Fashion-forward students at the University have long awaited the arrival of spring for the plethora of upbeat and futuristic styles that make up this season’s must-haves.

Emily Blalock, lecturer in the Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Interiors, said, “The most avant-garde trend in New York, Paris and Milan would have to be the space-odyssey look, a fabrication of high-gloss synthetics, cut in futuristic shapes with very specific nonsymmetrical details.”

This trend is evident, albeit on a more subdued note, with the arrival of patent leather shoes and accessories that have an ultramodern look and feel.

Juxtaposing this innovative trend is a throwback to the wartime fashions of the 1940s and the mod fashions of the 1960s.

Diana Harbour, owner of The Red Dress Boutique, stocks her store with all of the latest and most popular clothing, supplementing her racks and shelves with staple items such as jeans and dresses.

“This season, I am seeing a lot of old Americana in the clothing that is most popular,” she said. “Railroad stripes are a popular motif for shorts, jeans and dresses and the Martha’s Vineyard or tailored look is showing up in many pieces. Due to the impact of the new movie ‘Factory Girl,’ we are also seeing a reemergence of 1960s fashions with mini dresses and bright colors rampant on the shelves this season.”

A trend present in The Red Dress Boutique, as well as on the runways, is a continued focus on skinny jeans.

Harbour said, “This season, we are seeing cropped skinny jeans with zippers at the bottom, a great new detail on last season’s popular style. Wear this look with flats for a comfortable spring option.”

If skinny jeans are still not for you and you happen to be on the taller side, Harbour said, “Wide leg pants are your best option. If you have long legs, wide-leg pants are great and ultra flattering.”

According to Blalock, another trend bubbling over to this season’s hot list with minor variation is the beloved bubble dress.

If ladies have not had a chance to make the most of this trend, The Red Dress Boutique has a lot of dresses that pick up on this “subtle bubble,” Harbour said.

For University males, George Gibson’s men’s wear has many viable options for the spring.

Owner Andy Gibson said, “The most popular focus of this season is bright colored knit shirts from Lacoste and Vineyard Vines.”

With close to two dozen different color options, these polo shirts are definitely a staple item for men.

With the warmer weather, another must-have for University men is shorts.

Gibson said, “Khaki, as well as patch work shorts, are a great option for a more casual occasion. We also have belts and ties, which are great places for men to express themselves and add a little bit of color for spring.”

In an effort to include something for everyone, both stores carry a mix of options for students who don’t want to play into the latest trends and prefer clothing that will not be out of vogue with the next fashion craze.

Special thanks to models:

Elizabeth Pilcher, a sophomore pre-pharmacy major from Wrens

Rachel Jaques, a junior magazines major from Smyrna

Bethany Kirkpatrick, a senior biology major from Beaumont, Texas

Rachel Babin, a freshman fashion merchandising major from Lawrenceville

Charles Bryant, a senior marketing major from Atlanta

Chad Mumm, a junior telecommunications major from Peachtree City

Shane Vaiskauskas, a junior biology major from Hampton

Andrew King, a junior speech communication and Spanish major from Barranquilla, Colombia