Fall Fashion
Fall fashion has an uncanny way of being outwardly cruel, especially in places with warm climates like Orange County. New, plump sweaters and thick leather boots just sit in their wearer’s closet, cackling madly at the ninety degree weather, taunting their owners with price tags still attached, much like a raw steak held above a pack of rabid coyotes.
We wait impatiently for the weather to cool, and in the meantime, attempt to try out our new fall coats and cool corduroy slacks despite the crusty leftovers of summer’s brutal weather. Sadly, there rarely occurs the soothing cloud cover and blustering winds we had so desperately hoped for, and we just end up sweating and cursing the heat.
However, we can try to view this situation optimistically.
It is our responsibility as warriors of fashion to embrace our limitations and use this extra time to study what we really should be wearing this fall, rather than becoming one of those sad individuals who display questionable style morals and are regularly shot for sport at fashion shows.
New and exciting trends have risen from the ashes of last year’s styles and are back with a vengeance, leaving us no option but to take firm hold of these new choices and make them our own. The war has begun; which side will you join?
The world of women’s fashion has taken classic shapes and updated them, as it so often does, via innovative fabrics, trims, and styling. High waistlines, which tried to break out last season, but with limited success, take center stage this fall on everything from floaty floral skirts, to flirty minis, to slouchy trousers. Skintight pants and second-skin leggings have experienced a revival as well, but are made fresh by being paired with rugged items such as clunky boots and utilitarian-inspired coats. Ethnic scarves and statement necklaces are a quick and easy way to update your look, and are expected to become increasingly popular.
New ways to layer can make old items seem new. Try slipping a flimsy skirt underneath a dress for a flirty petticoat effect, or go for a thicker pair of leggings or tights in an unexpected color, such as forest green.
Men’s fashion will experience some changes as well, in the form of cleverly updated classics. Everyday jeans have gone to the dark side, embracing inky black hues in contrast to the timeless indigo blue so commonly seen today. Dressy blazers are made street-worthy with the use of different fabric choices, such as soft jersey, which in turn offers a formal look with the comfort of a sweatshirt. Simple button-up shirts are given some texture by the use thicker flannel materials in cool, muted plaid prints. Sweaters and vests embrace functionality and simplicity by maintaining clean lines, yet are made novel with graphic stripes and prints. Trousers have remained slim in their fits, and jackets seem to haven taken the hint and will soon be following suit with slimmer, more flattering cuts on favorite basics such as peacoats and blazers. T-shirts remain a staple item, and are graced with tattoo-like prints, unique acid wash treatments, and even deeper v-necklines. Men’s shoes have stepped away from the usual sneaker or flip-flop choices, and are branching out into more formal territories through the use of vintage-inspired dress shoes and boots that convey a European flair.
Enjoy these trends while they last, as their lifespan will be abruptly cut short when winter rolls around with a slew of innovative updates.