Put a spring in your step with the latest spring fashions

Spring has finally made its debut to the hills of our lovely campus, and with that comes the ever-present Nike shorts, Chacos and T-shirts. But what if instead of going with the flow this spring, you step up the glam this spring?

The spring trends of 2014 for women are all easy to recreate. There are a few trends to watch out for: wide-legged, cotton pants; and don't get too excited, because pantsuits are back, and they're here to stay; crop tops, made specifically to keep the relationship between you and the TRECS strong; as well as the annual trend of floral prints. For the men, neon trainers are out, and so are tropical floral prints. Bring out your Hawaiian shirts, boys.

Oh, and one more ready-to-wear color: orange. The color orange in Knoxville is obviously a must, so the fashion designers decided to show their Volunteer appreciation by adding it to their collections, as well as one of the trends for spring.

I pulled some pictures from my blog, Forever Fierce, to give you some inspiration.

As Miranda Priestly once famously scoffed, 'Florals, for spring? Groundbreaking.' Well, she wasn't wrong. Floral prints have shown up in almost every spring ready-to-wear collection since I can remember. They have a summer-is-around-the-corner-and-winter-is-gone feel, and they make everyone happy to see, just like real flowers do. This girl, Samantha Riccardi, is also a contributor to the blog. Here she is wearing a maxi dress with a jean shirt over it. This is a super easy outfit to wear to class, not to mention it's breezy effects if it is a little hot outside.

The men take floral prints to a new, manlier, but still fashionable level. This shirt can be worn so many different ways. Under a blazer, with a pair of Chubbies, unbuttoned to show a cool graphic T-shirt under it, and just plain, with jeans. Don't be afraid to take risks with cool patterned shirts (or pants).

Crop tops are such tasteful ways to show off your body, and they are some of the best motivation to keep it too. There are so many ways to wear them, but here are two easy ways: with a high waisted skirt (me, first picture) and high waisted shorts (Samantha, second picture). Wearing crop tops with something high waisted elongates your torso and shows enough skin to tempt, and still be classy.

Here is Melodi Erdogan, another contributor to the Forever Fierce blog. She is wearing these fabulous wide-legged pants with a simple tank, the perfect outfit to wear on a hot day to class. These pants are made to elongate your legs and make them look model worthy. Add a pair of heels and a slim shirt, and you're ready for a night out on the town.

I recently wore a pantsuit, and I think I got about 30 compliments. They are everywhere and easy to wear. Pantsuits are made to make you look taller and give you a silhouette. Try them out, because they look good on everyone.

Don't be afraid to try something new. You never know, you could find your staple fashion piece this spring. One more thing: always dress for yourself. Dress to be a heightened form of you, and you will feel incredible.

Rebecca Fechino is a sophomore in public relations. She and her friends, Melodi Erdogan and Samantha Riccardi share their passion for fashion on the Forever Fierce Blog. She can be reached at rfechino@utk.edu.