|
|
Vintage-Inspired Designs Lead Fall, Winter Look
|
 LaMont Jones - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
A yearning for yesteryear has gripped fashion for the past several years, and nostalgia appears to influence the American style scape even more as fall lines arrive.
For women, the mod influence and '40s-inspired looks translate into higher hemlines, waist-defining silhouettes, wider pant legs and trapeze cuts. Black tights, peep-toe pumps, patent leather bags and long gloves are chic finishing touches.
For men, dark and distressed denims and more aggressive color are interesting transitions while suits become leaner -- shorter jackets, more tailored pants and an overall look that's European in fit and feel.
For both, vintage-inspired designs with a modern twist turn ordinary looks into head-turning ensembles. Metallic gleam and chunky knits give a sense of the past colliding with the future while combinations of black, brown, gray and purple provide by far the most intriguing color themes.
Patricia Goettel, owner of Patricia Boutique in Pittsburgh, sees something in the latest crop of fall and winter womenswear that she has never before observed.
"I'm seeing an almost mirror image of the Hollywood icon look, like Lana Turner and Katharine Hepburn," she said. "But I'm also seeing the French cafe chic in the '30s. It's a season where the tailoring is extremely important, but the bonus is, it's actually feminine clothing, and that's a tough combination to do. It's beautiful. It crosses ethnicities and generations -- and all price points."
Looks are accessible to everyone, with boutiques offering more eclectic options while discount chains such as Target and Kohl's step up their game to provide at lower prices the same stylish looks offered by standard-bearers such as Neiman-Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue.
American womenswear designers were differently inspired, but their visions tend to complement. Monique Lhuillier spoke of an architecture-inspired "industrial chic," Reem Acra experimented with "modern decadence" to "indulge your senses" and Pegah Anvarian channeled the black, grays, purples and metallics of urban landscapes to create ensembles that are "an homage to the cosmopolitan women out and about the city at night."
Femininity abounds, from bubble hems and embellished sheer overlays on gowns and cocktail dresses to menswear fabrics reinterpreted for compelling womenswear statements. Though relaxed, there's nothing boyish about the new looks, from tweed suits and houndstooth capes to plaid and pinstripe pumps by Steve Madden at ShoeMall.com.
The season's widely diverse choices could make dressing difficult. However, those who do it right will exhibit elegance and sophistication from the tops of their felt fedoras to the bottoms of their high-heeled ankle boots.
"Women everywhere are going to be indulging in pieces that will give them a refined look," said Marshalls' style expert Amy Cafazzo. "Although the trend is classic, you'll have a very modern, in-season look if you infuse a few new pieces."
Retro is a major theme in menswear this fall and winter. Bold graphics and architecture-inspired prints and designs -- flashbacks to the '70s and '80s -- have picked up steam from past seasons. It's evident in everything from sweaters and shirts to jackets and shoes.
"Distressed leather has been on the upswing for a couple of years now," said Alison Sokolove, menswear fashion editor with Tobe, a New York trend analyst firm. "It's that re-created vintage look. What goes around comes around, taking vintage styles and updating it with newer fabrics."
While fashion often sees women's looks inspired by menswear -- an especially strong trend this fall and winter -- clothes for the fellows this time around contain metallic elements and other crossovers from womenswear. The result is as subtle as metallic threading in a sweater or as overt as D&G's silver motocross jacket.
Diesel pushes the envelope with fashion-forward men's motorcycle boots in gleaming shades of gold, silver and copper that indicate just how trend-sensitive men's fashion is becoming.
LaMont Jones can be reached at ljones(at)post-gazette.com. For more stories visit scrippsnews.com |
|
|
|
|
|
| Bill & Amy's Question of the Week |
|
|
|
|
