St. Patrick's Day 2012: Pretty Parade Outfit Ideas, From Glittering Gold Lips To Green Flats [PHOTOS]

St. Patrick's Day 2012 is upon us and what better way to celebrate the festive Irish holiday than with your best green fashions?

Of course, St. Patrick's Day is the best day to wear green; but the hue was a popular one on Spring 2012 runways. Green shades ran the gamut in designers' collections from mint to sea-foam to emerald to forest. Models sported everything from green nails to green handbags for a pop of springy playfulness.

There are ways to wear green for St. Patrick's Day 2012 that will have you looking chic rather than cheesy. A green bow headband is a pretty, girlie addition to any outfit. Try this with a camel blazer, white button down and dark denim. Make the green headband the centerpiece of the outfit.

Colored denim is a hugely popular spring trend that will translate well on St. Paddy's Day. Pair your green denim with brown chunky-heeled shoes and a cardigan in a lighter shade. If you want to go literal with this look for the holiday pair it with a white top and some orange accessories.

You can even wear a green sweater over a white button down and pair the look with orange shorts. Again, this is quite literal; but, if you play the silhouettes right and add on chunky gold jewelry, like Refinery29 did, it will look seamless.

Why do we wear green? Ireland is known as The Emerald Isle but the history of green on St. Patrick's Day is not as simple. According to the Huffington Post, blue was originally the color associated with the March 17th tradition. Green eventually became more popular, however. The color can be found in the Irish flag and on blossoming shamrocks found in the lushly green country. The Huffington Post also noted that in Ireland some follow the tradition where Catholics wear green and Protestants wear orange.

Check out some of the prettiest parade outfit ideas to try out this St. Patrick's Day.