The only things we can be sure of are death and taxes. May I add the color navy to the saying? One thing I know I can count on in every Spring/Summer collection is navy, the perennial, and classic, go-with-everything navy. The color is back, mixing it up with coral and white, going funky in a deep purple hue, dressed up with rhinestones, and sharpened with bright yellow.

Not as predictable is the advent of the short. What's new about that? The short, the "go-to" partner with a T-shirt or halter-top, is, very gently, nudging out the skirt in sportswear collections. Shorts - from hot pants to below-the-knee styles - added sex appeal to the women's Spring/Summer 2010 collections seen on the runway . Children's designers showing at Children's Club and Bubble New York (August 2-4, 2009) took notice and added one-piece bubbles, shorts of all lengths, culottes and jump suits (Hello Donna Summer!) to their collections. The items have a retro Seventies sporty edge that balances out the feminine, ruffle-edged dresses another important look for the warmer months.

Lending spice to those dresses or jazzing up the necklines of simple tunics are square rhinestones. The shape and placement of the stones lean more toward glamour than rock 'n roll (think Jackie not Janice). Speaking of rock 'n roll, the peace symbol is golden. It is, after all, the 40th birthday of the Woodstock festival. Time for a moment of silence.

Cynthia Rowley's short shorts for spring.

Longer walking shorts with bow belt by Viktor & Rolf

SILHOUETTE:

-Hot pants, culottes, rompers, bubbles

Milk & Honey's sweet retro bubble.

Newcomer Brica NYC's Jersey romper combines the elegance of a dress with the comfort of shorts.

4Funkyflavours, a new collection at Bubble, included this grease monkey jumpsuit. It's funky all right.

-High waists with bow belts

-Tunic shapes with jewel-trimmed necklines

Blush hits the bull's eye with this dress that combines the popular tunic shape; the new navy glazed, crinkled synthetic fabrication; and the hot trend for square rhinestone embellished collars.

-Flutter sleeves

Flutter sleeves are very 1970s and very feminine. Case in point - this charmer from Adore La Vie.

-Tiered skirts

-Simple, mid-thigh circle skirts

-Loose, A-line dresses

-3/4 length sleeves on T-shirts, dresses and cardigans with bubble at the elbow.

Newcomer Minihaha's pretty coral bubble-edged cardigan over the paisley dress is trend-tastic!

-Narrow pants with knee-tucks

-Leggings with a gather at the side, sometimes with button detailing

-Dropped waists

-The belted trench coat

Viktor & Rolf switch the staid khaki trench for this flirty white number.

Over sporty clothing, Bubble newcomer Nellystella's bow-tied trench adds a feminine touch. Pop it over a dress and the sweetness gets an edge.

COLOR:

-Navy with white

-Navy or midnight with sky

Valentino rocks the runway with the sky blue evening gown and midnight wrap.

Sophie Catalou sweetens the look with this multi-tiered sundress in the sky/midnight combination.

-Navy with coral, white and a shot of electric blue or lemon yellow.

ENK Newcomer Millions of Colors debuted with a palette of bright coral, hot lemon, navy and electric blue.

-Purple-toned navy and white

-Coral with a pink edge was used as a solid or paired with pink.

-Coral in combination with sky and white and sometimes electric blue.

Christine Johnson of Wonderboy launched Stun, her new collection for girls. Simple shapes, dynamic prints, and a palette of coral, sky blue, white, and taupe make an impressive beginning.

-Pink with a coral cast or leaning toward orchid sometimes paired with coral or lilac.

-Black and white

Anna Sui's black and white mini has stripes coming and going.

Dots, stripes and a ruffle too. Igloo Island mixes it up in black and white.

-Taupe-grey, lemon, white and fuchsia

-Tape-grey, pimento and white

PATTERNS:

-Liberty prints are still a favorite of designers. Look for finely engraved botanical flowers.

-Simplified Indian motifs and exaggerated paisley motifs lend graphic punch to skirts as well as swimwear.

A stylized Indian motif makes a simple skirt from Wonderboy's Stun collection special.

-The butterfly alit on crinkled cotton dresses, T-shirts and swimwear.

-T-shirts: Pirate motifs, monkeys, smiley faces, peace symbols and, yes, the skull and crossbones.

I'm a Wild One goes the same brightly colored, boldly designed route as its sister collection Laughing Out Loud with the pirate-themed imagery on this knit polo shirt.

Pluto Tees marry the two hippest motifs of the season: the smiley face and peace symbol into one funky printed tank top.

-Dots, two-toned or multi-colored mixed with everything. Some designers used a transparent version over opaque for a watercolor, Cezanne like effect.

Unique layering from Kicokids at Bubble.

-Folkloric embroidery, reminiscent of the brightly colored babushkas graced necklines.

-Boys are plaid-happy. For sportswear, the colors had a faded, out in the sun look. For swimwear, the print is bigger and brighter.

Azul goes big and bold with plaid swim trunks from the new boys' collection.

TEXTILES:

-Tulle

-Modal

-Crinkled cotton for sportswear

Newcomer Tangerine Sky's sweet dress gets edgy with a permanent crinkle and funky lemon motorcycle jacket.

-Glazed cotton for dresswear with a metallic sheen

-Silver metallic, silver threads

-Seersucker gingham

SWIMWEAR:

-Mixed prints.

M.N. Bird mixes it up with this sweet floral maillot.

-Hawaiian motifs softened with tulle ruffles and rosettes

-Butterflies

-Simplified animal skins

-Indonesian inspired patterns

-Board shorts in simple wide stripes or bold plaids

DETAILS:

-Square rhinestones at neckline

-Beaded necklines

From the frothy layers, to the dynamic print and that stunning beaded neckline, this piece from newcomer Cupcakes & Pastries is a knockout.

-Raw edges

-Multi-ruffled trim that mimics tiers

-Rosettes

-Tulle ruffles

Originally published August 13, 2009