Color Trends for Children for Spring/Summer '09

Above: Agatha Ruiz de la Prada 2009 Spring/Summer Collection

While there seems to be a consistent trend towards bright colors in children's wear for the Spring/Summer seasons, we did see a few variations this year. Some of the trends for 2009 were:

For boys:

• khaki
• green
• orange
• beige

For girls:

• beige
• pink
• fuchsia
• yellow
• olive
  

For both:

• Calm classic colors (jeans blue, grey, white, black) with classic patterns and occasional drop of color in shoes or accessories
• Mixing traditional bright kids colors (pink, blue, yellow, green) with classic white, grey, and black
• Crazy color. Very fun and full of life approach of mixing every possible bright color into one fashionable mess.

Sources: Kids Fashion 2009, Summer 2009 Trends

Trends for Children for Spring/Summer '09

Above: Miss Grant 2009 Spring/Summer Collection

Spring/Summer 2009 saw the continuation of the organic clothing trend for children. Consumers were conscious of choosing clothing made from fabric that will be gentle on the skin and good for summer activities. We also saw the gap between adult and children's apparel trends getting even smaller, as children's sections of many department stores began to resemble adult ones. Some other trends were:

For Girls:

• Floral and animal patterns
• ABC Patterns
• Big summer hats and bright accessories
  
• Light tunic dresses, lengthened vests, or loose fitting tops over leggings
• Colorful tops with layered skirts
• Embroidered jeans
  

For boys:

• Overalls and pants with wider legs/looser fits
• Practical/functional pockets in pants
• T-shirts with printed on inscriptions, logos, or pictures
• Classic patterns/colors with an occasional drop of color in shoes or accessories

Sources: Kids Fashion 2009, Tendencies in Children's Fashion: Spring/Summer 2009, Summer 2009 Trends

Trends for Women for Spring '09

Above: Badgley Mischka Spring 2009

Spring 2009 brought back the 80's, embracing mismatched styling, sheer fabrics, and big accessories. "A number of trends emerged in terms of wearable covetable clothes, (and less covetable, like horrendous harem pants and all over animal prints). The hottest tips, according to "Its back to shoulder pads as Top Shop embraces the '80s'" by Liz Jones of the Daily Mail (September 16, 2008)is the clashing of colors….. piling on the layers…. and wearing anything sheer.”

Gill Hart gave a breakdown of the main trends from the runways of London Fashion Week for Spring '09:

• 1980s – think shoulder pads and power dressing
• Navy, cerise, lilac and lime -- clash those colors for a trendy look
• Ruffles and frills -- layer upon layer
• Sporty chic
• Peplum Waists
• Harem Pants - Jumpsuits
• All over animal prints
  

Glamour Magazine picked out the most wearable trends from New York Fashion Week for Spring 2009, leaving out the over-the-top, unflattering styles that were unlikely to be relevant in mainstream retail stores:

• Zipper accents
• Relax-fit pants
• The Sophisticated Trench
• Hot pink
• Oversize necklaces
• Black-on-white print
• The Oversize Pattern Bag
• Big Bangles
• A Touch of Neon
• Mix-and-Match Patterns
• Pastel suits
• Sequins
• The Military Jacket
• Color-Block prints
• '80's flair
• Embellished Boho

Sources: Spring 2009 Trends to Watch, Spring 2009 Fashion Week's Most Wearable Trends
Photo Source: Style.com

Color Trends for Spring/Summer 2009

For Spring/Summer 2009, Pantone released a set of more vibrant, hopeful colors in their color report in contrast to the more dismal hues for Fall/Winter 2009. According to Leatrice Eiseman (executive director of Pantone), "New York's fashion designers encourage hopeful attitudes with lively colors, while sophisticated, grounded hues address the need for stability in times of economic uncertainty." Once again Gill Hart summarized Pantone's set of hues:

• Palace Blue — a favorite amongst designers which takes a navy undertone and makes it sparkle. A cross between a sky blue and strong navy. This is a color which works with almost any other, pink, yellow, lavender or green.
• Lavender — the regal purple of fall has been adapted to a softer lighter lilac, feminine and romantic, and slightly mystical.
• Rose Dust — a pale pinky blue, which is a welcome break from traditional neutrals. Almost a white-washed lavender, this is one of the coolest colors.
• Slate Gray — a cool and calming nuanced neutral which provides a backdrop to any of Pantone’s 9 other colors and is a perfect pairing to lavender hues.
• Fuchsia Red –—Vibrant yet seductive, powerful and robust. Fresh and dazzling, fuchsia features heavily in nail polish and lipsticks too.
• Salmon Rose — Mixing a soft salmon pink with the subtleness of oranges which is flattering to most complexions and gives a warm healthy glow.
• Vibrant Green — a mossy mid-green which is bright but not harsh
• Dark Citron — a calm, almost olive color which blends perfectly with this season’s lemon tones.
• Lucite Green — a clean, subtle, soft green which adds a slight shimmer
• Super Lemon — brings a fun, optimistic outlook to the Palette,” states the Pantone Spring 2009 report. “Its luminosity is determined to evoke a smile and attract the roving consumer’s eyes.”

Sources: Pantone, Top 10 Fashion Colors for Spring 2009