Two Trends I'm Really Excited About Right Now

This Memorial Day, I’ll be attending my family’s annual BBQ and have been looking for an outfit that plays off traditional Memorial Day themes but is also on-trend, so I can wear it through the summer. As I’ve mentioned before, mixing trends is a great way to maximize your wardrobe each season. So when I saw these two pieces at LOFT – a gingham off-shoulder top and ruffled wrap skirt – I knew I’d found my outfit! LOFT is a great place to find classic staples with of-the-moment updates and the best trends of the season: gingham, stripes, ruffles, statement sleeves, the list goes on. They’re also one of the best mainstream retailers offering all of its clothing up to size 18/XXL!

Gingham is huge this spring (and just so happens to be the quintessential BBQ pattern), so this off-shoulder top was a must. To play off another key trend of the season, I’m pairing it with this festive, ruffled wrap skirt. For Memorial Day, I’ll be tucking the top into the skirt to keep the look streamlined, but its flowy, hip-length cut also makes it a perfect match for cropped wide-leg pants or skinny jeans. And the skirt style and color are so versatile, I can definitely see myself wearing it into fall.

While you may think that wearing more than one trend at once is going overboard, it can actually be done elegantly if you keep the overall feeling of the outfit consistent. For example, with this look, both pieces are super feminine and made of lightweight fabrics that have some depth and movement. There’s only one print in the equation, so while I’m mixing trends, I’m doing it in a classic way.

I also love that both pieces are adjustable: On the top, the unique tie neckline lets you control exactly how much shoulder you want to show off and prevents the top from sliding down – super important, as I’ll inevitably be running around after Narayan and his cousins at the BBQ! And because the skirt wraps, you can adjust it to fit whatever part of your waist you want to show off. For me, the smallest part of my waistline creates a nice A-line silhouette, so I always wear my skirts high waisted.