Spring & Summer Trend: Tribal

Tap into your exotic side this summer with vivid prints that reference a myriad of culture, adventure, and style.

Maxi and wrap dresses are a big hit in tribal patterns this season. Diane Von Furstenberg, noted for her spectacular dresses, did not disappoint her fans. For Spring/Summer 2010 the designer inspired us with elegant maxi dresses and sexy shirt dresses. A black and yellow flower-chain maxi dress was lovely, as well as a sunset tank wrap dress.

L to R: DVF, Catherine Malandrino, Issey Miyake

At Malandrino’s Spring presentation, sarong-like draping gave new meaning to effortless beauty. The decision to pair brown leather oxfords with a wild print was an additional nice twist to the South Pacific-inspired ensemble. Finally, our third look of inspiration comes from Issey Miyake’s Spring/Summer collection. The multi-colored ensemble flowed nicely down the runway paired with a leather vest. While designers looked to far off regions to gain inspiration, these looks can easily be translated into your own backyard. To get the look, check out Tigerlily’s Beso Long Dress ($139) and T-Bags Embroidered Long Dress ($273) both on Shopbop.com. On the other hand, if you’re not big on bright colors, C&C California’s Maxi Dress (128) in black and white may be just for you. Another great option, albeit shorter take on the tribal dress look, is Victoria Secret’s Kimono Wrap Dress ($100).

L to R: Dries Van Noten, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Gucci

What’s fun about going native, is that it allows you to mix prints and patterns without obsessing over matching. Take for instance the ensembles seen at Dries Van Noten and Marc by Marc Jacobs; Each look is unique without being overly fussy. If full-on tribal isn’t for you, don’t worry. The result can still be achieved through vibrant seperates, such as the cropped jacket seen at Gucci’s Spring/Summer 2010 show. To find chic seperates that let you show off your adventurous side, check out the following looks. Sass & Bide has a fabulous pair of printed cargo pants in black and white ($310) at Net-a-Porter.com. They look great paired with a simple tank top, or even a printed tank such as the one from Torn by Ronny Kobo ($85) at Singer22.com. Other ways you can really mix it up include choosing two seperates in bold contrasting colors such as in the Marc by Marc Jacobs Spring/Summer 2010 show. To achieve the look, go toward lose silhouettes like this wrap skirt from T-Bags in Tribal Beat for ($165) Revolveclothing.com. Finally, nothing looks chicer than a light cropped jacket worn over a pair of summer dress shorts. Trina Turk’s “Caviar” jacket ($226) is the perfect accessory to dress up any outfit. Written by Skimbaco Lifestyle Fashion writer Hallie McKay. Hallie has also written for the Seventeen Magazine.