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In fashion, everything's coming up roses -- and daisies, stripes, dots, geometrics, swoops and swirls. Prints are back, big-time.
"The print dress is the trend of the season," says California designer Kara Smith, whose Tamsen and Karanina lines vibrate with popping prints.
Designers Missoni and Zac Posen showed them; so did minimalist king Calvin Klein. Naomi Watts, Paris Hilton, Carmen Electra and Kelly Monaco are wearing them on the red carpet. They populate fashion-conscious department stores such as Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom, while peeking from the racks at Target and Old Navy, turning up on summer frocks, miniskirts, floaty tops, silky scarves, leather handbags, even shoes.
"Fashion is embracing the idea of more maximalism -- bright colors, embellishment and lots of prints," says Gregg Andrews, one of Nordstrom's fashion directors. "The great thing is the variety -- they can be traditional or have a more modern take."
The passion for prints has been building for a few years, since the revival of the colorful psychedelic patterns of 1960s-era designer Emilio Pucci, known as the "Prince of Prints." Neimanmarcus.com, for instance, has a section of its website devoted to Pucci, including nearly a dozen pairs of shoes (costing up to $675), a half-dozen bags (up to $1,000) and a slew of men's ties (up to $130).
The return of Diane von Furstenberg's 1970s-era wrap dresses, many in Pucci-like patterns, also has fueled the trend. Women are looking for something new, and prints are an easy way to goose up a wardrobe, Smith says. "They add a personalized look," she says. "You can stand out, look fantastic -- and it's much easier to hide unfortunate body parts."
But are they for everybody? After all, women with more, ahem, avoirdupois might not look so good in a loud, splashy print.
"You don't want to look like a walking drape," Smith says. "The print has to complement the woman. You don't want the print to be wearing you."
If you're more than a size 10, pick a smaller, say, Art Deco-inspired print, or a dress or skirt with one large "placed" floral, as the fashion types put it. Or pick a printed scarf, handbag or a shoe to express yourself.
And for fall?
"Patterns will continue to be predominant, but they'll be more understated, with prints or patterns around a border or skirt edge," Andrews says. "There will still be color, but in more subdued colorations and tonal patterns."
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