TORONTO - The curtain has come down on the latest edition of Toronto's LG Fashion Week where designers delivered their visions of spring and summer style in new collections.
Here is a sampling of some of the notable and recurrent looks spotted on the runway that may very well be nestled on store shelves or hanging from clothing racks in the near future.
The Ripple Effect: Ruffles were among the most popular and dominant flourishes accenting designs in the collections this season. Designers made ample use of the fanciful folds in a big way - literally - to add touches of delicacy and volume that cascaded along shirt sleeves, flowed down dress fronts, encircled asymmetrical necklines and dotted hemlines.
All For One: From sexy shorts to asymmetrical cropped styles and draped dhotis, the jumper demonstrated its versatility as a stand-alone signature piece that could transition from casual day to dressed up for evening.
Cutting It Short: Move over, Lance Armstrong: The bicycle short has gone from roadway gear to high fashion wear. While there was still a fair share of wide-legged trousers and slimmer-fitting pairs on the catwalk, pant hems were on the rise. Laid-back and more upscale looks spanned the spectrum from pegged pants to Bermuda shorts and barely-there high cut numbers.
Bolder Shoulders: Fear not, ladies: There's no need to slide those bulky linebacker-style shoulder pads into your suit jacket. But a little added eye-catching detailing on the shoulders, reminiscent of 1980s styles, is definitely on the horizon. It's considerably softer and scaled down by comparison but still edgy, and seen in epaulettes on knitwear and blazers and the sharp shouldered-yet-smooth boyfriend jacket.
Bubbling Up: Cocktail dresses and skirts got some added lift this season as bubble bottoms took flight. The gathered, tucked and tailored look gave hemlines a flirty, feminine touch.
