Spring 2011 Trend Report: Peekaboo Shoulders

 Above: Alexander Wang

Photo: Monica Feudi / GoRunway.com

Model: Aline Weber

Fall's erogenous zone may have been the bosom, but come spring, it's all about the shoulder.  

Sleeves ruled the runways, but a recurring theme was to slash them at the top, revealing a sliver of skin (Alexander McQueen), or framing the shoulder for a slyly sensual effect (Versace).  

While every naughty bit remains covered, the finished product can be quite tantalizing. I figured this out when I wore a BCBG satin pussycat bow blouse with cutout shoulders to work once. My boss (who happens to be my aunt), scolded me gently. "Lovely shirt, but much too sexy for the office!"

 Above: Rodarte

Photo: Monica Feudi / GoRunway.com

Model: Rasa Zukauskaite

 Above: Versace

Photo: Monica Feudi / GoRunway.com

Model: Samantha Gradoville

 Above: Alexander McQueen

Photo: Monica Feudi / GoRunway.com

Model: Lili Ji

 Above: Lanvin

Photo: Yannis Vlamos / GoRunway.com

Model: Fabiana Mayer

 Above: Halston

Photo: Marcus Tondi / GoRunway.com

Model: Du Juan

 Above: Mark Fast

Photo: Yannis Vlamos / GoRunway.com

Model: Anais Pouliot

 Above: Giorgio Armani

Photo: Yannis Vlamos / GoRunway.com

Model: Natalia Zakharova

 Above: Prabal Gurung

Photo: Yannis Vlamos / GoRunway.com

Model: Daiane Conterato

Above: Givenchy

Photo: Monica Feudi / GoRunway.com

Model: Jamie Bochert

Spring 2011 Trend Report

An alphabetical guide to the top trends from the Spring 2011 runways.  Click on the picture or link for a complete run-down of each trend.

 1970s

 

Colorblocking

 

Crop Tops

Cutouts

 Hot Pants

 Lace

 

 Minimalism

Mismatched Prints

Peekaboo Shoulders

 

 Sheer

Spring 2011 Trend Report: Cutouts

 

Above: Haider Ackermann

Photo: Simone Leonardi / GoRunway.com

Model: Bonnie Chen

Think cutouts are passé? Think again. From tasteful slits at Versace to cobwebby crochet at Mark Fast, cutouts of all shapes and sizes are here to stay.  For at least another season.  

Not just reserved for the rock chick, this time around cutouts can be an elegant detail, as seen at Altuzarra.  

The cutouts you choose should be based on your body type.  Have excellent abs?  Show them off with midriff cutouts.  Razor sharp hipbones?  Slashed hip details will perfectly accent your assets.  Whatever size and shape you are, the designers have you covered... or, um... cut out.

 Above: Altuzarra

Photo: Yannis Vlamos / GoRunway.com

Model: Annaleise Smith

 Above: Emilio Pucci

Photo: Monica Feudi / GoRunway.com

Model: Melissa Tammerijn

Above: Mark Fast
Photo: Yannis Vlamos / GoRunway.com
Model: Danni Li

 Above: Hervé Léger by Max Azria
Photo: Yannis Vlamos / GoRunway.com
Model: Jacquelyn Jablonski

 Above: Betsey Johnson
Photo: Yannis Vlamos / GoRunway.com

 Above: Versace
Photo: Monica Feudi / GoRunway.com
Model: Daphne Groeneveld

 Above: Roberto Cavalli
Photo: Yannis Vlamos / GoRunway.com
Model: Kasia Struss

 Above: Gucci
Photo: Yannis Vlamos / GoRunway.com
Model: Karmen Pedaru

Above: Zac Posen

Photo: Marcus Tondo / GoRunway.com

Model: Karlie Kloss

Spring 2011 Trend Report: Mismatched Prints

 Above: Tsumori Chisato

Photo: Monica Feudi / GoRunway.com

Looking like you got dressed in the dark is so hot right now, judging from the spring/summer 2011 collections.  Mismatching prints were everywhere, whether floral on floral (D&G), stripe on houndstooth (Balenciaga), animal on animal (Burberry), or Chinese porcelain print on... um, wood (Rodarte).  

If this trend seems a little ballsy for your liking, the easiest way to wear it is to pair a stripe with a floral in the same color intensity (pastels with pastels, brights with brights, etc.) as seen at Prada and Versus.

 Above: D&G

Photo: Yannis Vlamos / GoRunway.com

Model: Jac

 Above: Christopher Kane

Photo: Yannis Vlamos / GoRunway.com

Model: Anais Pouliot

 Above: Kenzo

Photo: Yannis Vlamos / GoRunway.com

Model: Kat Hessen

 Above: Balenciaga

Photo: Monica Feudi / GoRunway.com

Model: Lindsey Wixon

 Above: Rodarte

Photo: Monica Feudi / GoRunway.com

Model: Kasia Struss

 Above: Marni

Photo: Monica Feudi / GoRunway.com

Model: Sasha Pivovarova

 Above: Versus

Photo: Marcus Tondo / GoRunway.com

Model: Ruby Aldridge

 Above: Prada

Photo: Monica Feudi / GoRunway.com

Model: Irina Berezina

Above: Burberry Prorsum

Photo: Yannis Vlamos

Model: Julia Nobis

Spring 2011 Trend Report: Sheer

 Above: Emanuel Ungaro

Photo: Courtesy of Emanuel Ungaro
Model: Claudia Mason

This spring, designers get daring.  Sheer fabrics were used consistently throughout the runway shows for the upcoming season, with peekaboo panels at Burberry or shocking see-through gowns at Rochas and Galliano.  

A more wearable (and forgiving) way to pull off the trend? Romantically demure sheer sleeves as seen at Valentino.

 Above: Moschino

Photo: Monica Feudi / GoRunway.com
Model: Samantha Gradoville

 Above: John Galliano

Photo: Yannis Vlamos / GoRunway.com
Model: Alina Baikova

 Above: Burberry Prorsum

Photo: Yannis Vlamos
Model: Jenny Sinkaberg

 Above: Rochas

Photo: Yannis Vlamos / GoRunway.com
Model: Arizona Muse

 Above: Givenchy

Photo: Monica Feudi / GoRunway.com
Model: Marcelia Freesz

 Above: Lanvin

Photo: Yannis Vlamos / GoRunway.com
Model: Iris Strubegger

Above: Marni

Photo: Monica Feudi / GoRunway.com

Model: Marina Peres

 Above: Thakoon

Photo: Monica Feudi / GoRunway.com
Model: Hanne Bruning

 Above: Marchesa

Photo: Marcus Tondo / GoRunway.com
Model: Ksenia Malanova

Above: Valentino

Photo: Yannis Vlamos / GoRunway.com

Model: Linnea Regnander

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