To keep things looking in line with the current season, use Etsy’s Rearrange Your Shop tool to move these holiday items to the final pages of your shop.
---------------
Themes
{{ Northern Hemisphere- spring, Southern Hemisphere- fall))
--- Holiday + Sports Related
In April
Prom season begins in the US: many highschoolers will be attending the prom, some use various themes but formal wear in many colors will transcend most themes used.
Prom, Parties and Glam: Party-style dresses, vintage frocks, and the glamourous accessories to complete the perfect look. Also trending: makeup, false eyelashes, nail polish and stickers, and hair pins.
April Fool’s Day: Gag gifts, disguises, funny cards, pranks, and clever tricks to get the best of friends and loved ones as we kick off the month.
Easter: Easter is celebrated in early April. Take advantage of last minute sales by offering expedited shipping options and local delivery. See this article on how to update your location to make sure your shop can be found in our Shop Local feature.
Now is the time to state any expedited shipping and local delivery/pickup options clearly within your item descriptions to take advantage of last-minute sales.
Earth Day (April 22) is a great reminder of all the eco-friendly options we have. Think about the use of recycled, upcycled, reclaimed, natural and environmentally friendly materials, as well as items that facilitate earth friendliness, cleaning the air and being conscious of your surroundings.
Prep for May
Mother’s Day: April signifies the start to Mother’s Day shopping. Think in terms of gift ideas incorporating personalization. Other popular gift categories include cards, vases, bath and spa sets, jewelry, fashion accessories, smartphone accessories, edible gift sets and creative takes on family portraits.
--- Styles
Americana expressed in a vision of American Pie with a picnic friendly look inclusive of gingham and patchwork and youthful separates like overalls. Think Daisy Duke and Ellie May in color.
The Machine Age- heavy metal, studs, leather
Grown up Grunge- Recent ethnic inspirations have included a nod to the Orient as well as Global Awakening, with a much more diverse pop culture influence. Spice Trail keys into the exotic lands of Morocco and India with rich material conversations like jacquard to heavy embellished details. Silhouettes speak to tradition with items like tunics and sarouel pants, while tribal patterns play up classics like tailored jackets.
Recent ethnic inspirations have included a nod to the Orient as well as Global Awakening, with a much more diverse pop culture influence. Spice Trail keys into the exotic lands of Morocco and India with rich material conversations like jacquard to heavy embellished details. Silhouettes speak to tradition with items like tunics and sarouel pants, while tribal patterns play up classics like tailored jackets.
Craft Punk- At Alexander McQueen, Sarah Burton ignited a bohemian revival with artisanal macramé tunics given her usual dark spin. The theme continued with crocheted and needlepoint looks at Bottega Veneta, Valentino, and Roberto Cavalli.
Phantastic Fairy Tales – escapism into other worlds {think of your favorite movie and video game worlds}.
Baroque Vision- a step into yesteryear of emeralds, gold, intricate designs, from the dainty to the robust statement pieces romance and elegance are key.
Dark Romance-has a dash of magic and mystery. “A typical personality would be Oscar Wilde – the artists of the turn of the century (1900). It’s a very poetic trend.”
--- Colors
Gold, gold, gold!
head-to-toe white was the most noticeable trend to come off the catwalks
Pink {light shades, mainly} the season's best blushes were done up in everything from leather to ruffled gowns
Chromatic Energy- mettalic sheens of all colors
http://www.pantone.com/images/download/PANTONEVIEW_home___interiors_2014_color_palettes.pdf
--- Shapes, Patterns etc
base distinction- basic shapes especially popular for metal jewelry {ovals, squares, circles, etc}
patterns and prints- florals, geometric, etc
Tropic Thunder- Even the most staunch city dwellers can appreciate a lush flora and fauna print. Prepare to get transported to paradise in rompers, jumpsuits, dresses and tees that showcase everything from palm fronds to hibiscus.
--- Textures
Blue Jean Baby- All associations with the Texas tuxedo aside, denim on demin has basically evolved into a stylish institution. In a variety of washes, jean has gone high fashion, showing up on everything from tailored suiting to pencil skirts and trenches.
Fifty Shades of Suede- Say goodbye to safari drab. From the emerald green outfits on the Calvin Klein Collection runway to Ralph Lauren's lilac-colored trench and a pair of eye-catching fuchsia hot shorts at Emilio Pucci, the recent Resort collections were chock-full of vibrant suede pieces.
Lacy Sights- There was no shortage of lace in the latest lineups. While many took fine filigree in a romantic direction, designers including Christian Dior's Raf Simons, Derek Lam, and Christopher Kane sharpened up the typically feminine stuff with graphic mesh insets and webbed overlays that gave the fabric a new zing.
--- Other
Pets: Gear, feeding, clothing, accessories, toys, housing, furniture and accouterments for adventures with your furry friend.
References to Harry Potter, Hunger Games, Mad Men & Alice in Wonderland — all trending in pop culture. Think in terms of symbols like arrows, birds, wizardry, magic, enchanted forests, rabbits, whimsy and mid century modern fashion and decor.
Tech imagery: Cassette tapes, vintage cameras, video game accessories, vintage telephones, MP3 players and social media.
Home Decor: Find spring renewal with items for refreshing and organizing the home. Farmhouse imagery, art, decor, rustic, quilts, repurposed and vintage industrial throwbacks, cast iron, heavy linens and canvas fabrics, and components of creating “the outdoor room” with the idea of blending the indoors with the outdoors.
Fashion: Spring fashion is at its peak. Meld bright and pastel colors with neutral and muted hues, light textured fabrics, references to nautical and scholastic styles, showing some skin and embellishments. April will also begin to introduce summer fashion so it’s a great time to start offering these options.
Spring looks that can transition into summer — think light layers and bright accessories. Take advantage of spring break and vacation season by offering your lines of swim, beach and resort wear now. Tagging Tip: Try adding the term “fashion” to appropriate items to reach a broader shopping audience.
Spring {northern hemisphere}: Spring cleaning, spring fashion, spring break, spring planting, and a fresh outlook encompass April.
Gardening: April showers bring May flowers! Think about prepping the ground for the upcoming color and bounty: watering, aprons, gloves, soaps, seeds, tools, planters, indoor gardens, flower beds, garden markers, labels and organic options.
Gardening items are still going strong in the northern hemisphere. Remember to think about {gardening, and animal husbandry} products for fall, spring, and winter seasons. by stocking for all seasons you get the early and late shoppers, as well as international sales.
Fall {southern hemisphere}: coats, sweaters, gloves, hats, scarves. cozy thick lush pillows, blankets.
--- Specific Items
Knuckle Rings
ear cuffs
crop tops {a more modest approach by layering with a cami underneath or a high waist pants/skirt was showcased on the runways}
Satchel Rage- We've witnessed a move toward more structured handbags recently, and Resort was all about two-handled satchels, which turned up at Lanvin, Givenchy, Fendi, and more.
Micro Wave- Crop tops weren't the only short orders this season. Designers like Alexander Wang, Michael Kors, and Mary Katrantzou put the legs on display, too, with upper-thigh-grazing miniskirts that require a nice pair of stems.
Trouser Roles- Pin-thin stovepipes are officially over. In keeping with the season's focus on easy elegance, the favored pants silhouette of the moment is low-slung and ultra-relaxed. Baggy, billowy trousers turned up in the latest lineups from
----------------
Dates to remember
The diamond is April’s birthstone, and April’s astrological signs are Aries and Taurus (Aries: March 21 – April 20, Taurus: April 21 – May 20).
April is known as:
International Guitar Month
National Poetry Month (U.K.)
Car Care Month
Customer Loyalty Month
Fresh Florida Tomato Month
National Decorating Month
National Kite Month
National Pecan Month
Soyfoods Month
Straw Hat Month
April 1 – April Fools Day
April 6th – Masters Golf Tournament in Augusta
April 8th through 16th – Passover
April 15 – Tax Time
April 18 - Good Friday
April 20 - Easter
April 21 - Easter Monday
April 22 - Earth Day
April 23 – St. George Day, an international holiday
April 24 – Arbor Day
Pagan/Wiccan Calendar
*source: http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/holidaysandcelebrations/a/2013-Pagan-Wiccan-Calendar.htm
6: National Tartan Day
14: Celtic Tree Month of Alder ends
15: Celtic Tree Month of Willow begins
16: Birthday of author Margot Adler
22: Earth Day
23: Wiccan pentacle is officially added to the list of VA-approved emblems for gravestones, 2007
25: Full moon -- Wind Moon at 3:57 pm
30: Walpurgisnacht celebrated by German witches
