As the weather transitions and spring clothing items start to appear in stores, you will be noticing a very prominent color this year. The predicted Pantone color for 2013 is Emerald. This color promotes radiance, liveliness and calmness in a wardrobe. This is a stark contrast to the vivacious tangerine from 2012 and the gentle honeysuckle pink of 2011. Emerald is bringing things to the cooler side of the color spectrum with its striking hue.

The Pantone website offers a wealth of information on the color, the feelings it promotes and why it makes a good color of the year.

Stephanie’s Advice

An opulent bracelet, a pop of color in your shoe choice and even eyes shadow are great ways to keep it fun and fresh. Adding pieces to your wardrobe that are on trend and in the emerald color is a great way to keep up and stand out. An emerald green peplum dress, colored skinnies or a baroque lace overlay top are great additions.

Jacki Weaver arrived at the 2013 Golden Globes in a gorgeous emerald gown, proving the color of the year has officially hit the red carpet.

Other simple ways to bring the elegance of emerald into your style are:

Nail polish
Opaque tights
Chunky necklaces
A statement bag

The color of the year in 2013 evokes strong emotions and feelings while maintaining a calm presence. It is sure to be a year of rich and luxurious color. So travel to the Emerald City like Dorothy and enjoy basking in the richness and beauty of Pantone’s color of the year.

Asia’s Advice

I’ve always had a soft spot for the color green so this year’s staple color is something I can get behind. The only thing you need to be conscious of is how you put it to use to accentuate your look.

Jewelry is a great way to add a touch of the emerald flare if you want to go for a more minimal route. A dazzling pair of drop emerald earrings can add some color and shape to your face, or an emerald-encrusted bracelet can give you a pop of color to brighten your look. When deciding to go with emerald jewelry the best path is to stick with gold pieces. Most silver jewelry mixed with emerald jewels can tend to mute out the clarity of the jewel and make the piece look cheap.

Another great way to jump on the emerald tone bandwagon is to incorporate it with a pair of pants. The colored pant revolution is hitting the nation, and a pair of soft denim emerald skinny jeans is a great way to play with the color and the look. When choosing this pant, the shade of emerald really makes the difference. If the shade of your pants is on the brighter side of the color spectrum, I would recommend pairing it with a bright shirt like a canary yellow or bleach white. However, if they’re more of a dark emerald shade, soft grays is the way to go.

My favorite look, however, is a creamy emerald leather bomber jacket. First off, leather jackets are a great piece for anyone to have in a wardrobe. They are edgy, classic and are overall a comfort piece that you can depend on time and time again. With this fantastic combination you can really utilize the color choice all year long. Pairing it with a long sleeve shirt or sweatshirt makes it perfect to fight off the cool temperatures of the fall and winter weather. And during the spring and summer you can use it to add a bit of sass to a dress or pair of shorts.

Look for pieces that can add the finishing touches to your look, fit your current style necessities and can be worn at anytime and anywhere.

Photos | Handouts | MCT

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Your Pick

Name: Helena Kontos

Major: Fashion Merchandising

Year: Freshman

—Cassandra 

Meet two past Blitz girls

We caught up with two former Fashion Blitz writers Karen Zapp and Missy Pasquale, who’ve graduated from Kent State, to see where they are in the fashion industry, reminisce about their time at the Daily Kent Stater, and of course, chat about fashion and style.

Q:  Can you describe your current position in the fashion industry?

Karen: Currently, I am a Junior Product Stylist for Net-A-Porter Group LLC, the online retail machine behind Net-A-Porter, The Outnet and Mr. Porter. I’m responsible for styling the individual images of the luxury apparel and accessories that are sold on each of these sites, as well as Net-A-Porter Magazine. Often, these images are also used in the front-of-book shopping pages of Vogue, W, Elle, GQ and other high fashion magazines whose readership is well aligned with the clientele we cater to.

Missy: I’m working in Kohl’s Design Studio in NYC on the Lauren Conrad brand.

Q: What was the transition like from Kent, Ohio to New York City?

Missy: It was a long awaited transition! My junior year I traveled to NYC for the semester with the school and couldn’t wait to get back. So, aside from the horrible experience I had while apartment hunting, I’d say the transition was smooth.

Q: How did working as a correspondent and stylist for Fashion Blitz impact your current career?

Karen

Karen: Being able to demonstrate that I was able to carry a project through, [working for Blitz and A Magazine] was extremely impactful while going through the interview process. In creative industries like fashion, it’s important to not only demonstrate talent but also display an ability to take initiative. It is easy to say, “wouldn’t it be great if I started this, or if I were a part of something like that,” but to actually do it and have a tangible product to show at the end of the day really means something to people.

Q: What aspect do you miss most about working on Fashion Blitz?

Karen: Besides creatively collaborating with Missy, Ashley and Taylor on a weekly basis, I miss going out into the community to make connections with the local fashion purveyors and supporters. It was always a great feeling to recognize and establish a relationship with people and boutiques in the area that provide unique products and share a similar passion.

Q: How has your personal style changed since moving to NYC?

Missy

Karen: When talking about New York, people always seem to mention the fact that there is a certain rhythm to the city that’s unlike anywhere else. The same is true when it comes to fashion here. Being constantly exposed to new and inspiring elements, whether it be directly from style on the streets and high fashion products I work with or elements as different as art and architecture, there is a rhythm to it all. Because of that my style is constantly adapting to what inspires me. Some days that may mean I go for a minimal, monochromatic look, while other days I may wear a crazy head to toe mixed-print look. My personal style moves forward as it always has, just to a faster beat. Missy: I don’t think my style has changed; it has just become a little more refined. The past few years at Kent I used to dabble in all of the trends till one stuck. Now, though I’m still adventurous, I find myself editing my color palette (a.k.a. I fell into the “New Yorkers wear black” trap) and toning down my assortment of bold prints.

Q: What is your favorite trend of the moment?

Karen: It’s never easy to pick just one. Statement sweaters and sweatshirts paired with trousers and single-sole pumps are a great take on the casually dressed-up trend for winter. For spring, however, I’m looking forward to patchy collaged pieces that mix snakeskin, lace and leather, as we saw done by Proenza Schouler and Erdem, as well as bold, oversized flounces, feminine yet minimal organza overlays, origami inspired silhouettes and East Asian influences.

Missy: I’m loving blue and white porcelain motifs. Mira Duma keeps taunting me with her Instagram posts in her Cavalli porcelain printed blouse… I wish I could just reach through my phone and snatch it up!

Q: What advice would you give to current fashion students?

Karen: Don’t be afraid to break new ground, and push yourself to never let a second pass that you aren’t inspired. Your education should go beyond Rockwell Hall. If styling interests you, go out and do it. Even if it’s just for a few test shoots with friends, being able to physically show that you’ve pursued your interests sets you apart.

Missy: Intern as much as you can, and be open to new experiences. Also, pay attention in your retail math classes because no matter how painful they may seem, Excel is everywhere.

—Annie & Cassandra

Photos submitted

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To treat hair that has been dried out or damaged by the chilly temperatures and long walks across campus, try out this at-home, all-natural hair mask using olive oil, greek yogurt, honey and a banana. Bananas are a natural moisturizer and hair-growth booster because they contain biotin. Yogurt is full of protein and enzymes, while honey and olive oil have natural moisturizing properties and can lock nutrients into the hair follicles. Give your hair this treatment one to two times a week, and you’ll have healthy hair all winter long!

What you’ll need:

• 1/4 cup honey
• 3 oz greek yogurt
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 mashed banana

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. For extremely dry hair, add half an avocado for extra conditioning.
2. Apply mask from roots to ends and massage into scalp.
3. Let mask set in for 20 minutes, and then shampoo and condition as normal.

—Ashley

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