Posted on September 17, 2007
There are plenty of distractions for the average student at the beginning of every school year, but there are extra pressures for the fashionably inclined. Homework, student organizations and social lives distract multitasking fashionistas from revamping their sad and tired spring/summer wardrobes. If you’re as sick of skinny jeans and ballet flats as I am, rejoice! Fall is here, bringing with it high waists, volume and a touch of jazz age influence.
First things first: identify the key trends for the season. Rises have risen, I’m sure much to the chagrin of the runway’s under-thirty devotees, but “high waist” doesn’t have to be spelled m-o-m-j-e-a-n-s. The key to wearing a higher waist is to tuck in your top to create an hourglass figure. A flared or wide leg draws the eye away from your hips, creating a balance between your upper and lower half that is more flattering for women who aren’t related to stick insects. Keep in mind that the waist should not be cinched and the legs should not be tapered, unless it’s Halloween and you’re going as your 46-year-old Aunt Barbara.
Speaking of older women, designers this season seemed more than a little influenced by the stylistic sensibilities of subtler generations. Proenza Schouler showed ’20s inspired looks for fall that encouraged dressing up when the temperature drops. Designers Jack and Lazaro’s runway girls were styled in cloche hats and bold red lips to accentuate their voluminous coats and whimsically detailed dresses. Conservative simplicity was on the menu at Marc Jacobs as well. He used bright, solid blocks of color to add depth to the simple shapes of the clothes. Miuccia Prada put a modern spin on old-school style with her challenging architectural skirts, accented with synthetic fringe. To incorporate some of these upscale trends into your own wardrobe, be on the lookout for fringed and metallic accessories. Vogue suggests pinning brooches onto your favorite pieces to make them unique and personal, but also in style.
As InStyle attests in its September issue, menswear looks are big this season. Balenciaga showed preppy boy cut blazers in traditional colors with jodhpurs and tube scarves, along with ethnic print dresses and daring sportswear-influenced shoes.
Balenciaga introduced the tribal print for this season, which is wonderful because everyone from Oscar de la Renta to Diane Von Furstenberg showed tribal prints in their 2008 collections, making sure the trend sticks around for a while. You can rest easy knowing this look will still be on-point after the first semester.
According to denimology.co.uk, colored denim has emerged as many it-girl’s favorite new thing. Fergie, Kate Moss and Victoria Beckham have all been spotted wearing Technicolor jeans, and American Apparel is now selling their “slim slack” in assorted hues for much less than other celebrity-endorsed denim brands.
Guys shouldn’t be afraid of switching it up either. For the truly fashion forward, colored denim is the way to go. For the more reticent style-forward bloke, unwashed straight-leg denim is still very “in.” As a matter of fact, simple and classic are buzzwords from the men’s fall collections. Go dapper and Anglo-inspired with tweed jackets, tartan scarves and Fair Isle sweaters, or try to look like you fell out of a Wes Anderson movie by perfecting your geeky chic with cardigans and khakis.
For both sexes, scarves are the new belts. Buy lots of them, in many colors and patterns, and add them to any look for more interest and personality.
Follow these simple rules and your updated fall wardrobe will pull double duty for a good four months, keeping you cozy and stylish until spring.
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