Translating the Style Bible
By Bridgette Raes
The September fashion magazines are out, and this is the month that fashion magazines resemble phone books in size. I am not usually an avid Vogue reader, but I always check out September’s issue without fail, because this is the biggest month for showcasing what’s hot for fall. I picked up my issue and immediately starting deconstructing my copy on my living room floor in order to start making sense of all the trends.
I thought you might enjoy some assistance with getting a handle on what the "Style Bible" is saying are must-haves for fall, because it is my guess that many of you don’t have the time to sort it all out like I just did. And unlike many fashion magazines, I will be offering some realistic perspectives on what the style Gods are showing. My biggest frustration with fashion magazines is that they: #1- leave it up to the reader to figure out what to do with all of the information they are bombarding you with; #2 - don’t tell people who lead very real lives what to do with these trends; and #3 - don’t explain which trend is right for whom to follow. Below, I hope to make sense of what I see going on for fall. So on with the show, here is my take on what is “in” this season.
Color
The freshest faces in color I would have to say are the brights: in particular teal; all shades of red from lipstick pink to Bordeaux wine; greens are still strong, but definitely more acidic in hue; and rounding out all the color this fall is bright purple.
Not sure how to wear these shades? There were a few things going on with these colors that I found interesting.
You could go crazy with color, which is the first and most daring combination I saw. This means mixing all of these new colors together, which for many of us is risky and daring. Even Kate Spade showed bright blue stockings with purple heels, but I ask you: Ladies, who is actually going to wear that? My advice to you? Cut the color with some neutrals.
The good thing that I saw about the neutrals for the season is that they went in two completely opposite directions. The first direction was in a warmer, more olive and brown direction, and the other, colder route was wearing these brights with black or grey.
Optic Nerve
After my eyes stopped bugging out from looking at the exploded optic houndstooth patterns that were all over Vogue magazine, I realized that for fall, black and white is right. Optic black and white as a combination is a must-have for fall. Want to really freshen it up? Incorporate some of the brights that are being introduced this season with these optic patterns. Not a houndstooth check fan? Don’t worry, any optic combination of black and white will work.
But wait, before you fashionistas run out and buy everything bold, remember that even though Vogue may be saying that black and white is right, your personal coloring may be saying otherwise. Not everyone is suited for this combination. If your personal coloring isn’t as optic and bold as a black and white combination, you may look drowned out while wearing it. I know that this is a combination I personally will pass on, because I ain’t that bold (well, at least my coloring isn’t.)
If you don’t have bold personal coloring that is reminiscent of the likes of Paloma Picasso, Snow White or Liv Tyler, and you are thinking “Forget the rules!” I offer you this advice: if you must wear bold, try to avoid it when you want to be noticed (versus what you are wearing.) The truth is, if you have very soft coloring you will be drowned out in something so bold and optic. Another solution is to jump on board with this optic look, only in a softer combination such as brown and white. Lastly, if you must wear the striking combination of black and white, wear it as far away from your face as you can.
Get Waisted
The waist area has been a focal point all the way back to when the obi made it’s debut several years ago; however, this season it is in full force. Jackets are belted 40’s style, dresses are belted, sweaters are belted, everything that will stand still long enough to have a belt slung around it is belted. So now what?
If your waist isn’t your most flattering feature, forget it. Adding a belt to an area that you don’t consider an asset is a no-no. There are lots of trends this fall, and just as I am passing up the optic black and white trend, this may be one for you to sit out. If you are petite and you would like to belt your style this fall, avoid wearing a contrasting-colored belt. Any smart petite woman knows this rule; anytime you cut your outfit up with a contrasted horizontal like a belt, you shorten yourself even more. If you must belt yourself, my petite friends, try to match your belt to your outfit.
Dusting off the Duster
Is it just me, or has the duster jacket been in the background for the past few seasons while the shorty shrunken jacket has gotten all of the attention? Unsure of what a duster jacket is? A duster jacket is a long slim jacket that usually is to the knee in length. I love this jacket style, but again, it isn’t for everyone. Here are some strategies for incorporating the duster into your wardrobe.
Let’s start with all of you petite readers out there. The duster can be anything but a friend to the petite woman. If you are petite and you wear a long jacket, you run the risk of looking shorter. Does this mean that you have to completely forgo the duster? Not really. Keep the jacket slim and the pants you wear underneath narrow. A wide leg pant and a duster jacket is a recipe for disaster. Ultimately you will look squat, as if you are standing in a hole. Go for a more tapered narrow leg, or a boot cut for underneath the duster jacket - and this rule applies even for those of us who are not vertically challenged. The narrower you wear your clothing, the longer and leaner you will look.
The duster is a great hider of sins, in particular the sin that plagues many of us - large thighs. Just hide them underneath the duster jacket and nobody will ever know!
Warm and Fuzzy
It’s all about fur for fall. Now don’t you PETA activists go and get your panties in a knot, I mean faux fur as well. The great thing is that faux fur is fooling everyone because it feels and looks so real, so if you are anti-fur, go with the fake stuff.
Fur this fall is being used as trim, as well as all over. If you aren’t a fur person take on this trend in small doses, for example on the collar of a jacket. But if you are going to buy a jacket with fur on the collar, make sure the fur collar is removable because I guarantee you, you will tire of the fur trim long before you tire of the jacket itself. Make sure to give yourself the option to go with or without.
Modern Town and Country
Town and Country inspired menswear tweeds, checks, houndstooth, and windowpanes are hot for fall, but to avoid looking pedestrian and boring in these classics, pump up your T&C looks with some appealing dichotomies. For example, DKNY partnered a classic houndstooth inspired riding jacket with an embellished skirt; hmmm, interesting. You can also partner these Town and Country-looking fabrics with fur, statement handbags, attention-grabbing color, and more. Don’t just go the boring route with menwear inspired checks and tweeds, have some fun! You can really add personality to what would normally be a boring look.
Throwback to the 40’s
Maybe it is because the belted jacket is back, but the 40’s skirt suit is coming around again. This look is a very feminine way to look professional, but you also run the risk of looking as if you are being costumed for a period piece if you play it too straight. If you are totally into the 40’s look but don’t want to look like Joan Crawford’s stand-in for Mildred Pierce, partner this vintage look with more modern pieces in your handbag, shoe and accessory choices.
Overdone
What can I say, this is the season of over-embellishment. Brocade, beading, sequencing, jacquards, quilting, embroidering, lace - all on one outfit! Okay, maybe it isn’t that extreme, but there is interesting embellishment everywhere. The embellished look is very elegant, ladylike and feminine this fall, so if you are going to embellish, do it responsibly. You don’t want people stopping you on the street because you resemble a palm reader, nor do you want to look as though you belong to a caravan of gypsies.
My recommendation on embellishment in your clothing choices is to do it as an accent, unless you are doing it for evening wear. Choose a focal point for your embellishing, like a great novelty jacket to pop a basic outfit, a great top for under a jacket, your handbag choice, or as a detail on a pant or pair of boots. Choose one embellished focal piece and keep the rest understated.
Mining for Gold
I would never recommend going anywhere in a gold lame top, it is just so - what’s the word? - tacky. But metallic gold is hot for fall. Choose this as an accent in a belt or handbag, as an embellishment detail, or even a metallic pearlized leather jacket.
Metallic gold certainly stands out, so if you choose it keep everything else you are wearing to a minimum.
Full Metal Jacket
Hardware on jackets and belts with a military slant is really popular this season. If you find that being this hardcore looks too heavy, soften the edge with pieces like a soft fluid skirt in a material such as velvet, another popular fabric for fall.
It’s in the bag
Picture this: a sleek sophisticated outfit like a black turtleneck and black pants, or a crisp white shirt and pants that fit like a glove. Nice, but zzzz - oops sorry, I just fell asleep. Punch up your simpler items with a statement handbag. The styles for fall look almost like doctor bags, but with plenty of shiny hardware. Leather is the way to go, and mock crocodile in particular seems to be taking center stage (unless you are Ms. Moneybags and prefer the real thing.)
The Evil Empire
No, I am not referring to Darth Vader, I am talking about empire waistlines. One thing I have found about empire waists is that either people love them or hate them. If you are someone who is more bodacious in the bust area, even if you like the look of empire waistlines I suggest leaving them at the store, because empire waistlines loathe you. Empire waistlines make large-chested ladies look top heavy. In general, when choosing an empire waist ensure that the style still has some shape in the waist area. You shouldn’t look like you are wearing a nightgown.
The Sleek Turtle
With the big flouncy skirt (which was a staple for summer) still being popular for fall, we need the summer season tank top equivalent to wear back with these flowing skirts for fall. The perfect partner is a sleek turtleneck, which creates a stunning silhouette. Whenever you wear something big and fluid on the bottom you always want to wear something sleek and more figure revealing on top, or you run the risk of looking like a huge mountain of fabric.
Cable Crazy
Cable knits are hot this fall. My particular favorite was a gorgeous cabled Brooks Brothers scarf I saw in Vogue with a beautiful horn button closure. Can this be the pashmina replacement that has been lingering for years, refusing to die?
If you are someone who doesn’t want to add bulkiness to your outfits, choose cable knit sweaters that are finer gauge vs. chunky. This rule applies particularly to plus-sized women or those with larger chests.
This is just a smattering of what I saw going on for this fall. Feel free to pick up your own issue of this month’s Vogue Magazine. If you want to figure out the trends on your own, find a space where you can spread everything out, like the floor. Go page by page and start taking note of what you see going on, ripping out the pages and piling them by trend. You may start to see some trends that I didn’t even notice!
Or, if you are someone who just can’t be bothered being that trend conscious, I offer you this advice. Fashion designers already have this job. It is their job to design it and your job to buy it. So sit back and relax and know the job is already being done for you. All you have to do is hit the stores and buy what you like. And lastly, have fun! This is fashion, not brain surgery.
(c) 2005 Bridgette Raes Style GroupSign
up for our weekly newsletter where we not only offer weekly style article written by Bridgette Raes, but also include Style Q&A, Upcoming events, advice from our resident "What To Do Girl", organizing, beauty and financial tips by visiting http://www.bridgetteraes.com/
The September fashion magazines are out, and this is the month that fashion magazines resemble phone books in size. I am not usually an avid Vogue reader, but I always check out September’s issue without fail, because this is the biggest month for showcasing what’s hot for fall. I picked up my issue and immediately starting deconstructing my copy on my living room floor in order to start making sense of all the trends.
I thought you might enjoy some assistance with getting a handle on what the "Style Bible" is saying are must-haves for fall, because it is my guess that many of you don’t have the time to sort it all out like I just did. And unlike many fashion magazines, I will be offering some realistic perspectives on what the style Gods are showing. My biggest frustration with fashion magazines is that they: #1- leave it up to the reader to figure out what to do with all of the information they are bombarding you with; #2 - don’t tell people who lead very real lives what to do with these trends; and #3 - don’t explain which trend is right for whom to follow. Below, I hope to make sense of what I see going on for fall. So on with the show, here is my take on what is “in” this season.
Color
The freshest faces in color I would have to say are the brights: in particular teal; all shades of red from lipstick pink to Bordeaux wine; greens are still strong, but definitely more acidic in hue; and rounding out all the color this fall is bright purple.
Not sure how to wear these shades? There were a few things going on with these colors that I found interesting.
You could go crazy with color, which is the first and most daring combination I saw. This means mixing all of these new colors together, which for many of us is risky and daring. Even Kate Spade showed bright blue stockings with purple heels, but I ask you: Ladies, who is actually going to wear that? My advice to you? Cut the color with some neutrals.
The good thing that I saw about the neutrals for the season is that they went in two completely opposite directions. The first direction was in a warmer, more olive and brown direction, and the other, colder route was wearing these brights with black or grey.
Optic Nerve
After my eyes stopped bugging out from looking at the exploded optic houndstooth patterns that were all over Vogue magazine, I realized that for fall, black and white is right. Optic black and white as a combination is a must-have for fall. Want to really freshen it up? Incorporate some of the brights that are being introduced this season with these optic patterns. Not a houndstooth check fan? Don’t worry, any optic combination of black and white will work.
But wait, before you fashionistas run out and buy everything bold, remember that even though Vogue may be saying that black and white is right, your personal coloring may be saying otherwise. Not everyone is suited for this combination. If your personal coloring isn’t as optic and bold as a black and white combination, you may look drowned out while wearing it. I know that this is a combination I personally will pass on, because I ain’t that bold (well, at least my coloring isn’t.)
If you don’t have bold personal coloring that is reminiscent of the likes of Paloma Picasso, Snow White or Liv Tyler, and you are thinking “Forget the rules!” I offer you this advice: if you must wear bold, try to avoid it when you want to be noticed (versus what you are wearing.) The truth is, if you have very soft coloring you will be drowned out in something so bold and optic. Another solution is to jump on board with this optic look, only in a softer combination such as brown and white. Lastly, if you must wear the striking combination of black and white, wear it as far away from your face as you can.
Get Waisted
The waist area has been a focal point all the way back to when the obi made it’s debut several years ago; however, this season it is in full force. Jackets are belted 40’s style, dresses are belted, sweaters are belted, everything that will stand still long enough to have a belt slung around it is belted. So now what?
If your waist isn’t your most flattering feature, forget it. Adding a belt to an area that you don’t consider an asset is a no-no. There are lots of trends this fall, and just as I am passing up the optic black and white trend, this may be one for you to sit out. If you are petite and you would like to belt your style this fall, avoid wearing a contrasting-colored belt. Any smart petite woman knows this rule; anytime you cut your outfit up with a contrasted horizontal like a belt, you shorten yourself even more. If you must belt yourself, my petite friends, try to match your belt to your outfit.
Dusting off the Duster
Is it just me, or has the duster jacket been in the background for the past few seasons while the shorty shrunken jacket has gotten all of the attention? Unsure of what a duster jacket is? A duster jacket is a long slim jacket that usually is to the knee in length. I love this jacket style, but again, it isn’t for everyone. Here are some strategies for incorporating the duster into your wardrobe.
Let’s start with all of you petite readers out there. The duster can be anything but a friend to the petite woman. If you are petite and you wear a long jacket, you run the risk of looking shorter. Does this mean that you have to completely forgo the duster? Not really. Keep the jacket slim and the pants you wear underneath narrow. A wide leg pant and a duster jacket is a recipe for disaster. Ultimately you will look squat, as if you are standing in a hole. Go for a more tapered narrow leg, or a boot cut for underneath the duster jacket - and this rule applies even for those of us who are not vertically challenged. The narrower you wear your clothing, the longer and leaner you will look.
The duster is a great hider of sins, in particular the sin that plagues many of us - large thighs. Just hide them underneath the duster jacket and nobody will ever know!
Warm and Fuzzy
It’s all about fur for fall. Now don’t you PETA activists go and get your panties in a knot, I mean faux fur as well. The great thing is that faux fur is fooling everyone because it feels and looks so real, so if you are anti-fur, go with the fake stuff.
Fur this fall is being used as trim, as well as all over. If you aren’t a fur person take on this trend in small doses, for example on the collar of a jacket. But if you are going to buy a jacket with fur on the collar, make sure the fur collar is removable because I guarantee you, you will tire of the fur trim long before you tire of the jacket itself. Make sure to give yourself the option to go with or without.
Modern Town and Country
Town and Country inspired menswear tweeds, checks, houndstooth, and windowpanes are hot for fall, but to avoid looking pedestrian and boring in these classics, pump up your T&C looks with some appealing dichotomies. For example, DKNY partnered a classic houndstooth inspired riding jacket with an embellished skirt; hmmm, interesting. You can also partner these Town and Country-looking fabrics with fur, statement handbags, attention-grabbing color, and more. Don’t just go the boring route with menwear inspired checks and tweeds, have some fun! You can really add personality to what would normally be a boring look.
Throwback to the 40’s
Maybe it is because the belted jacket is back, but the 40’s skirt suit is coming around again. This look is a very feminine way to look professional, but you also run the risk of looking as if you are being costumed for a period piece if you play it too straight. If you are totally into the 40’s look but don’t want to look like Joan Crawford’s stand-in for Mildred Pierce, partner this vintage look with more modern pieces in your handbag, shoe and accessory choices.
Overdone
What can I say, this is the season of over-embellishment. Brocade, beading, sequencing, jacquards, quilting, embroidering, lace - all on one outfit! Okay, maybe it isn’t that extreme, but there is interesting embellishment everywhere. The embellished look is very elegant, ladylike and feminine this fall, so if you are going to embellish, do it responsibly. You don’t want people stopping you on the street because you resemble a palm reader, nor do you want to look as though you belong to a caravan of gypsies.
My recommendation on embellishment in your clothing choices is to do it as an accent, unless you are doing it for evening wear. Choose a focal point for your embellishing, like a great novelty jacket to pop a basic outfit, a great top for under a jacket, your handbag choice, or as a detail on a pant or pair of boots. Choose one embellished focal piece and keep the rest understated.
Mining for Gold
I would never recommend going anywhere in a gold lame top, it is just so - what’s the word? - tacky. But metallic gold is hot for fall. Choose this as an accent in a belt or handbag, as an embellishment detail, or even a metallic pearlized leather jacket.
Metallic gold certainly stands out, so if you choose it keep everything else you are wearing to a minimum.
Full Metal Jacket
Hardware on jackets and belts with a military slant is really popular this season. If you find that being this hardcore looks too heavy, soften the edge with pieces like a soft fluid skirt in a material such as velvet, another popular fabric for fall.
It’s in the bag
Picture this: a sleek sophisticated outfit like a black turtleneck and black pants, or a crisp white shirt and pants that fit like a glove. Nice, but zzzz - oops sorry, I just fell asleep. Punch up your simpler items with a statement handbag. The styles for fall look almost like doctor bags, but with plenty of shiny hardware. Leather is the way to go, and mock crocodile in particular seems to be taking center stage (unless you are Ms. Moneybags and prefer the real thing.)
The Evil Empire
No, I am not referring to Darth Vader, I am talking about empire waistlines. One thing I have found about empire waists is that either people love them or hate them. If you are someone who is more bodacious in the bust area, even if you like the look of empire waistlines I suggest leaving them at the store, because empire waistlines loathe you. Empire waistlines make large-chested ladies look top heavy. In general, when choosing an empire waist ensure that the style still has some shape in the waist area. You shouldn’t look like you are wearing a nightgown.
The Sleek Turtle
With the big flouncy skirt (which was a staple for summer) still being popular for fall, we need the summer season tank top equivalent to wear back with these flowing skirts for fall. The perfect partner is a sleek turtleneck, which creates a stunning silhouette. Whenever you wear something big and fluid on the bottom you always want to wear something sleek and more figure revealing on top, or you run the risk of looking like a huge mountain of fabric.
Cable Crazy
Cable knits are hot this fall. My particular favorite was a gorgeous cabled Brooks Brothers scarf I saw in Vogue with a beautiful horn button closure. Can this be the pashmina replacement that has been lingering for years, refusing to die?
If you are someone who doesn’t want to add bulkiness to your outfits, choose cable knit sweaters that are finer gauge vs. chunky. This rule applies particularly to plus-sized women or those with larger chests.
This is just a smattering of what I saw going on for this fall. Feel free to pick up your own issue of this month’s Vogue Magazine. If you want to figure out the trends on your own, find a space where you can spread everything out, like the floor. Go page by page and start taking note of what you see going on, ripping out the pages and piling them by trend. You may start to see some trends that I didn’t even notice!
Or, if you are someone who just can’t be bothered being that trend conscious, I offer you this advice. Fashion designers already have this job. It is their job to design it and your job to buy it. So sit back and relax and know the job is already being done for you. All you have to do is hit the stores and buy what you like. And lastly, have fun! This is fashion, not brain surgery.
(c) 2005 Bridgette Raes Style GroupSign
up for our weekly newsletter where we not only offer weekly style article written by Bridgette Raes, but also include Style Q&A, Upcoming events, advice from our resident "What To Do Girl", organizing, beauty and financial tips by visiting http://www.bridgetteraes.com/
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