As the weather heats up, so too does the fashion scene

One element that runs through all the fabulous and eclectic spring fashions in stores this year is color.

"It's all over the place," said Danielle Pflederer, owner of Azura Boutique in Peoria Heights. "It's bright to seriously neon, it's pastels, which you see in jeans and some of the dresses, and primary colors - navy and red."

Kristin Snider, one of the owners of Pink Sugar Boutique in Peoria agrees. "Color has always been big in spring, but this year I feel like it's brighter."

Color can be added in splashes to otherwise neutral outfits, or whole outfits can be created using multiple shades mixed fearlessly. Color blocking, which combines two or more bright saturated shades in one piece, is huge this season, Pflederer said. Azura will be carrying shoes, handbags and clothing in a variety of color combinations.

Fashion jewelry this spring also celebrates color. Pink Sugar carries many fun, chunky pieces to give an outfit a modern edge. One locally-created line called Monarch uses a wide range of materials - from fabric to metal to string - to create statement-making pieces.

At Azura, rose gold is still hot, but Pflederer believes silver will be the go-to metallic this summer. "You can also combine the different tones of metal," she said. "Whatever works best for your skin tone."

While any length hemline is in, the maxi-dress is making a strong showing again this spring, said Snider. One of her favorite pieces is a floor-length sundress by Free People.

"That's a gorgeous piece," Snider said as she showed off the navy and kelly green dress with a lingerie-inspired top and a striped chiffon skirt. A thin wire sewn into the hem makes the skirt flare.

"I love that 'cause it really makes a difference in how it lays," she said. "It just kind of kicks it out at the bottom."

Azura is also carrying a variety of pieces in the maxi-length. "You see long skirts that are very elegant, and you see long skirts that are like sweat shirts," Pflederer said.

There are even skirts that combine both short and long hemlines. At Azura, a black jersey skirt by Lola and Sophie with the hi-lo hemline has short, subtle ruffles that show off a bit of leg in front then swirl into an ankle-grazing length in back.