Predicted Fashion Trends of 2021

PREDICTED FASHION TRENDS

OF 2021

WRITTEN by Javier Santiago DESIGNED by Jordan Mays

From runways to influencers, this year’s fashion radiates a much-needed feeling of rebirth. Fashion is reaching an audience in a way that it previously couldn’t through platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. Clothes are now more than ever a way for people to express themselves in a creative way. While some got used to comfy clothes during lockdown, many others used this time to get expressive with their style. Trends were revolutionized from the comfort of our own home. 2021 is the year to break out all of the outfits we did not get to wear during lockdown. This year brings an era of bold and funky fashion trends along with it. While moving into the future, some of these trends remind us of the past. The bright colors and fun patterns of today’s style are reminiscent of the 70s, 80s, and 90s. 2021 fashion trends are unapologetically unique and daring. You’ll want to wear these styles, even if you’re in quarantine.

SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE

All great outfits require a great foundation. Remaining in the spotlight, we have trench coats, blazers, solid color tees, crop tops, and a good pair of jeans or slacks. Owning these staple pieces are great for dressing an outfit up or down. They also make it easy for you to have some variety without having to figure out a new outfit for each day. While trends come and go, these items continue to be vital for everyday fashion.

Didn’t you hear green is the new black? We say goodbye to the dark days of 2020 and turn to the bright and bold outfits of 2021. This year is all about adding a pop of color to your OOTD. A great way to add some flare to your look is to play with color combinations. Get creative with it, you can use complementary colors to bring some life into an outfit or incorporate color into a look by organizing a monochromatic outfit. Using different shades of the same color can add dimension and depth, creating a more complex look.

COLOR ME CRAZY

SKINNY JEANS ARE OUT

Hear me out on this one… While we can still appreciate a good pair of jeans that fit you just right, all good things come to an end. 2021 encourages us to wear looser fitting pants, all styles welcome. Don’t be scared to whip out a straight leg, boot cut, or even flare pants this year. Experiment with proportions by wearing a tight fitted top and baggy pants. If you’re brave enough, you can even try a baggy on baggy look. It’s time we all get out of our comfort zone and try out some new looks.

Above all else, 2021 is about making a statement. We are embracing “in your face” pieces in our outfits this year. Having a staple item is a sure way to make someone notice all the style tips you’ve been gathering. Adding an item of clothing with a loud pattern can make a simple outfit into something interesting. Whether it’s chunky rings, colored sunglasses, or a fun bag, accessories can take your look to the next level. Don’t be afraid to express yourself through your outfits. Wear those cheetah print bags and those 6 inch platform boots. Caring what other people think is so last year.

MAKE A STATEMENT

Ann Miller Finch: The Road to Becoming an Artist

WRITTEN by Cierra Noff ke DESIGNED by Olivia Miller

Ann Miller Finch’s exhibit “The Reach of Our Arms,” takes up space in a gallery in a way that art by women never did. Finch, a UNCW student, won the Boseman Gallery’s exhibit award for 2021. “The Reach of Our Arms” decorates the gallery’s walls until March 22. The Boseman Gallery, located in the Fisher Student Center at UNC-Wilmington (UNCW), off ers a virtual tour of this exhibit but the physical gallery is also open to the public. Finch’s collection reclaims “the female nude.” The art industry has long obsessed over the woman as a muse, though not necessarily as an artist or author. As a result, there are more paintings of nude women in museums than there are women artists. “I mean, females weren’t even allowed to go to fi gure drawing classes,” Finch said, “and when they were, there were strict rules surrounding that too.” Inspired by this historic and modern trend, Finch began compiling her collection proposal. “My idea was basically to get more representation of the female nude that was actually painted by a female artist,” Finch said, “and to just kind of do a celebration of women.” The exhibit features a range of paintings that borrow names from Maya Angelou’s poem “Phenomenal Woman.” The titles of the paintings coincide with the subject matter or color theory of each piece. “I was so busy right before the show from 7am to 7pm everyday painting trying to get ready for it,” Finch said. The largest painting in the collection, “Phenomenal Woman That’s Me,” took Finch four days to complete. Hunter Jones is the Boseman Gallery’s 2020-21 intern responsible for the installation of the exhibit. To Jones, Finch’s work stood apart from the other applicants because of 30 | Flair the Magazine her varied approach to the subject. of her varied approach to the subject.

“Ann Miller’s work…is diverse in its presentation yet focused on its message,” Jones said. “Its broad range of colors and styles helps highlight the unique nature of the female form and how no two people’s bodies are the same, but each are beautiful in their own right.” Inside the gallery, Finch dedicated each wall to a specific color scheme or style. One wall features simple monochromatic paintings, while another displays a complicated textured style. A painting titled “Fire in My Eyes” is a bright red monochrome acrylic piece. It sits on the same wall as a golden yellow monochrome painting titled “A Hive of Honey Bees.” Finch planned the entire exhibit around color. “So, while I still try to obviously keep it all anatomically correct and proportionate and everything, I find more joy in more abstract brushstrokes and pops of color than I do the realistic.” Finch’s bold brushstrokes and experimentation with form blend surrealism with impressionist painting. This attention to color carried over from her past career as a fashion designer for various North Carolina-based companies. “My favorite part of each season was putting the color palette together and choosing what colors were going to be big for the season,” said Finch, “and coming up with little color stories for each collection or each line or pack of socks or whatever it was.” Before moving from Raleigh to pursue UNCW’s studio arts program, Finch majored in fashion textile management at NC State University. Upon graduating, she became an assistant designer for Cato, Belk, and then Implus, as well as various small label companies. Although Finch loved color and design, she didn’t consider herself an artist. Her career as a full-time painter began with a painting of a dog. The Ripe Issue | 31

Finch, not yet admitted into UNCW’s studio art program, painted a portrait of her brother’s dog in pop art style. Friends who saw the painting loved it so much, they asked Finch to create portraits of their pets too. Before long, word-of-mouth commission requests trickled into Finch’s studio and established her reputation as a local artist. “And then it just kind of grew from there to the point where I was having to squeeze it in after work and just didn’t have the time that I wanted to dedicate to it,” Finch said, “and that’s what made me actually make the move to go back to school and try to pursue it as a full time career.” After Finch graduates from UNCW in the spring of 2021, she hopes to remain a freelance artist. “All artists are going to continue to grow and evolve,” said Finch. “So, I just think it’s really important to paint and show it to whoever you want to show it to, and keep painting, and keep making more work. And don’t be afraid to try to reach higher levels with it and take up space.”