DARE

Inspirations
One of the things of feeling young is that you dare to do things just as they come to your mind, play around with ideas; but you also want to do everything in a different way than other generations and demonstrate the courage to put things upside down, make your own rules and create your own styles; and they are not always as ‘free’ as we would associate with being ‘young and wild’. As a contrast to today’s old (baby-boom) generation (the former wild hippies, their sexual break through in the 60ies and 70ies, their ‘free’ thinking), we see youngsters today, that need and demand more discipline; they often seem more conservative, strict and prude than their parents, and even in politics they are less social and more ultra-right or even extreme right. All that is reflected in fashion, through uniform styles, heraldic placed motives, accessories and decoration; in very dressed up, less sexy looks, even when completely free and wild in styling.

In this last theme we see playful, brave, bold, street- and sportswear inspirations with echoes of the past, from hysteric historical Napoleontic uniform styles to more strict retro marine and other retro authority styles. The British classics are another retro inspiration source for youngsters: they play with the cliché’s and put them upside down in the most unexpected styling combinations with elements of other trend directions!

On the other hand there is this older baby boom generation, that wants to look and feel ‘young’ forever, and  that wants more colors, and  fancy prints, details and accessory styling adjusted to their kind of young spirit…

A bit of fun, humor and links  to theatre or art everybody feels for now and  then; in the ‘Fun Lab’, accents are moving to more ‘hidden’ fun; graffity art and comic art is making  room for really new directions of art and illustrations by youngsters, seen in sports- and streetwear magazines.

Colors and Fabrics
It depends totally on the trend direction we are in; non-colors, uniform colors, the classics for outerwear, sportswear; vivid to almost fluorescent Poptimist and Enjoy colors as accents or for little garments, decoration or accessories; girly pinks and melange greys for girly bodyfashion.
The classic weaving fabrics: heavy (looking) uniform fabrics; twills, gabardines; woollens; velvets; rib cords; cottons; some fun furs; the British and Scottish classics: often blown up till op-art size, bold tartan checks, also printed on bodyfashion.
Large blown-up arty photo-prints; large and bold arty prints, strokes of paint; plays with bold letters, ciphers; placed arty illustrations and all-over prints with hidden fun figures; torn-and-worn ideas in denim; arty modern handcraft ideas with unusual materials.

Silhouettes
Outerwear: uniform styling with historic (Napoleon) or retro echoes. Uniform fun decoration like tresses, cords, tassels and small pompon strips; epaulets and other ornaments; metal hasp (latch) like fastenings; and for a ‘wanna be’ be aristo mood fun fur pelerine ideas with tresses.
Denim sportswear also will have many romantic dresses and skirt designs with historic inspiration from the last 4 centuries; many layers for volume, tough stretch belts; romantic ruches and frills. And jeanswear comes in strict Amish/Quaker inspired old fashioned overalls, fisherman’s and garden pants too. 
Bodyfashion is playing with retro cliché’s like eye-catching corsetry details and layered effects, and is often worn over other clothes. Garments made of denim and lingerie laces, or other romantic fabrics in one.

Legwear
Layering is the keyword now (follows up the loose leg and foot parts without heels, toes, and so on) Fun styling; printed stockings and boots in one; retro suspenders on mid-calf; layering: different styles and prints; knotting techniques; printed classics like checks and stripes, on parts only and on transparencies; handwritten prints; Lurex here and there; brace-like ‘fun’ legwear; in winter: rough knitted little winter socks in high open heel sandals or over pumps.