Written by: Channing Murrock

Spring is in the air, and that means updating your wardrobe from drab, bulky items to fun, colorful ones.

This is a good season to have fun by changing up your style because it is not quite warm but not cold, either. The options are endless; one day you can wear jeans and a flowy tee, while another calls for a long maxi dress.

Spring traditionally calls for pastel colors that are seen all over the runways from major designers such as Louis Vuitton and Chanel. Mixing any sort of pastel into one’s wardrobe is a great way to slowly transition into the season.

Since spring fabrics are slightly lighter, looser and sheerer then winter ones, go for an angelic look. Grab a pair of colored skinny pants in either lilac or yellow and layer a sheer white loose tank on top. Add punches of neon jewelry, as seen from designer Ann Taylor, and the look is complete.

“I love colored jeans because they are a fun way to change up my wardrobe and update it from just plain denim,” junior Maggie McElvenny said.

The new length of pants for spring is ankle cropped. Skinny styles that cut off just at the ankle are a fresh, updated version of the cuffed look seen last spring. Wearing cropped colored pants with studded ballet flats creates a contrast of feminine and edge, which is very in at the moment.

As for colors besides pastels, a hot color for spring that is universally flattering on any skin tone is orange or tangerine. If you get anything in these colors, keep them around because they will transition perfectly into your summer wardrobe. A tangerine dress or flats will spice up any outfit for day or night, while neon orange earrings make your skin look lit from within with a hint of a spring glow.

Another fun trend seen this spring is lace, on everything from dresses to hair accessories to tops. Lace is a fun, romantic way to give an outfit texture while also looking sweet. Don’t want to look too innocent? Grab a black lace blazer and layer it over a pastel dress for a fun, edgy spring look.

“Lace is fun to pair with denim because it is an interesting change from wearing a plain cotton tank,” sophomore Ashley Hauser said.

Can’t stand to wear lace but want to get in on the trend? Grab a lace headband in either gray or soft pink and push it over slightly curled hair for a sugary-sweet vibe.

Want to punch up your wardrobe even more? Wear bold patterns like floral on one piece of clothing and leave the rest relatively simple. For a fun night out, try wearing a black tee and white jeans with a bold, multi-colored, floral patterned blazer to show off your chic side. Or, grab a pair of heels in a fun pattern to ease slowly into this trend.

Are your legs tired of trying to walk in platform heels? Kitten heels are in this spring! They are delicate and timeless and perfect for the girl who likes heels but can’t seem to get her supermodel walk down pat. Try on a pair with embellishment or doses of neon to add to a maxi dress or short flowy skirt.

Don’t pick a dress with too much fabric as this can add visual weight. Grab one that flows nicely over the body and isn’t too snug. A classic style that is very in is stripes. You can add stripes to any part of your wardrobe, whether it’s a nautical striped pair of earrings, a red and white striped bag or just a black and white striped tee. Horizontal stripes help fill out a thin body while vertical stripes help elongate a short body. Stripes can act as a neutral, so feel free to layer them under a blazer and pair them with fun denim or skirts. For a crazy trick, try wearing stripes with polka dots.

Clothing patterned with birds, leaves or anything found in nature will help you create a bohemian vibe perfect for the soothing spring weather. Grab a navy dress with a brown bird pattern then tie a brown robe belt around your waist and you’re good to go for brunch with family or a shopping spree with friends.

As for makeup, skip the heavy foundations and try out new foam foundations. They are available from multiple brands and give your skin a light touch of color that is fresh for spring. Top this look off with a hint of naturally flushed cheeks and you’re good to go.

To add some romantic drama to this look, grab some liquid eye liner and create a retro cat eye. Trace your top lid with a single line as close to the lash line as possible and build this up to about half the width of your eyelid, then flick your wrist when you get to the edge of your eye.

A fun hairstyle to try is temporary color. Choose colors in lilac or light pink and dye either a couple strands, just the ends or the whole thing for a fun, temporary look for day or night.

As for nails, spring is the most versatile time for many different styles, from neutrals to patterns to bright, bold colors. Feel free to experiment with different artistic techniques and colors to find out which trends you enjoy and which look the best on your hands.

One of the major nail trends seen on the runways is neutral nails. To rock this trend, simply grab a color that matches your skin tone or buff nails to perfection and add a shiny top coat.

Nail art is popular lately, so try Youtubeing some tutorials to really show off your creative side. One fun way to update your nails is to try watermarbling. This creates a tye-dyed look on the nails which can be achieved by dripping polish into a cup of water and then dipping the nail into it.

“Watermarbling is so cool and different; it adds just the right of drama to my nails without overwhelming my look,” freshman Clara Toth said.

Another fun new nail trend is magnetic polish. These polishes can be found at many different stores and have a magnet built into the cap that, when held over the wet nail polish, creates fun shapes that stay put when dry.