New York City is still the fashion capital of the world, and we just had our ‘Fall Fashion Week’. Of course, for the most part it already features spring 2012 but, rest assured, for fall we are still into the ‘Mad Men’ look of the 1950’s to 1980’s. Now, with Caroline Kennedy’s book about her mother, Jacqueline’s, interviews, and all the publicity about it, I am sure we will see more ‘Jackie O’ looks, as well.
Fashion always seems to follow the news … be it economical, political, cultural or entertainment. This season will be no different. Styles are the most glamorous and varied that we’ve seen in a long time. Undoubtedly, this is due to the economy. Remember the ‘Roaring 20’s’? The economy was worse then than it is now. So, on to the glamorous fashions of the ‘Roaring 21st Century’!
We are back to furs … (okay, if you want to stick to faux), feathers and sumptuous fabrics. Not just silk, satin and lace, but new iridescent, shimmery metallic looks. Also, the ongoing favorite, animal prints are more popular now than ever. Feathers seem to have replaced ruffles, and color blocks, leather and lace combinations abound. Everything is much more feminine than it has been in years. Even if you wear a man-tailored suit, adding a fur scarf, feathered tie or python-print shoes and bag makes that suit look very feminine. As always, we are adding the warning: ‘Do not use all of the above in one outfit.’ You don’t want to look like you just escaped from the zoo or the circus!
Evening wear is all shimmery and sexy. As we mentioned before, leather and lace have been combined in a super-feminine and exotic way. Think lace blouse, solid colored or block print leather skirt and animal print high boots. Fur-trimmed vests and scarves are being styled for both daytime and evening.
The colors this fall are all ‘gem’ tones … amethyst, ruby, sapphire and emerald. These colors are especially chic if you are not doing feathers or furs. For the most part, bright gem tones are a ‘stand-alone’ style, and shouldn’t be accessorized too much. If you opt for more ‘flash’, perhaps an animal print shoe or bag would work, but don’t introduce more prints or colors. What with the fabulous faux jewels which you can find on just about any corner in Manhattan, and certainly all boutiques and department stores, you don’t have to be a millionaire to look like one!!
The best part of this entire fashion scene is that every retailer, (and we mean all stores in all price ranges) from JC Penney to Saks Fifth Avenue and boutiques in-between are featuring the above looks. You can buy a fur trimmed scarf for under $50 at Penney’s or Loehmann’s, or a $5,000 one at Saks or Bergdorf’s. So go shopping at your favorite store, and have fun this fall!
