Women Campus | Hello beautiful!: Rocking Sticky Summer Runway Trends: How to Wear Tie-Dye, Rompers, and Crazy Prints

I live by fashion magazines, but sometimes I feel like the fashion editors forget that what looks good on the runway may not necessarily look good in real life. My physique is nowhere near 5'11 and 115 lbs, and that breathtaking silk parachute dress with mosaic leggings on Project Runway will frankly make me look like a mushroom. However, runway trends don't have to remain on the runway. If you get to know your body and get a little creative, you can make even the most difficult trends work for you. We took three of summer's hottest—but also stickiest—trends and show you how to translate them from the runway to your way.

1. Tie-Dye

From multicolored sequins to paisley and island images, prints are making a forceful comeback on the runway. Tie-dye, riddled with hippie images and memories of preschool summer camp (or that sorority sisterhood event where you ruined your white jacket), is the dark horse of the group. It's not exactly the first thing that comes to mind when you think "high fashion", but designers have found ways to make it elegant, and so can you.

The key to not looking like you're on your way to a Woodstock reenactment? Modern, unconventional cuts and colors that complement one another. Don't get a garment with every color of the rainbow, and definitely don't get a tie-dye crewneck t-shirt. The fuzzy outlines and the white lines will make the colors look brighter than they would on any other design, so choose colors that are a notch more subdued than your usual choices. As for shoes and jacket choices, keep it dark and one color to let your tie dye do all the talking.

Wear things that have bright colors on body parts you want to draw attention to—as opposed to bright yellow across your hips if you don’t want to bring attention to your wide hips. Also, work the tie-dye rings to your advantage--vertical rings will make you look taller, horizontal ones will make you look wider, and the part of your body at the center of the rings will always look smaller. If you're really not a print person, warm up to them with a tie-dye scarf or bag!

Cute finds:

Splurge:

Tie Dye Sac Bag, Halston Heritage, $195

Best Bum Pocket Tee, Blue Life, $88

Steal:

Tie dye dress, forever 21, $19.80

2. Rompers

A spin-off of overalls worn by industrial workers, rompers appeared first in the early 1900s as a popular playground garment for children and sometimes young women. It was one of the pioneers' looser, more comfortable garments that departed from the Victorian era's tight, corseted discomfort. In 2006, rompers returned on the runway and this summer they're hitting the streets.

The key to choosing rompers is to choose one that's flattering to your body shape. Obviously appearing long and lean is key, and the length of the shorts, the cut of the collar and the position of the waist can really make a difference. As long as the proportion of your legs is even, the shorter the shorts, the longer your legs will look. A lower waistline will make too-thin legs fuller, and you have to make sure to flatter your torso as well. As you can see, picking rompers is pretty complicated, especially if you've never worn them before, so shopping online is probably not the best idea. However, no matter which pair you choose, cute heels are always a must to make your look less playground and more runway-bound.

Cute finds:

Splurge:

Juicy Couture
Twill Romper
$158.00

Kova & T
Rose Romper
$110.10

and a bonus:
TIE DYE ROMPER!!

Leyendecker
Fett Romper
$290.00

Steal:

Forever 21 embroidered romper

$14.50

3. Island Prints.

Nothing says summer like a sunset in Maui. Forget black and monogram, Kipling's showstopper this season is a tote with island print, clean, almost neon-like colors glowing without apology. Whip this out this in the concrete jungle of your Manhattan internship, and all eyes will be on you. Maison Martin Margiela's dress looks like origami made from a page of Condé Nast Traveler, and these intricate Van Cleef & Arpels earrings are simply perfect. Well no, they need to be paired with a piña colada.

Especially when you are wearing island print bags or tops with simpler cuts, don't slack off on the rest of your outfit! Otherwise your prints will look like they were snatched from a street vendor. Subdued solid colors or minimalist patterns in an interesting cut are good options. As with tie-dye, use brighter colors to accent the parts of your body that you're most proud of. Clusters of tropical flowers will make you look fuller, and palm trees will make you look taller and leaner.

In fact, these accessories are a great way to make rompers look more feminine and summer-like.

Cute finds:

Steals: