How to Pull Off Spring 2011's Trickiest Trends

Spring is in the air, and while none of us needs a push to shed our socks and layers in favor of short-shorts and sundresses, there is no feeling more anticlimactic than looking in the mirror and finding that last year's favorite spring ensemble has… died. With spring comes new spring trends to master and incorporate into our wardrobe, but that's often easier said than done. In February, we explained the looks, colors and cuts that were hot for spring and how to rock them using clothes most of us already have in our closets (read the article here if you missed it!). In this article, we will tackle the three most extreme and intimidating spring trends and show collegiettes™ how to wear them with confidence.

Midi Magic

Whether pencil or pleated, neutral or neon, skirts that hit somewhere in the under-the-knee/over-the-ankle nether regions of the leg are in this spring. As frumpy as they might sound, rocking a midi skirt is all about finding the proportions that elongate your body and flatter your figure. To show off your waist, pick a high-waisted skirt that flows away from the body at the hip; to emphasize your hips, choose a tighter skirt that hits just under the knee. But at the end of the day, nothing slims a silhouette better than adding height, so grab your favorite espadrilles—or wedges, or platforms, or stacked heels—and, when the hemlines are down, get your ankles up!

About Lace

When worn well, there's no fabric as feminine or prettily sexy as lace. There's also no fabric that can stray so easily into skanky, especially when a lace garment has no lining! A beautiful and surprising way to wear this trend is wearing lace shorts, like the Anna Sui look above. If you do have totally sheer lace garments, you can layer them over an old-fashioned silk or satin slip for a classic look, or over a tank top and dance shorts for something a little sexier. For an uber-trendy look, extend this season's pattern-on-pattern craze into lace by layering your sheer lace top over a lace bandeau, or a sheer lace skirt over lace-trimmed bicycle shorts!

Powerful Pigment

Ditching drab winter greys and blacks for bold, summer colors is always one of the most fun aspects of spring fashion. But this year, color is in hyperdrive. From the metallicized, alien hues of Armani Privé to Stella McCartney's sharp chartreuse, spring runways exploded with color. While this look is fabulous on the runway, it can be tough to pull off in everyday life. A good way to transition this trend from high fashion to wearable is to opt for smaller bursts of color as opposed to the all-over looks above by mixing a loud skirt with a white top, or an electric top with softer, patterned bottoms.

Strapped In

This season's most surprising and inventive trend is the leather harness. Whether buckle-encrusted or sleekly geometric, everyone from fashion icons to Glee characters is embracing—or being embraced by?—fashion's foray into S & M chic. Much like midi skirts, harnesses are all about proportion and finding lines that flatter your body. Once you've found the perfect one, strap it on over a minimalist outfit—a solid maxi dress or a tailored white top and skinny jeans—for an edgy, high fashion look.

Sock 'Em

This trend was huge for winter, and it is sticking around for spring! But while it's easy to throw a pair of knee socks on under tall boots, it's far more unusual to pair them with heels for a night out. The only hard and fast rule of wearing socks with heels is to pick close-toed shoes—nothing is uglier than a sock seam peeking out of your peep-toes! Aside from that, as you can tell from the photos above, anything goes! Short or tall, colored, patterned or trompe l'oeil, mix it up and have fun.