Lifestyled

Editor’s Note: Faerl Marie Torres is a local personal stylist, wardrobe consultant and self-described style therapist. She shares her student-tailored fashion insights via a weekly column. If that isn’t enough to satiate you, she also keeps a fashion blog accessible at faerlmarie.blogspot.com

It seems designers debuting their spring and summer collections months before people can fully embrace them is a mean trick they play. Our unpredictable desert climate adds to this dilemma, calming us with warm, sunny days followed by freak snowstorms. If you’re itching to ditch your winter duds, you can try these budding trends and retain warmth with these tips.

Flouncy skirts, especially pleated ones, in floral prints or bold colors are big this season. Wear them with thick tights and boots to prevent freezing your legs off. If the print is especially bold or the color pops, wear darker tights. If the skirt is on the shorter side, pull your tall socks up past the legs of your boots.

This is especially cute with socks in a color or pattern that complements your skirt. If you’re petite, be careful not to create too many breaks in your outfit to avoid looking short and stocky, unless you’re aiming for that.

Unique collars dominated the spring/summer runway shows in November. Styles ranged from exaggerated angles to jewel-embellished to sweetly rounded Peter Pans. I love the latter and have a sheer blouse — another big trend for the season — with a scallop-edged Peter Pan collar.

One way to show off your neck attire while the temperature is far from balmy is to wear it under a sweater. The look is supposed to be a little preppy and a little retro. Any sweater will do, but if you really want to hit the sugar-sweet nail on the head, then go with a crew neck or modest V-neck.

Bangles are back and they’re big, literally. Stack them generously over long sleeves and you’ll be toasty and trendy. If you want this to work, you have to commit. If you’re going to go for it, and I highly recommend that you do, stack at least four or five on each arm, depending on the size of your bangles. They should be noticeable.

Stand at your mirror — if your eyes aren’t immediately drawn to your arm candies, then add a few more. If you find that your bangles get in the way of your writing arm — we are students, after all — then go big on your free arm and stick to a few low profile bracelets on your dominant arm. Go easy on your other accessories, or your peers might think you’ve dropped out of college to pursue the life of a gypsy.

Nail polish is one way that you can fully express your spring style without risking frostbite, which is never a good look. The top tones for 2012 are bright and pastel. Tangerine — a juicy, vibrant orange — is the color for spring/summer this year. I like OPI “Atomic Orange,” about $9.

If orange isn’t your thing, but you like the bold color, go for a vivacious pink à la Elle Woods from “Legally Blonde” with something like Sally Hansen “Flashy Fuchsia,” about $5. If pastel is your preference, try the mint green “Navigate Her” by Essie, about $7; the purple-grey “Lavender Cloud” by Sally Hansen, about $6; or go naked. Choosing a nude nail color is like choosing foundation — it has to be the right color, so match it to the shade of your fingers. I got one for $2.50 at Forever 21, and it looks seamless from finger to nail.

Now that you have a few ideas for wearing your spring finds, I expect campus to blossom with bright pinks and citruses, sweet pastels, prints, pleats, Peter Pan collars and pretty polished nails.