As New York Fashion Week packs it in and the industry's elite jet to London to watch more models strut down more runways, you might be wondering:
What was all the fuss about, anyway? What trends are "in"? What am I being told to buy?
Don't worry about it just yet. Despite the fact that one of America's most publicized Fashion Weeks happened at the end of winter, the clothes and trends it showcased actually won't hit stores until fall. We're on the verge of spring. Let's talk about what to wear now.
Below, a roundup of the coming season's high-fashion trends and low-cost ways to work them into your wardrobe:
Play
null
Lingerie on Display
If Lady Gaga can do it, so can you. Underwear turns outerwear this spring as corsets, stockings, bustiers, and bandeau bras burst into daylight. Christian Dior and Jean Paul Gaultier went with va-va-voom interpretations of the trend on the runway, while "Mad Men" star Christina Hendricks modeled a more Victorian style for New York Magazine's spring fashion issue.
Etro, left, and Carolina Herrera were mad for patterns on the Spring 2010 runways.
This season, patterns are everywhere. Don't be shy to eschew your basic solids and rock them. Etro and Carolina Herrera paraded patterns down their spring runways; you can mimic their prints with a graphic dress, like Asos' lovely lavender shift $18.97, or Nicole Miller's super-flattering wrap dress, $102.99, at Bluefly.com. Don't want to drape yourself in prints just yet? Dip a toe in the trend with a Necklush, $24 -- $74 -- a hybrid scarf/necklace that adds the perfect pop of pattern and color to any outfit.
Olympic Spirit
Chock it up to the games in Vancouver. One of spring's biggest trends is wearing sports gear off the field. Gucci turned the swimsuit into a powersuit with its Spring 2010 collection; Ohne Titel kept things more mainstream with racing-inspired pants and a tight, high-neck tank.
Gucci, left, debuted a power swimsuit, while Ohne Titel channeled racing garb.
The antidote to structured style? Ruffles and romance, frills and froth. Alberta Ferretti and Joseph Altuzarra sent gowns down their Spring 2010 runways that evoked visions of daisy-filled meadows and cerulean-blue skies.
Alberta Ferretti and Joseph Altuzarra's dresses sing springtime.
Not down with dozens of ruffles? Dip a toe in the trend with a frilly top, like Arden B.'s trimmed tunic, $39, or Ann Taylor's ruffle-paneled cardigan, $39.99. And hey, if you really want to be fashion forward, throw a military jacket on over all those ruffles -- you'll look as fresh as spring's long-awaited sunshine.