<http://schema.org/articleBody>
"  Thanks to the blessed designs of spring, it&amp;#039;s never been cooler to be, well, basic. From Ralph Lauren to C\u00E9line to Chlo\u00E9, an array of utilitarian staples in the form of military jackets, khaki dresses, denim pieces, and a plethora of soft pants provided a usefulness that has long been lacking on the runways.  &amp;quot;Frivolity is not cool anymore,&amp;quot; states David Neville, one half of the Rag &amp;amp;amp; Bone creative team. &amp;quot;Function is the new luxury. People have reevaluated what they think is important and what they think they need.&amp;quot; Neville and his design partner, Marcus Wainwright, should know. For their recent sartorial offerings, the British-born duo admittedly returned to their &amp;quot;inherently utilitarian&amp;quot; roots and drummed up layerworthy buttoned tops, slouchy army pants, and denim rompers. The result? A crush of cooing buyers come show&amp;#039;s end. Refined looks first appeared at the C\u00E9line resort presentation last summer. Not only did it mark Phoebe Philo&amp;#039;s triumphant return, it also laid the foundation for a pared-down elegance that was prevalent throughout the spring shows. &amp;quot;I think that was very influential and shaped a lot of what we saw,&amp;quot; says stylist Samira Nasr. &amp;quot;It&amp;#039;s a mix of real clothes again. Real clothes that people can use and enjoy and build a wardrobe with.&amp;quot; For spring, Philo followed up with crisp neutral-colored skirts, leather T-shirts, and army parkas. &amp;quot;I will definitely be wearing that at some point,&amp;quot; says the trendsetting Nasr of the latter piece. &amp;quot;I&amp;#039;ve got a date with that jacket.&amp;quot; &amp;quot;The utilitarian cycle is at a time when we are living in survival mode in terms of the economy,&amp;quot; says designer Phillip Lim. &amp;quot;People are returning to old comforts such as nesting at home, so a more functional style like a chambray shirt is reminiscent of home and country style, which is more comfortable and relevant than, say, a hyperreal, fantastical future trend.&amp;quot; &amp;quot;Minimalism feels right,&amp;quot; concurs stylist Kate Young about the industry&amp;#039;s latest shift. &amp;quot;Rich girls dressing like artsy poor girls isn&amp;#039;t as funny when money is tight.&amp;quot; To wit, during the shows in New York, Marc Jacobs got editors and retailers all atwitter when he debuted sturdy olive-green jackets that were worn, ever so casually, with ruffled organza concoctions. Then came the parade of pitch-perfect staples at MaxMara, Tory Burch, 3.1 Phillip Lim, and Richard Chai Love. Even Ralph Lauren brought back Dust Bowl-era denim in a variety of cuts and washes. (One of the looks even included a long lam\u00E9 dress fashioned as overalls.) For the first time in a long while, capitalizing on a trend can look as good with pieces from H&amp;amp;amp;M as it does with designer ones. The keystone components of utilitarianism don&amp;#039;t have to be designer or break the bank. Mainstream retailers are ready to provide the backbone of basics. Look no further than Gap or Banana Republic for that denim button-down or soft pants. These trusty essentials can work for women of any age; it&amp;#039;s what you do with the rest of your outfit that gives it its edge. The younger set will look fresh piling on the trends, while more mature shoppers can simply fold in one of these basics to modernize their look. &amp;quot;Utilitarianism is at the root of Banana Republic&amp;#039;s heritage,&amp;quot; says Simon Kneen, the company&amp;#039;s creative director and executive vice president of design. &amp;quot;Consumers want function and an element of surprise. We believe in giving her that balance.&amp;quot; J. Crew creative director Jenna Lyons is the poster girl for not only creating cool utilitarian style at a reasonable price point but also embodying the look herself. Last October, Lyons was seen swanning about the Fashion Group International&amp;#039;s swanky black-tie gala wearing an army coat over her feathered frock, with a stack of shimmering rock &amp;#039;n&amp;#039; roll bracelets on each arm. When she sat for this interview, she admitted to being on set at a fashion shoot in sweatpants and high heels. &amp;quot;We were finding that the boys&amp;#039; samples were coming in and the girls wanted the boys&amp;#039; things,&amp;quot; she says of J. Crew&amp;#039;s spring collection, which features sweatshirts, chunky jewelry, and a nude military jacket. &amp;quot;We had to think about how to incorporate that mix into our line and look for that play on the boy meets girl, which is something that is so important to us.&amp;quot;  And it&amp;#039;s not just ready-to-wear that is shifting gears. Accessories are being reimagined as well. Shoes that were once produced with sky-high proportions have been shrunk down to a wee kitten heel or a slim wedge, thanks to Jacobs, Calvin Klein, and Zero + Maria Cornejo. Footwear also took the shape of hippie-chic Birkenstock-like sandals at Stella McCartney, tasseled wedge loafers at Alexander Wang, and sporty oxford heels at Derek Lam. These pieces will still cost a pretty penny, but at least designers are aiming at a functional target. Outsize jewelry is still in play, but with a seasonal twist. Yves Saint Laurent, Alexis Bittar, and Kara Ross created statement rings with rough gold and raw stones so big, they could serve as soul healers. Lulu Frost designer Lisa Salzer&amp;#039;s latest line of costume jewelry, to which you can add or subtract brooches, is inspired by one of the most functional objects of all, the corkboard. &amp;quot;I was thinking about transformative pieces that go easily from day to night,&amp;quot; says Salzer. &amp;quot;These go with everything and can be dressed up. You can add as much ornamentation as you like, and it becomes a totally different look.&amp;quot; So how do you manage to pull it all off without looking overstyled? &amp;quot;Play with proportion,&amp;quot; advises Lyons. &amp;quot;If you are wearing a menswear trouser, what is the play on tomboy? Wear a little fitted button-up shirt but with a crazy chunky jewel, sky-high heels, and a utility jacket.&amp;quot; To keep from looking too industrial or severe, think about adding elements of shimmer. A slouchy pant paired with a sequined top and a blazer worked perfectly on the runway of Richard Chai Love. In lieu of that, a stack of silver bracelets and a saddlebag with a long strap slung over the shoulder is a fresh, modern approach. &amp;quot;I love an austere look with a bit of lacy lingerie peeking out,&amp;quot; notes Young. &amp;quot;Or a metallic something that is unexpected.&amp;quot; Of course, if you can&amp;#039;t find what you need, there&amp;#039;s an obvious solution. &amp;quot;Go to an army-navy surplus store,&amp;quot; says Nasr. &amp;quot;Buy a great pair of old army pants that are two sizes too big. Roll them up and wear them with a high heel, a T-shirt, a belt, and a sweater or necklace, and off you go.&amp;quot; It&amp;#039;s time to step to. Consider these your marching orders. Sarah Cristobal is the senior fashion editor of StyleList.com. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.harpersbazaar.com/fashion/trends/a459/spring-fashion-basics-2010/>