trend : cocooning

My teacher brought up something interesting today regarding trending - that every decade or so, immediately following the decade, is a "cocooning year" - making 2011, the year after a new decade, one of them. Cocooning years indicate wanting to stay in, dress cozy, and wrap yourself with gigantic knitted things.

Obviously one of the biggest trends in cocooning is the infinity scarf - especially the oversized long versions that hug your neck and chin and keep you very warm. They are very comforting to wear. Something I have been noticing with sweaters lately is silhouetting in a literal interpretation of a cocoon - a circular shape in the back, loose slouchy sleeves, and an open front that dips back to form a "cocoon" shape around the body. The effect is very beautiful, actually. And I just bought one today in a light heather gray! Can't wait to snuggle up in it.

jil sander spring 2011 rtw

Minimalism, maximalism, and "couture gigantism" are all things that can describe what may be the show of the year. Taking couture extremes but doing them in a minimal way is really, really hard, and the color pairing Raf Simons used for his show is genius. I absolutely love the proportions and that one floral print! And I love nothing more than clean, sharp lines in a beautiful, rich palette.

There is something so breathtaking and unfussy about this collection. It's finally a colorful minimalistic collection, just what this season was lacking. The separates are all smart and new feeling, and there's something to say about an evening gown that simple - it seems to speak volumes over other more complicated dresses. Well done, Simons.

beauty : herringbone braid

Braids have been a growing trend in beauty in the past season or two, first with crown braids or a single plait down the back, and now the complicated-but-easy herringbone braid is making a comeback. Stars like Leona Lewis, Blake Lively, and Diane Kruger have been updating the trend by making it messy - instead of satisfying a braid's stereotype of being uptight and clean, they tease the hair before braiding and pull out little pieces to make it look a little "undone". The result looks effortlessly cool.

The Dior Fall RTW 2010 show updated the look a bit by teasing the upper part of the hair for an extreme undone version.

To do the "new" herringbone braid (or fishtail braid), this works best done at the side of the head. Section your hair into two parts, and take a small pinch of hair from the outside of the first section, and bring it over to join the other section. Then, repeat - with the other section, take a pinch of hair and bring it over to join the first section. You are basically swapping the outside parts of the two segments, so they can make the cool criss-cross shape down the middle of the braid. For a photo tutorial, look here.

So why is this look so cool? The effect is soft and romantic, especially with sweeping, loose bangs and a slightly messy plait. It is a fresh way to wear your hair in a very traditional style. It also works on a variety of hair lengths (and thin hair, too - my normally thin braid actually improves in this style because I can pull it apart and tease it).

trend : modern white

Another trend this spring is white - head to toe. While it seems that this could be very plain, the overall effect is very, very modern - and opens a door for new textures, interesting silhouettes, or complex layering.

Acne shows how white can be multidimensional with sheers, layering pieces, and interesting textural detail. The clear shoes are also beyond cool - and a further nod to minimalism, catch the bare faces!


White feels elegant at Erin Fetherston with minimalistic yet feminine detail.


Doo.Ri plays makes volume look completely new by sticking to a head to toe white palette.

I'm having a hard time finding examples of this to show how to make it work runway-to-reality because, the truth is, it is a difficult look to pull off. So much of the fashion world relies on the head-to-toe black look that white feels like a risk - you are ten times as likely to be noticed. The trick is also in the pieces you wear - the trend really isn't about wearing just a single white dress, but about wearing white pants with a white blouse with a white jacket. An easy way to start (and you can get some examples of this clicking through the rest of the Doo.Ri show, and many others that did all white looks) is by mixing white with nudes. Try white pants, a nude blouse, and a white jacket, or any other combination. The result is something a little softer but still close to home. For the ultimate minimalist, keep accessories neutral as well, sticking to nude shoes or clear plastic accents. But if you want the opposite effect, a bold accent color is always a fun way to go!

trend : high graphic impact

One blatantly obvious trend for spring 2011 that has been screaming in my face since beginning to look through the shows is graphics. In all shapes and forms (and colors and repeats and scales), there is a huge amount of pattern mixing, graphic designs printed onto fabric, and geometric shapes in bold colors.

Bold black and white at David Koma


Mixed micro florals and lace at Erdem (I also love the crown braid)


Complex graphic pattern at Holly Fulton


Printed fabric at Peter Pilotto

Interesting how this trend contrasts the gauzy, soft looks that will also be making a statement this season. Now if we could only find a show that mixed the two ...

fall 2010

The fashion schedule is always ahead, and sometimes this drives me crazy. Right now I am ready to think about what to wear for this coming fall season, but the runways are showing spring 2011. Which means, in order to go back and remember what was even popular for the next few months, I have to go back in my files about two seasons. But no matter - it is now time to start thinking about the fall season, for this year currently happening, so - what was popular? Here are a few of my favorite looks from the fall 2010 RTW shows, and how they will play into the trends this year.

J Mendel

Fur is going to be very big for fall, and the greatest news is that faux fur made a big debut down the runway as well. Since layering is key this fall, a fur vest is a perfect way to transition a summery dress into the cooler months.

Collette Dinnigan

Fancy elegance with a touch of modernized Baroque also showed its face on the runway this season. Shimmering gold dresses, silver foil fabrics, embellishments, and anything that screamed luxe was seen in abundance. Collette Dinnigan (one of my absolute favorite designers) handled this trend very well - after a season of everyone else doing beige, she gave us just enough decadence without going over the top. Looks like we are making our way out of the bad economy ... or at least, we could fool people into thinking so.

Chloé

The menswear touch is still going strong this season, but updated in the new it-neutral: camel. In more minimalistic, clean pieces, camel brings a soft femininity into wide-legged trousers, pantsuits, long wool coats, and floaty blouses. And because of its ability to stand by any color, camel is extremely versatile as a neutral hue. The photo on the left is one of my favorites from this season - maybe I will try to recreate these pants in the future.

Those above are just the trends I am most looking forward to for fall - but don't dismiss a few newer, more difficult trends as well: head-to-toe dressing in one color (or various shades of that color - and no, I'm not talking black), floor-length skirts for day wear, and our first peek into the resurgence of the 1950s (leopard, bustiers, little cardigans with belts). The 50s is going to be huge for spring 2011, so that trend is just beginning.

obsession : leggings

My friends all know I am obsessed with leggings, and I do wear "leggings as pants" and have decided that since I am a fashion major I am allowed to make calls on these such things. I remember when leggings first "came out" in high school and I thought they were an abomination. However, they were usually brown and below the knee and worn with jean skirts, so anyone would have thought so. But then I started casually adding leggings to skirts and dresses (I can't believe I did that, either, since I can't stand anything under skirts or dresses now but tights. Since I wear "leggings as pants" its like wearing pants under a dress to me.) Yet now, leggings have made wonderful advances so that they actually look like clothing, not just athletic gear you "left on" after going to the gym or long johns or what have you. Lindsay Lohan, believe it or not, helped make this contribution to the fashion world, but don't expect too much more.

The rule with leggings has always been, among my friends, to cover your rear end. You can wear them as pants, with a longer top. You cannot wear them like jeans, with a short t-shirt. You can wear them with a baggy sweatshirt. You cannot wear them with a short sweater. And so on. And the main reason for these things is the tragic translucency of leggings when you drop things and have to pick them up, or sit down, or move in any way.

And then Balenciaga Spring 2007 RTW brought in a whole new standard.

Leggings have obviously gotten more creative. Now you can find them with tiny studs going up the sides like a seam, or in sequined fabrics, or interesting textures and colors (or in the ever popular "wet look" style to mimic leather). I personally am dying to design a pair of princess-seamed leggings in a really thick, almost neoprene-like sporty material for winter. But leggings can be really intimidating - you can't just wear any shoe with them (and most certainly not Uggs, either, please) and the length of the shirt where it hits your thigh is of utmost importance. I happen to feel that the more interesting the leggings, the more they can verge on "pants".

The "leather" leggings are, in my mind, the most acceptable to wear like you would pants. The material is thick enough to be substantial, so you can get away with more. Plus, they just look cool and edgy. There aren't really many rules for these - just keep the outfits simpler, since you have half your body covered in shiny fabric, and toughen it up to keep it from looking like a mistake.


Plain jersey leggings, on the other hand, need a little more coverage (and they don't have to be just black). Notice the hemlines of the tops in these pictures - they hit around the widest part of the hips, or, are long enough to cover what is needed. If you do insist on going with a shorter shirt, though, just layer it with a longer sweater or cropped jacket so your outfit can have a little substance. The key here is proportion - since the silhouette hugs the figure on the bottom half, keep things looser on top.


Speaking of keeping things looser on top, leggings look awesome with coats. In a perfect world, you could keep your coat on all day but we all know that can't happen. But the reason it works is just because of proportion.


And of course, patterned leggings offer a whole new variety of options. I prefer looks like these where the leggings are the main spectacle - graphic prints, laces, what have you.

Leggings aren't for everybody, but they aren't impossible or intimidating either. It can take a bold person to wear leggings correctly, and an even bolder person to wear acid-wash tie-dye leggings correctly (and I do know someone who makes that work) - but leggings are slowly (or actually, quickly) transitioning into a wardrobe staple much like a good pair of jeans and riding boots have always been, at least in my closet. Now jeggings are a completely different species - because they are "jeans" you can treat them so. And by jeggings, I mean denim-ish legging pants that have flat-felled inseams, back pockets, and a (possibly fake but not always) fly front. I won't go there today, but they follow the same rules in my book - proportion matters.

I finally, finally bought a new pair of leggings, might I add. My old pair had a hole in the knee from crossing my legs under a table with something sharp and pointy under it. I hand sewed it shut and every time I put them on it felt like a little scar in the fabric and drove me crazy. Further holes developed. It was time. Now I just need a red pair, and a graphic black and white pair, and ...

spray-on fabric

Ok, I was going to be done for the day and then I saw this:

Spray-on clothing. Developed by Spanish fashion designer Manel Torres, he has found a way to cross-link fibers of plastic and cotton so that they can be sprayed, in color, directly onto the body. Once the fibers have met with air, they harden into a fabric. The result is a very cobweb-like, delicate material that you can wear again, or dissolve back into a spray and recreate. Interesting, no?

It brings some interesting ideas to the table. For example, it puts new meaning to recycling clothing - rather than giving it away to someone or repurposing it into something new, you literally break it down and start again, sort of like unraveling a knitted sweater and making a hat out of it instead (something I did this summer). It also has the possibility to be repaired - you wear it a bunch of times, a hole develops, and you grab a bottle of spray-on fabric and the hole is now gone. While the technology to repair a hole in pre-made (or, not sprayed on) fabrics doesn't exist yet, it certainly opens the door to that being a possibility in the future. Check out the site here for more information and some videos of the process being done!