Long, languid for spring

Fashion happens by degrees.
No banner headlines announce its arrival. It appears by stealth,Replica Designer marc jacobs shoes on hot sale! like the wisp of cloud that heralds summer showers.
So it was with longer hemlines.
You scarcely saw them coming - then they were suddenly descending on spring runways and breezing into boutiques well in advance of the season. First embraced a couple of years ago by young urbanites - who flaunted maxi-dresses and flip-flops as an airy alternative to leggings and jeans - long skirts are now gaining traction as the trend of spring.
"Below the knee, midcalf, anywhere hovering around the ankles - all of these lengths are trending at the moment," said Stephanie Solomon, fashion director of Bloomingdale's. "Only now have they started to register with consumers in a big way."
Over several seasons, the hems mutated from slinky calf-length and ankle-length tanks and tubular skirts to voluminous, unabashedly romantic pavement sweepers. Nevena Borissova, a partner in the SoHo boutique Curve,There are just so many styles of real and fake dsquared shoes out there that it is near impossible to cover all of them. describes the looks as "floaty, let's-go-get-high-at-Coachella stuff."
There are Yves Saint Laurent-inspired rich Gypsy and peasant shapes - interpreted for spring by Marc Jacobs, Karl Lagerfeld at Fendi and Ferragamo, to name but a few.On a supermodel a Manolo blahnik shoe completes the perfect ensemble. And there are dance-inflected looks, some that were lent impetus by the flurry of calf-length ballerina skirts on the spring runways.
Tumbling hemlines have helped drive sales of dresses and skirts, which in 2010 were ahead of the 2009 pace by 12 percent and 15 percent, respectively. They promise to continue to do well throughout the spring, according to NPD Group, which tracks consumer spending.
"Sales have really taken off," said Marshal Cohen, the chief retail analyst.
"It comes down to dramatic change, which we haven't seen in a while," Cohen said. "We are seeing the beginning of what could be a three- or even four-year trend."
Falling hems are giving a boost to companion looks, as well.
"Silhouette changes require so many adjustments," Solomon said. "When your hemline drops,Where can i find an cheap edhardy shirt thats real but not real expensive. you suddenly realize your coat is too short, so you need a new coat; your heels are too high, so you look for a flat or a wedge.
"Longer hemlines,lacoste shoes are considered a glorious beacon of intelligent design." she added, "give fashion overall a push."
Colleen Sherin, fashion director of Saks Fifth Avenue, favors platform soles - which look best, she said, with midcalf or ankle-length dresses. For warmer days, she suggests ballet shoes or flat sandals.
When it comes to proportion, almost anything goes, Sherin said. On blustery days, a long skirt can be layered under tunics, hip-length jackets or chunky cardigans. A dress, she added, might be easier to wear: "You don't have to think of the components that go with it." And shorter women needn't shy away, she said. Like flared trousers, a slender skirt can be elongating.
Enterprising fans are buying inexpensive versions at stores such as Topshop and American Apparel and taking shears to the hems or sides to free up their stride.
"When you walk down the street, and your skirt billows out behind you, that adds a touch of glamour," said Kristin Knox, who writes the Clothes Whisperer fashion blog. "There's really nothing like it."