Spring Trend: Pleats, Please

Just try not to twirl while wearing flirty accordion pleats. Wear with sneakers for daytime casual.

Snake Crop T-shirt, $39, Swoon | Pleated skirt, $27.99, Target | Necklace, $28, Swagger | Wave and Deco cuffs, $20 each, Simply Adorned 79

“I love bold and bright avant-garde looks. Being able to wear a splash of color on the lid or bold lips is such a fun way to express yourself.”
– Jen Bigas, Makeup Artist

Jumpsuit, $45, Swoon | Millie earrings, $22.95, The Painted Pearl

Designer Spotlight: The Painted Pearl

Designer and artist Courtney Frye started The Painted Pearl in 2012 with necklaces featuring hand-painted oyster shells she salvaged from the Carolina coast. The Painted Pearl’s collection of colorful and bold accessories, like the earrings pictured above, are available at three N.C. boutiques.

Frye recently launched a monthly subscription service called The Earring Envelope that delivers an exclusive style of her signature statement earrings right to your door.

“Jewelry is a way for us to express ourselves without having to say a single word. Invest in good wardrobe pieces, then let your personality shine through the accessories you wear,” Frye said.

Embroidered top, $58, Swagger | White skinny jeans, $54, Swagger | The Painted Pearl Gretta earrings, $22.95 | Key and Leaf cuffs, $20 each, Simply Adorned 79

Tips from a Hair Stylist

Amanda Kimball, owner of Twisted Scizzors Salon and Spa in Cary, offers these suggestions:

“Colored bobby pins, hair ties and clips are huge right now. Colorful bobby pins are a great place to start, because you can create really fun looks without spending a ton of money.”

“When choosing (hair) accessories, they don’t necessarily have to match your clothing.”

“Layering hair accessories into a unique shape or stacking on top of each other can add a lot of drama. Above all, have fun with it!”

Off-the-shoulder top, $24, September & Co. | Leaf, Deco, Key and Peacock cuffs, $20 each, Simply Adorned 79

Spring Trend: Head-to-Toe
Choose matching sets, maxi dresses or jumpsuits for a playful top-to-bottom look.

Tie-dye jumpsuit, $65, Holl & Main | Earrings, $24, Swagger

Designer Spotlight: Simply Adorned 79

Cary native Amanda Duncan founded Simply Adorned 79 in 2018, crafting laser-cut, hand-dyed leather jewelry. Her earrings and bracelets are for sale in 10 boutiques across N.C. and online.

New this spring is a collection of layered botanical print earrings, like the Ginkgo Leaf pair pictured at right.

“Leather is one of those materials that is often seen as masculine. I wanted to take leather and … fuse it with a delicate, colorful weightlessness, so that each piece has a balance of both masculinity and femininity,” Duncan said.

Dress, $46, Gifted Boutique | Leaf cuff, $20, Simply Adorned 79 | Ginkgo earrings, $20, Simply Adorned 79

Spring Trend: Tie-Dye

Tone-on-tone or monochromatic tie-dye are fresh updates to 1960s tees.

Tie-Dye Tank, $29, Swoon | Tie-Dye Shorts, $39, Swoon | The Painted Pearl Gracie Gold Leaf earrings, $22.95 | Necklace, $28, Swagger

“Start with shades of blue or green. With either warm or cool undertones to your skin, blue and green look great on everyone.”
– Jen Bigas, makeup artist

Maxi skirt, $35, Swoon | T-shirt, $10, Target | Earrings, $24, Swagger

Dress, $44, Swagger | Earrings, $26, Swagger | Sandals, $45, Holl & Main

Dress, $125, Swoon | Pandora earrings, $22.95, The Painted Pearl