Spring fashions resonate with vibrant ?70s shades

Business Report Correspondent

BOULDER ? With spring not just a distant dream, fashion designers are helping bring the sunny, fresh season closer with the introduction of spring clothes for women. The fashion industry is hurrying us along with visions of bright pastels, fun prints and clean lines.

There are two main color groups this year that are everywhere, says Jessica Anderson, owner of Carter Chase, a fashion-forward shop for women at 935 Pearl St. “One is aqua and turquoise and the other is fuchsia and orange. Clothes will have a pattern that uses orange and pink together, lots of Pucci-esque patterns,” she says.

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And don’t be surprised to see some camouflage in unexpected places, although Anderson says she doubts Boulder will really see the trend. “You’ll see it in variations, like in a miniskirt or tank top,” Anderson says.

Things that are hanging around from last year: “Capri pants are definitely in from last year. The mini is back in. Denim is still huge; it doesn’t show any sign of fading anytime soon,” Anderson says.

And if you thought the animal print was dead, you were wrong. Fresh from the L.A. market, Anderson says animal prints such as leopard, have found their way out of handbags and scarves to miniskirts, a must-have for spring.

The trendier trends include all things Charlie’s Angels. The 1970s-inspired halter tops with a metal ring around the neck are hot. Halter tops in general have made their way back, as well as asymmetrical tops that bare one shoulder. “They’re really fun and really reasonable,” Anderson says.

To go with the ’70s tops are the’70s hoop earrings. Huge gold and silver hoops, or rhinestone-studded hoops are here again. Other rhinestone accessories include low-slung belts with huge buckles, and the latest must-have item, the golf bracelet. That’s right, golf, not tennis. They’re not dainty diamonds; think big sparkly rhinestones.

Paris is abuzz with the golf bracelet, which means they should be hitting the states relatively soon. Parisians are wearing theirs with Swarovski crystals, the same name that makes professional optics. According to Anderson, the bracelet’s popularity is on the same level as the pashmina. Remember the cashmere wrap that was everywhere? Well it is definitely passé this season.

Accessories also include really fun purses ? the kind you will be sick of in two months but won’t mind because you spend less than $30 on them.

If you really want to experience a Boulder retail store, visit the Dragon Fly at 1220 Spruce St. in Boulder. A family owned store run by mother, daughter and son-in-law, this year-old shop has offered Boulder shoppers an alternative to runway fashions.

When it first opened, shoppers thought Dragon Fly specialized in Asian-inspired clothes, but according to Sondra Lang, “We have gotten away from the Asian thing, we are not an all-Asian shop.” What makes the shop unique is the fact that you may be the only person in town wearing a particular dress or skirt because pieces are often one-of-a-kind.

Dragon Fly has become a popular prom and occasion dress shop, offering everything from ball gowns to body-hugging dresses. “It’s an experience to come in and let your fantasy play out,” Lang said. “You don’t have to follow any rules. People come in old and young and dress in something they may never see themselves in.”

Jacque Michelle Malick, owner of women’s boutique Jacque Michelle and home decorating store Room to Room in the North Broadway shopping center, agrees with Anderson that bright colors are it this spring. “The colors are fantastic ? very vibrant. I like the hot pink, orange, lime green and acid yellow. Tropical is really huge, and sort of saucy Italian looks are, too. That’s when the oranges and naturals come in.”

Malick has purchased bright colors in all types of fashions, from dresses to hot red and pink pants to beaded shoes, handbags and tops. Embroidery and beading were big choices of Malick’s, too. She found beads in shoes, fringing skirts and sleeves and collars and everywhere in jewelry.

“Hot pink and orange and yellow together on a beaded bag is really big ? a throw back to the ’70s. It’s a little more gaudy, a lot less subtle.”

But there is a soft side to the palette because not every body loves the bright stuff, says Malick. Those colors include pale pink, sea foam green and turquoise, which can be the bright Mexican or the watercolor turquoise.”

The fashion of this spring is revolting against black, except when it’s on the bottom, and “then we buy it all the time,” Malick says.