…& Other Retro Styles Make Their Comeback for Winter
Like road bikes, faux fur has come a long way in recent years and it’s everywhere this season: on collars, gloves, ear muffs, hats, boots, bags, round shoulders and vests, accenting dresses and making coats. Gone are the days when faux’s poor quality man-made fur would both stand on end and shed, ensuring you would only go near the stuff if you were both desperate for fur and desperately politically correct.
In recent years better materials from Europe and Japan have created a market for faux not just among those who wish to mimic real fur and stay out of the debate on fur as fashion, but among those who see faux fur as a fabric in its own right. Following Chanel in Fall/Winter 2009, designers have embraced faux fur this season, often in ways that play on the fact it is “fake.”
For those who think faux fur looks cheap, it doesn’t anymore. It’s going to be a trend that returns again and again so it’s safe to make an investment while celebrating the fact that in those cheetah earmuffs you are going to be bang on trend.
Trends Beyond Faux
So, faux fur—check! But, which other pieces should you invest in for the rest of your wardrobe? Whatever your purchase this season, you will not go wrong if you go for any garment with the following: collage, a liquid-like sheen, graphic prints, vibrant colors, delicate lace and net, tangible, tactile corduroy, smooth leather or lush velvet. Yes, choice of material is key—more so than any particular hemline or style. So look for classic investment pieces, such as a trench coat or a pencil skirt in fabrics that you love to touch, to keep you up-to-date.
There are two garments that are back with a vengeance: the poncho and the cape. If you’ve been on the fence about buying either but have held back, now is the time because, if you have not noticed, they are, truly, everywhere. Some advice, unless you are really brave and/or tall, the larger, grandiose patterns are not for you. It is an out and out lie that shorter people cannot wear ponchos or capes, but it is generally the case that the shorter you are the shorter yours should be. If you are desperate to get in on the drama that comes from wearing a longer piece then go for one that flares a little and has a varied-length hem or tassels. Taller women should consider the longer lengths. If you are at all worried about looking “round” or over dressed, go for a strong bias cut, no pleats or excess material and a simple pattern.
Another purchase that will keep you on trend this season and see you through to spring is a pair of cords, either “cord” cords or brushed cotton “cords.” Smarter than jeans, and best of all different than jeans, cords fall into that unusual fashion category of being both comfortable and trendy. Look especially at J Brand and Theory’s selections and don’t be afraid to go for some color—mustard or merlot, blue or rust, even if you feel you must tone it down with a black sweater or top.
Lace and net started out last Fall/Winter in the lingerie department. But this season, influenced perhaps by Kate Middleton’s Alexander McQueen wedding dress, they are very much out of the closet. Go for a blouse with a lace collar, or a skirt with a lace-scalloped hem. There are dresses available in both fabrics in all lengths, and for those who love classic style, blouses or plain black dresses that cover your bare shoulders with net or lace are hot right now.
A final look that’s worth parting with money for is peplum. (The name for all those figure-hugging overskirts attached to fitted jackets or tops.) This is one style this season that tends toward the conservative and can, therefore, be worn to work. Peplum is also great at emphasizing waistlines, which can get lost under bulky winter garb. After so many years of the low waist look, it is easy to forget that a nipped-in traditional waistline is extremely feminine and very flattering. And before you say that your waist is the last thing you want to emphasize, peplum’s best secret weapon is its little overskirt, which conceals everything!
By Rachel Worrall
Whatever your purchase this season, you will not go wrong if you go for any garment with the following: collage, a liquid-like sheen, graphic prints, vibrant colors, delicate lace and net, tangible, tactile corduroy, smooth leather or lush velvet.
