Summer Street Fashion: Vivid Floral Patterns To Make Their Mark On NYC

Spring is here and summer is just around the corner, meaning that most of us will soon be sweltering under the heat and humidity that never fails to hit Manhattan every July. We’ll likely want to leave the city, at least for a weekend, and we’ll take whatever chance we get to hit the beach, the pool, or simply stand in the shower. But if you find the summer heat stifling and need to stretch your legs outdoors, there’s always another option if you can stand a sweaty afternoon: stroll the streets and check out the summer fashion.

While the fashion press may always harp on the latest models and runway shows, there’s truly no better way to assess the latest trends than by walking down Broadway or Park Avenue on a warm summer day. Every year, the season brings with it a hearty dose of entertaining getups and impressive wardrobes. And, every year, the styles seen on Broadway are generally reflective of broader summer trends.

So what can we expect in 2012? This year, all signs indicate that the avenues will be flush with floral come summertime. Specifically, you can look for bright floral colors to make their presence known in a big way.

Why floral? Why know? Although the style has been gaining in popularity in recent years, there are a few reasons in particular that can help explain why it may peak this summer:

-Summers keep getting brighter. Summer is always the season when the fashion world breaks out of its winter doldrums and turns to outfits that are alive with color. But summers have been getting brighter and brighter in recent years, perhaps because the nostalgic austerity and conservatism spurred by the economic downturn have put greater dampers on winter trends. As such, people respond as best they can by putting on a positive face and embracing color come summertime.

-Digital floral is all the rage. Some analysts have speculated that clashing colors and bright, floral patterns have gained steam in recent years thanks to the brash colors of digital printing. Yet the digital world stands to have an even more direct impact on floral’s rise this year, as the incredible popularity of Pinterest has prompted people worldwide to notice – and to seek – images that contain eye-catching, bright, and positive patterns.

-Mad Men is back. The hugely popular AMC series, Mad Men, is returning to the air this spring for the first time in over a year. In past seasons, the show’s influence bred a revived interest in fashion styles from the early 1960s. Now, as the show moves towards the latter half of the decade, we can expect bright floral patterns to gain greater prominence this time around. This prominence, as we’ve already seen, will likely be reflected in street fashion trends. As the show moves towards the 1970s we can likely anticipate long eyelashes, long nails, and even brighter colors to come. You might want to start stocking up on a nail kit and some vintage dresses.

These are a few of the main reasons why vivid floral patterns may be swarming the streets of New York this summer. If you can handle the heat and want to see for yourself, you might just want to step outside and go for a walk. But don’t forget to dress appropriately vintage for the occasion.