Lace - Summer 2010

Carried by the transparency trends of the moment, white lace has found its way into many closets this summer. Unfortunately, the delicate version from Calais is being increasingly substituted by an industrial one too often stripped of elegance.

The collision of these 2 trends can often give way to awful misinterpretations. This season, the association between the immodest transparencies at Givenchy and the lingerie mood apparent at Dolce&Gabbana is enough to obtain one of the summer's better faux pas. Many are those who thought that it would be sufficient to wear a bit of transparent lace in order to play with the style. They obviously were unaware of the fact that, with this kind of material, nothing is more dangerous than the lack of subtlety...

It must be said that the normal fashionista is hardly being helped - once again - by the mass distribution companies. Perpetually pushed to come up with new interpretations of trends, they immediately purchased miles of bargain lace without necessarily worrying about making it flattering.

Early last March, we saw batches of cheap bodysuits, vulgar miniskirts and other pseudo trendy tops hatching in display windows, leading some to try looks that were hardly desirable. It is true that even a superior stylist would find it difficult to render a cheap piece chic; it is too easy to fall into vulgarity when choosing, for example, non-descript jean cutoffs to go with a fake synthetic lace bodysuit revealing a basic bra.

That being said, lace and transparencies can, despite everything, be worn together with a bit of good aesthetic sense. Treating this combination in a casual chic mode is the way to obtain a look that fits exactly into the mood of the moment.

A high-waist skirt barely covering the knee, revealing a black, slightly square-cut body, matched with an army jacket and a vintage bag, finished off with a pair of sensible ballet flats can create an urban look without running the risk of being fined for bad taste. A lace vest can also be worn over a thin tank top. And if you fall for a mini-skirt in cream guipure lace, match it with a light blue denim shirt rather than with a corset-style top.

Lace pieces with a lining are also welcome, as long as they are not worn as part of a head-to-toe girly look. Better to add a twist by wearing it with boyish details, unisex accessories or roots inspirations in order to give them a bit of character that they might need.