BY ELIZABETH BECKY HOUGAARD
It’s that time of year when retailers around the world descend on the many wholesale markets going on throughout the United States, where they can see what’s new and available for this year.
With Dallas WESA just finishing up and Vegas Magic coming up, it can make my mind spin. There are so many amazing things to choose from. The greatest thing is that so many retailers get to pick what appeals to them and their local customers. This is why you see so much variety in the stores. With my leaning to the Western lines and crossovers, here is what I saw as the strongest looks for the next season:
Color is in! Wear bold bright colors and soft pastels for spring. The neutrals are still strong, and you’ll still see those with more of a mixture of neutral colors in an outfit. I saw more florals than ever, which I love! There were floral tops and dresses, ruffles, bell sleeves, floral embroidered jackets and jeans, and boots that are just beautiful. Velvet was shown a lot too. Love the velvets! So comfy! Serape is as strong as ever. Wear serape in tops, pants, vests, and handbags with some denim or tooled leather. It’s always a great look. Also, for tops and jackets, you’ll see checks and plaids in many colors. This is such a great classic look The choices in jeans are amazing! You can get boot cut, straight leg, wide leg, and bell bottoms, and they are all in style. Plain, blinged, embroidered, they are all great. Some of my favorites are from Ariat, Grace in LA, Miss me, Lucky & Blessed, Cowgirl Tuff, and Kimes Ranch, but there are so many more to check out! There are also some colored jeans that are so fun now.
The jean jackets are really popular. You’ll see your basic jean jackets, but some fun ones have serape mixed in, fringe, embroidery, bling, and also animal prints in different colors. Scully, Wrangler, Ariat, and Crazy Train have some great denim Jackets. If you need a CC Denim jacket, look at Wyoming Traders!
For accessories, the tooled leather and fringe is still so strong, and I love it! Colorful stones, especially turquoise with silver, is still the most popular, look for jewelry. Bolo ties are popular even for women now. Mixing many jewelry looks in one outfit is completely okay now, so blend all your favorites for a fun look.
The most popular belts are the tooled, colored, and concho belts. There are so many choices for boots and shoes now! Again, embroidered and tooled with so many styles and colors make for a fun look to match your clothes with. Short boots are even more popular than last year. Get some in an animal print to spice up any outfit. Look for shoes and boots from Corral West, Lane, Tony Lama, Justin, and American Darling.
We also saw so many colors, prints, and sizes of scarves that you can use to keep warm or just to add some color and style to anything you’re wearing. I Love the scarves from Wyoming Traders and Fringe Scarves, but there are many local people that make them, so look for them at local boutiques and horse shows!
Remember to get what’s comfortable and that you can wear anything that makes you feel great. There really are no rules!
How to reach me
As always, if there is a look or certain item you are looking for, let me know! I will do my best to find it for you. Send any requests or questions to Becky Hougaard @ RockinHH@gmail.com.