From Balenciaga's cyber sprays to D&G's boho blossoms, Spring 2008 runways were awash in colorful floral prints. Expect to see fields of fresh florals at all your favorite budget fashion boutiques, too, as floral fabrics are easy enough to create and hard to resist. But even if you don't normally fancy yourself a flower child, there just might be a bouquet to suit your taste this season: Be they small buds or big blooms, retro roses or futuristic fuchsias, pick the posy that speaks to you and say it with flowers this Spring.









Spring 2008 Trends: Flower power looks from Balenciaga, D&G, Carolina Herrera, and Dries Van Noten. Image source: Style.com

Feathers are in full flight in the fashion world. Catherine Malandrino's Salvador sleeveless mini dress (left) boasts a hem of frothy feathers, but despite its hefty $326.90 pricetag, this little birdie has flown the coop (that is, it's sold out). Nonetheless, we budget babes can still spread our sartorial wings and fly thanks to Twelve by Twelve's affordable feathered mini dress (right). At $59.00, it's not cheap cheap cheap, but as the saying goes, "A feathered frock in the hand is worth two in the bush."

Carolina Herrera often cites artists as her inspiration, and for her Spring 2008 collection, the style icon said she was inspired by the watercolors of Jeremiah Goodman. An interiors illustrator, Goodman has been painting the residences of the rich and famous for the past 54 years, and chronicles his work and career in the retrospective Jeremiah: A Romantic Vision, published earlier this year. In addition to striking parallels of the artistic sort, Carolina's soigne looks seem to transport the viewer into the lavish living quarters depicted by Goodman, proving that fashion, art and interior design make a very happy love triangle indeed. Just see for yourself...

Designers electrified the Spring 2008 runways with pops of bright neon color - but subtle neutral pairings served as a dimmer switch to tone down the dayglo effect, thereby creating a sartorial synthesis that was equal parts intensity and refinement. We've got our eye on this trend in particular because it shan't be difficult to translate to real life: Mix an affordable, vivid-toned tank or camisole with a khaki skirt or shorts and you'll generate instant fashion chemistry.


Spring Trends 2008: Energizing fluorescents are tempered by subdued neutrals on the runways of 3.1 Phillip Lim, Jil Sander, Akris and Blumarine. Image Source: Style.com


Love it? Hate it? Can't wait to wear it? Share your bright thoughts on Spring Trends for 2008 in the comments.

At some point or other, stylist-to-the-stars Rachel Zoe has been the fashion force behind such Hollywood "It" girls as Mischa Barton, Lindsay Lohan, Kiera Knightly and her now-famously estranged client, Nicole Richie. Love her or loathe her, Zoe (pronounced "Zoh") is showing no signs of slowing down: She released her first book, Style A to Zoe: The Art of Fashion, Beauty, & Everything Glamour, and recently signed a deal with Bravo to star in her own reality-tv show, The Rachel Zoe Project.

While Rachel has been criticized for creating mini-clones (known as Zoe-bots) and promoting super-skinniness among her A-list clientèle (debatable), her boho-glam style is actually quite easy to imitate on a budget - and that makes her A-OK in our book! All you need are some oversized vintage sunglasses, layers of gold jewelry, and a peacock feather clutch or two to get goin' with the Rachel Zoe look.

In addition to espousing a "fab-without-a-fortune" style philosophy, Rachel has also dressed gorgeous gals like Salma Hayek, Liv Tyler and Jennifer Garner - not just controversial starlets. Lest we forget, she even put Cameron Diaz in what was perhaps the most stunning red-carpet look of last year: a Dior by John Galliano gown for the 2007 Costume Institute ball. How can we hate on the person responsible for that marvelous fashion moment?