We believe the cold weather is mostly behind us now, so we can actively look ahead to freshening up our wardrobes with new colors, patterns, and designs. While you won’t see any of the extreme fashions that wandered down the runway in New York, you will see many of the trends that are inspired by cutting-edge designers.

The top 12 colors in the Pantone© color story for Spring 2018 encourage playfulness and release. (Download the PDF with a click HERE.) With an uplifting shades and feel-good tones, there’s a sense of freedom from old fashion rules without leaving traditional essentials behind. Some of the colors will be reminiscent of the 1980s, like Lime Punch, while others have a gentler vibe, like Almost Mauve. There is a Classic Color Palette, too, which provides a foundation for anyone to start building their personal style.

Where do we see most of the spring color palette used? Ironically, it’s the men’s Desert Pucker Dry Shirt from Royal Robbins. A perennial best seller at the Mast Store, it showcases several of this year’s top colors. This season’s Desert Pucker has new technology in the fabric to help keep you cool no matter what the temperature, and it still has the features we love most – wrinkle resistance, all-day comfort, and a soft hand.

For women, one of the top trends is dark denim. Whether real denim, like these classic shortalls from Levi’s, or a denim print, like this design from the Honeyme collection (new to Mast Store AND made in the USA), you’ll see it almost everywhere this season.   

Mix and match prints continue to be hot items. We’ll look to Honeyme as a good example of color and patterns used together in a way that works. Salaam is another go-to brand for mixing, matching, and comfort. 

Ruffles and asymmetry are also features to look for. Angel sleeves in Honeyme, sharkbite shirt tails from Andrée by Unit, and Erin London answer the call for these leading trends.   

Transparency is a trend that we’re not sure just what to think of – especially in some of the ways it is presented in the city. You would need to be very bold to wear a see-though plastic dress or a barely-there gauzy top. At the Mast Store, we’ll look to Columbia with its Inner Luminosity Hoodie to tastefully represent transparency. A free-flowing burnout design encircles the hoodie. Available in Curvy sizes, too. 

Footwear trends for women this spring and summer feature sporty details and fabulous flats. From sandals that have “sneaker-like” qualities (we’ll show you Jambu for that) to flats that are stappy and supportive, like the Daloa from Birkenstock, there is a dizzying array of options to be fashionable without sacrificing comfort.

For men, multi-functional shoes are trending. For example, a shoe that can be both a mule and a slip-on in one. We have just the thing – there are several styles from OluKai that fit the bill. Their unique drop-in heel can allow the casual vibe of a slide on or dress it up a bit by flipping up the heel for a more traditional lace-up found in the Hamakua Poko. At the other end of the spectrum is a Chelsea-style boot, like the Super 550 Series from Blundstone. For a casual look, it goes perfectly with a pair of jeans or can be easily dressed up for work.

Of course, this just scratches the surface of the season’s offerings. Come by and peruse at your favorite store or dig-in on the Mast Store website.