reds walked the runways everywhere from Derek Lam to Marchesa, although the real star of the shows appeared to be the shades of lemon and highlighter mastered at Gucci and Galliano. While not for the faint of heart, citrus hues are most effective when applied on a dress or an accessory rather than on separates, which can cause an ensemble to appear busy.

Where to Get It In Philly: Club Monaco, Paula Hian, J. Crew, Neiman Marcus

Jewel Tones

For those more prone to jewel tones than a primary palette, shades of aqua and cerulean made a comeback at Vera Wang and Calvin Klein. Elsewhere, amethyst shone brightly at YSL and Vivienne Tam. Blue and purple hues work well in any ensemble as a separate, monochrome or an accessory to brighten up basic black or white. Those looking to incorporate the trend more subtly may want to attempt cerulean with a blouse paired with white shorts or wide legs or amethyst against this season’s cropped pants in black or beige to nail a Prada-esque aesthetic.

Where to Get it in Philly: Betsey Johnson (pictured), Paula Hian, Armani Exchange, Neiman Marcus

Barbie Girl

We waved goodbye to pink with the arrival of the power suit, with many women bidding aideu to the cutesy hue, fretting it would discourage others from taking them seriously. While still not appropriate for the work place, Chris Benz and Jil Sander brought the color back in a big way on everything from evening wear to two piece suits. Rock it on a party frock or in a more subdued way with a structured top and white or black stove pipes. Legally Blonde references will be kept to a minimum when used as emphasis on an otherwise, crisp, smartly tailored ensemble.

Where to get it in Philly: Betsey Johnson, Urban Outfitters (pictured), Zara