Trending: In Love with Lace
~Artwork by Nancy Romans, Carolyn Soto, Elaine Howell, Diane Utley-Aguilar, Kimberly Elowe, and Lanni Lantto
 |
What’s this summer’s biggest trend? Hint, everyone from your mom to your great-grandmother has worn it, but none of them have worn it like this. That’s right, lace is the next big trend in summer fashion. There are many different types of lace — crochet, bobbin, cutwork (even macramé can trace its roots back to knotted lace) — and lacy accents are popping up on everything from vests and tops to pants and culottes. Lace is also part of a new dynamic duo with sheer or other lightweight fabrics, taking it outside grandma’s parlor and into the breezy style of warm summer days.
~Artwork by Kimberly Elowe
 |
I love lace. I love the look of it, the feel of it, and I love other interpretations of the fabric like crochet or burnout laces. And when you combine two or more types of fabrics? You wind up with something like Nancy Romans’ peasant top (pictured below), which fuses the best of sheer fabrics with the bohemian elegance of crochet lace. There are so many things to be said about this lovely fabric, as there is a multitude of ways to wear it and alter it.
Ready to try your hand at the trend? Turn tops, dresses, vests, or shorts into stylish statement pieces with lacy accents.
~Artwork by Sharon Lee Louk
 |
Here are a few ideas to get you started with lace:
- Use a piece of wide lace along the hems of dresses, pants, or tops.
- Tea-dye your lace before adding it for added vintage charm.
- Re-purpose existing items like antique curtains or a skirt you’ve outgrown.
- Thick lace makes great straps
- Thin lace can be used as a waist tie or adornment
- Layer with sheer fabrics to really capture the essence of summer
- Include it in unexpected places for a chic surprise, like the back pockets of shorts or peeking out the bodice of a dress.
~Artwork by Nancy Romans
 |
With this miraculous fabric, you can create a look that’s modern, retro, bohemian, feminine, or all of the above. Make sure to use lace, crochet, and sheer fabrics to your advantage this summer. With so many uses, it’s no surprise that many Altered Couture artists caught on to this trend.
See all these lovely lacy finds, and learn how to create them in the Summer 2015 Issue of Altered Couture. You’ll also find so many more materials and fabrics to alter, and over 50 original up-cycling projects to last you all season long.
Have a great idea for using lace? Leave a comment below!
Thank you to Cynthia Levens for collaborating on this post and helping us to spot this trend.
Posted: Tuesday, July 28th, 2015 @ 9:00 am
Categories: How-To Project Tutorials, Textile Arts.
Tags: altered couture, Bohemian, crochet lace, DIY, embellishments, How-To, Inspiration, lace, lightweight fabrics, modern, retro, summer, trend.
Subscribe to the comments feed if you like.
Both comments and pings are currently closed.
I love lace, the light and femininity it adds to one’s wardrobe. Oooh, so many great creations~
I wonder how lace would look on my sandals. Maybe I will make a lace necklace.
Thank you, Cynthia for inspiring us to lighten up with lace~
Hmm, it seems the ubiquitous color is off-white…how about tea-dying with Tazo Passion tea (with hibiscus flowers) for a pinkish color & adding a strip to the bottom of a cotton skirt? Now the gears are turning, thanks Cynthia!
WOW Gorgeousness!!! I have so much lace- it’s about high time I use so of it!! Thanks for the inspiration!