THE LOOK
Women’s Spring Fashion Trends 2023
Emily Rose Barr
W ith spring set to debut,
cashmeres are being swapped
for cooler knits and the countdown to
wearing that beloved cotton dress (that
you may have tried on a half-dozen
times since buying it just last week)
is on.

Four shop owner s from the
Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia
regions spoke about what trends
we can expect to see in women’s
fashion this season: David Schwartz
of Sophy Curson in Philadelphia, Ellen
Shepp of Joan Shepp in Philadelphia,
Katy Klassman of Upstairs on 7th in
Washington and Ifat of LiLi the First
in Washington. Weighing in on every-
thing from popular patterns and prints
to athleisure and how COVID has
impacted the industry, here’s what they
had to say.

Color makes a comeback
One thing is for certain: After the cooler
hues of winter retire for the season,
color will make a comeback.

“Chartreuse, pink and orange are
always a welcome sign of spring,”
Schwartz said.

Shepp predicted we’ll be seeing lots
of colors from the ‘70s: “Melon, yellows,
diff erent green … avocado and hunter.”
Klassman had a similar hunch: “Lots
of red, yellow, magenta and, of course,
there will always be black and white.”
Schwartz added, “Navy for spring
still rings true. We have a wonderful
pantsuit in navy with white cuff s that
has been popular already.”
Cotton and linen to beat the heat
“Spring and summer are all about cot-
ton, whether it be jersey, poplin or in
blends, especially in D.C. where there
is lots of commuting and heat and
A display at Joan Shepp
humidity,” Klassman said.

Schwartz, too, has stocked up on
linen for the sticky days of summer.

“I have bought the modern cotton
shirt dress from a few designers
because each has a diff erent take on
the concept,” he shared.

Shepp, meanwhile, is stocking up
on soft fabrics for prints, airy light
cashmeres for knits, and mixtures
of cottons and linens to keep things
interesting. Stripes are here to stay
Will stripes ever go out of style? Not any
time soon! This timeless, classic pattern
is easily wearable and has stuck around
for good reason.

“Stripes are still a fresh summer
staple,” Klassman shared. Schwartz
says to keep an eye out for lots of prints
on a white background. “It makes the
print stand out.”
Shepp is on the lookout for ‘70s
prints, mini stripes, color block, swirly
and wavy prints.

Shop owners agreed that we can expect
to see wider-leg pants emerge as the
temperatures rise.

“I always carry lots of narrow-leg
pants at many price points. Wider leg
pants in linen and jersey are nice alter-
natives and have become more popular
that past few summers, and I expect
that to continue,” Schwartz said.

Klassman still shows wider-leg pants,
but also some slimmer styles and
breezy tops, while Shepp is seeing
bustiers, tube tops, and one-shoulder
dresses and tops everywhere.

20 FEBRUARY 23, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT
Courtesy of Joan Shepp
Out with the old, in with the
new