Now that budgets are tight, women are buying only key fashion items. They are looking for
clothes and accessories for their wardrobe that equate to quality, chic style and value for
money.
If you want to invest in just a handful of this autumn's new
pieces, then look to the
main silhouette trend for garments.
In Winter 2010 we are going to see an increased popularity for
well defined shoulder lines and statement sleeves. To this basic
profile add some
assertive
footwear such as slim leg over-knee boots, studded footwear,
ankle boots or flat
brogues. Choose quality items in superior materials, and then wear those
pieces with panache.
Autumn 2009 also sees the animalistic fashion
trend continue.
Vibrant colours mix easily with pattern, print
and all offer contrast with the severe understated sober
neutrals that are the panacea to
credit crunch restricted
wardrobe budgets.
Invest in clothes with well defined shoulders.
Left - Posen Catwalk Outfit with very noticeably defined
shoulders.
Right - High street answer -
Miss Selfridge, has garments
like this bronze jacket right that have bold, but sleek structured shoulders that are so now.
In this Miss Selfridge jacket right, you can see three fashion trends in one garment - Metallic bronze copper fabric,
showy zip placement and well defined peak shoulder.
Right - Miss
Selfridge Autumn/Winter 2009-2010 - Gold/Bronze Structured Shouldered
Jacket With Diagonal Zip - £110.
Don't make the mistake of thinking wider shoulder definition means
shoulders in 80's
Dynasty/Dallas style. Oh no - the new shoulder is
purposefully sharp, sculpted and fuller, the resulting outline
is almost PAGODA like, but
it is not NFL
footballer. Not yet anyway!
The
Balmania line is the new must-have of the season.
The new shoulder direction comes from designers like Antonio Bernardi, Dolce and Gabbana and of course
Christophe Decarnin at Balmain.
Right - Balmain Iris Blue Blouse at Harvey Nichols, AW09.
You may recall the rock chick
denim/military braided jacket
from Balmain, a line that set this trend off. It really has produced a new sharply
streamlined shoulder silhouette that looks set to stay for a few
years.
The sharp shoulder is clearly a fashion trend to
buy into now.
A Balmain line shoulder makes the rock-chick look actually
appear expensive. For the overall fashionable look, think razor
sharp shoulders, leather studs or biker straps and some token
hair backcombing.
Mass
producers have been working toward a wider
more architectural shoulder for many fashion lines. This grey
tweed mix coat shown left is from Warehouse and the structured
shoulder design has
clearly been influenced by shoulders seen at Balmain and other
top design houses.
Left - Warehouse 'English Eccentrics' - Tweed Coat £100/130
Jumper Dress £65/75, Leggings £14/18, Bag £80/104 Scarf
£22/25.
All Warehouse Autumn 2009 - Winter 2010.
Design house Balmain was not alone in tackling a new
architectural shoulder. Other designers like duo Dolce and Gabbana
have led the pursuit for more sleeve variety with their the
fuller bigger ornate puffed sleeve.
This Dolce&Gabbana silver and black bold check dress
right, with its leg of mutton sleeves defines the shoulder. Yet
it also shows a firm grip on keeping the body and lower
arms slender in silhouette.
There is a wide range of structured sleeves, look out for
classic leg-of-mutton and other blowsy puff sleeve styles to add
to your wardrobe.
The Louis Vuitton autumn 2009 advertising campaign is
promoting a bag, and the model is dressed in a wonderful puce dress with raised head puff sleeves.
Nicole Farhi was one of many designers
who toyed with both the fullness at the shoulder and width at
the lower cuff. As usual, retailers have
absorbed some of these touches into their autumn collections.
This warm olive dress far right is from Marks & Spencer's
Christmas 2009 selection. It features a distorted zebra animal print
in such an unexpected colour way. The sleeve is an important
focal point for the simply cut dress.
Wear it in a similar manner
to the black dress shown left and from Warehouse. Notice the
similar very wearable more modest necklines.
Right - Limited Collection AW2009 Warm Olive Abstract Zebra
Print Dress at Marks & Spencer,
£49.50 - Due November.
Left - Warehouse 80's Black Dress £65/75, Tights £8/10, Bag
£120/156 all Warehouse Autumn Winter 2009-10.
The wider shoulder has the effect of suggesting masculine
strength, whilst emphasising smaller, more feminine areas, like the
waist or wrists. Everyone knows the desirability of a woman in a
man's oversized shirt, and the loose roomy boyfriend jacket
follows this trend.
Masculine cuts create Boyfriend Blazers, and its easy to push
up sleeves on these jackets to give a touch of feminine balance.
Some boyfriend jackets have a contrast sleeve lining, so turning
the sleeve back or flicking the collar up adds a flirtatious touch.
Designers often turn to menswear for inspiration, and the
boyfriend blazer is a typical choice, yet no sooner have they
selected this as a statement piece they soften it up. The
easiest way is to use glitzy fabric mainly associated with
women.
Enter the sequin blazer, the brocade blazer or the
gold/copper/bronze lamι
blazer.
Right - River Island Clothing Co. Ltd AW09 - Ondine Silver
Grey Sequinned Blazer £69.99, Grey Marl Shoulder Pad T £16.99,
Black Military Boots £59.99, Multilink Necklace £39.99, Tilly
Waistcoat £24.99. All River Island Clothing Co. Ltd AW09.
Golden glimmer, burnished bronze, or olive glossy
surfaces create rich fantastical looks of molten mirror
shine.
An easy way to tune to this shimmering metallic look is to
buy golden footwear, shiny bags, headwear or mirror shine
molten legwear. Better still, add some dull sequins in a jacket piece.
This will be an easier option for many than the alternative of
sequin leggings.
These sequin blazers, which are available at Warehouse and Topshop, are
a reminder of Gucci 1980s in-you-face glamour. When teamed
with heavy satins, fluid silks, luxury laser cut velvet or
metallic lace fabrics, then sequins add instant disco 80s luxury
and romance to your wardrobe.
Left - Antik Batik at House of Fraser - Gold Sequin Jacket.
Right - Gold Sequin Boyfriend Blazer £80/125, Leather
Skinny Trousers £110/175, Studded Bracelet £20/3. DP
COLLECTION - AW 09 (OCTOBER)- DP COLLECTION @ Dorothy Perkins.
Brocade in Dresses & Coats
»
Designers such as Dolce Gabbana sent brocade decked beauties
down the catwalk wearing opulent silk brocade dresses and jackets
that glowed with glorious glamour. Also on the runway were
regal bustier dresses
sporting the pompadour mini skirt effects of a round lampshade and puff
sleeve extensions. Marni also showed old gold brocade shift like
embellished dresses with ornate neckline focus.
Quilted silks or brocades
look novel when teamed with
contrasting textures of leather accessories. These
opulent gold fabrics make even more glam with highly wrought jewellery
pieces
and an intricate headpiece. Marc Jacobs and his Louis
Vuitton collection was all romantic glamour, which nodded to eighties
Parisian ruffled allure.
But if you don't see yourself as a sequin wearer, maybe a
simple cover up like this coloured animal print cardigan far
right is your
answer.
This classic animal print sea green and black cardigan has
been inspired by runway looks from Dolce&Gabbana. The cardigan
is a Tesco F&F Green Leopard Print Cardigan £14 from the Tesco Autumn 2009 Womenswear
F&F Collection.
Animalistic looks and zebra print this year are often digitised
giving the prints an edgy touch.
The animal prints are made in both natural animal tan, camel, or
black and white tones. You will also see a more modern look when
bright colours are used for the prints.
Left - Miss Selfridge Tunic Tops. Coloured animal prints from
Miss Selfridge Autumn/Winter 2009 Collections.
Coats, biker bomber jackets, gilets, macs, umbrellas, bags
footwear and chubby coats all feature animal prints. But some of
the newest looks are in colours.
Leather is a strong challenger as
an alternative material to replace this decade's fascination with animal
prints, but Mongolian fur is possibly a very close contender and
it is currently a top material for constructing gilets or chubby
fur jackets.
Gilets have been one trend that won't
lie down and die this decade. Gilets
enable layering to be lifted to an art form. This year the
combination of over-the-knee boots, gilets or other sleeveless
coats make for eye-catching
tiered looks.
Above Left - Dior Catwalk Look - Luxury Bustier Laced Gilet.
Above Centre Left - Phillip Lim Mongolian Shearling Gilet £695
- Phillip Lim Silk Blend Ruffle Dress £625. Both at Harvey
Nichols
Above Centre Right - Lauren Cream Embroidered Fur Trimmed Gilet.
Far
Right - Olive Green Gilet from Bhs Autumn Winter 09 Womenswear
Vanilla Sands.
Blouse - £22. Faux Fur Trim Gilet - £35.
The short fur gilet, which many find so convenient to pop on for a
quick trip to the supermarket, will not
go away. It's had a similar ongoing impact to the
Boho gypsy skirt
of the early/mid noughties.
The gilet is modern version of the waistcoat and
1970s maxi waistcoat. Dependent on
the season, the gilet re-emerges each year either as fur, velvet,
sheepskin leather or quilted down filled puffa versions.
The purpose is simple - they provide an extra layer, and we are
now all mistresses of layering.
Left - Marisota Autumn Winter 2009 - Gilet, from £25, Jersey
Waistcoat, from £22, White shirt (pack of 2) from £25, Jeans,
from £27, Boots, £80.
One change this year is the rise of much longer fur gilets.
Maybe we have simply become used to the art of layering.
Right - Long Black Toscana Lamb Gilet by Miss Sixty - Worn with black lace
hosiery and over the knee boots.
Today faux fur can look very effective as a whole garment as
well as a fake fur hem or collar trim. Fake fur has come a long way since the early
versions of Modacrylics.
Because they are ecologically sustainable celebrities often favour coats and gilets
made from Mongolian lamb wool, or
to use its other name, Tibetan lamb
wool.
Faux fur is a high street favourite, and it is used for short
chubby and cropped jackets as well as hemline, cuff and collar
trims on tweedier longer coats.
Left - Lauren White Tibetan Lamb Coat.
Centre Left - Debenhams Autumn/Winter 2009 Womenswear Star by
Julien Macdonald Chinchilla Long Faux Fur Coat £70/109.
Centre Right - Monsoon Autumn/Winter 2009-10 Originals-
Brown Originals Carrington Fur Coat £150/254 Eire,
Right - Wallis Autumn Winter 09 - Fur Jacket, £75/86, Lime
Shell Top, £40/46.
Fur and animal fur prints are also used for bags as well as umbrellas,
footwear and hats. See more on the Accessories page.
Above Left - Leopard Print Bag with Gold Lock £175/210 by
Episode at House of Fraser.
Above Right - Faux Fur Bowling Bag £89/107 by Linea Womenswear
& Accessories AW09 at House of Fraser.
The natural fabric for a biker jacket is leather. However, leather
has also been used this season for the wet look of slinky body
con leather pants and especially of form fitting black leather
dresses.
If you buy
leather clothing for fashion's sake, rather than
biking, make
sure the leather is butter-soft. This is even more important
if your choice is suede. Soft draping jackets in coloured suede
have been copied by many manufacturers, with the easy
carelessness of waterfall jackets giving them the fashion factor.
Above Left - Waterfall Leather Jacket £125 -
Littlewoods AW09 Clothing & Footwear.
Above Centre - Nicole Farhi (at John Lewis) Luxury Grey Leather
Jacket - £800.
Above Right -
Limited Collection Waterfall Leather Jacket - £149
- Marks & Spencer Autumn Winter 2009.
It's not just leather that is worked into
regimentally neat military
line styles. Knitwear, coats, biker jackets, velvet evening
coats, even dresses can
show military styling. Coats can be long, on the knee, above
knee, hip length or cropped to waist and empire line. All
martial inspired styles are fashionable, and right now knitwear
is experiencing the novelty of a military touch.
Right - George at Asda - Cream Military Knit.
Denim, moleskin and corduroy in particular all make a garment
with a very wearable look when constructed as a military piece.
Left - Long Tall Sally Autumn Winter 2009 Petrol Blue Kern
Military Coat.
Long Tall Sally is especially designed for the lofty longer
bodied woman. This is an eye catching double breasted moleskin
jacket with satin trim in sizes; 10-20, £90. Soft, leather
gaucho boot with buckle detailing, sizes: 7-11. Tan: £100 and
all items in image available from
www.longtallsally.com,
0870 990 6885 and stores nationwide.
»
Within
the military styling is a broad approach that gives many
interpretations from Captain Pugwash and Sergeant Pepper looks
to Regency Hussar
spencers.
Military Fashion Styling Names
Military has been called many names, and includes terms such as
Majorette, Bandstand, Sergeant Pepper, Officer's Uniform,
Hussar, Little Drummer Boy, Circus Boy, Admiralty, and Dr Zhivago
Revolution coats. None of these names matter, they simply add
a minor definition to the micro trend of the season.
What does matter is that the jackets are sharply ship-shape cut,
adorned with uniform rows of well balanced buttons or braiding, frogging, cuff or epaulette trims, soutache appliquι, gold twist
fringe, and in such ornamentation
terms it can mean only one thing - Military fashion styling.
These military jackets right cover all types of
military concepts in clothing.
Above from left to right all items are Autumn 2009 in store
garments.
Top Left - Double breasted coat - Per Una Nikita Coat
£120.00, In store: October sizes: 8-18, Per Una Autumn 2009 at
Marks & Spencer.
Top Centre - Velvet Military Coat - Dorothy Perkins AW09 -
Velvet Smoking Jacket £65/105 - DP COLLECTION @ Dorothy
Perkins.
Top Right - Spencer Style Cropped Military Jacket - Louche at
JOY Pretty In Punk Jacket - £59.00, Due 14th September.
Bottom Left - Military Black Cropped Trophy Jacket £60/95
from DP COLLECTION @ Dorothy Perkins AW09.
Next Right - Cropped Military Jacket £30, AW09 - G21 George at
ASDA.
Far Right - - Wallis Autumn Winter 09 - Black Military Jacket,
£65, 95.
Another take on the military look is the fashion worlds
fascination with urban utility, what you now see is a cool modern make-do-and-mend
vibe, where wool is sometimes set against satin.
I think of this as boiled-wool women, variations include land girl looks of khaki, air force blue, greys
and other drab tones.
Left - Burberry Coat at Harvey Nichols
Right - Blue Burberry Coat at Harvey Nichols
Thigh length coats are great for showing off over
the knee boots. These mini coats sometimes allow women to
experiment with fragile colours, bold check patterns and
experimental new shapes they might avoid in longer lengths.
Autumn 2009 is all about wearable fashion for a individual
lifestyle with fancy brocades, checks, tweeds and quilted coats
giving women plenty of selection. Choosing a coat for the
life you lead has never been easier.
Coat styles exploit simple cocoon shape styles
as well as wrap and military lines. Colours vary from beautiful pale winter whites to blush and other safe
tones. Beige blush ivory tones look expensive and are still as
desirable as they were for spring with many shops stocking this
delicate colouration.
So many coat fashions this season also offer belt options, but if belting your coat
just bunches you up, or you prefer a looser line, then try a
style of cocoon coat or blanket coat.
The Camel Coat
The camel coat is
prime candidate for a staple buy this
autumn 2009 Winter 2010. Choose from camel, tan, caramel brown,
chocolate or deeply rich rust as well as ladylike cream and
blush tones. These hues all look wonderful with gold jewellery, especially
rose gold jewellery.
Near Left - Louche at JOY Camel Coat - £120. In store mid-September. Louche at JOY A/W
'09.
Centre - Max Mara Coat from Harvey Nichols.
Far Right - Matalan AW09 Womenswear Papaya Cashmere Blend Coat £50.
Invest and impress, chose a covetable coat in cream, camel,
grey, indigo, aubergine purple or plum tone. Some of the finest investment
pieces are the cashmere coats at Max Mara, Jaeger, Dior, Aquascutum, Crombie
and
Martin Grant at Harvey Nichols.
Buying basic neutrals,
with a good eye to the current silhouette, can stretch a wardrobe
budget over several seasons. From an image planning figure improving
point of view, wearing matching colours top and bottom
streamlines the silhouette too.
If camel drains you, it may be because it does not suit your
complexion.
Camel looks terrific on honey blondes and with peaches and cream
skin of the 'Spring' colour personality, but camel less good on dark
brunettes. Expensive tones of shell pink blush tones are still
as desirable as they were for spring with many shops stocking
this delicate colouration which can suit brunettes.
Dark haired women, and those who have gone white or silver
grey, often look better in charcoal greys through to the softest silver.
If you are a raven haired beauty opt instead for rich grey
garments and clear jewel colours, like the coats below leaving
the soft golden tones to your blonder friends.
For Autumn 2009 many designers explored the use of tweeds, checks and plaids,
but especially dogtooth and houndstooths weaves. Stylish cutting
gives Saville row fabrics paired with simple tweeds a modern
look. These androgynous pieces can be softened with a feminine
ladylike clutch, or tie the waist with a shapely figure forming
belt.
Left - Gil Bret - Black/White Check Jacket. Style No:
9975/6194 - Material: 70% Wool, 10% Alpaca, 10% Polyamide, 10% Mohair - UK£ 350.00 IRL 390.00.
The feel of the black and white material will captivate everyone
from the start.
Chanel also have some tweedy cropped semi-fitted jackets with
sharp shoulders. The use of tweed with a sharper jacket or
coat profile gives
tweed
a modern edge bringing it bang up to date for Winter 2010.
YSL featured an investment dressing monochrome autumn palette
of grey, more grey, charcoal black and white. YSL showed a
severe, but subtly sophisticated sleek wardrobe in tune with the
concept of dwindling bank balances.
In a recession, where even
the rich are cutting back, bread and butter basic colourways
such as grey or stone, black and monochrome contribute to
replacement product safe purchases. They also mean a possible
later buys of more vibrant
accessories that uplift these basic neutral pieces.
But those who like more uplift in their wardrobe will always go for
brighter colours, and no retailer can afford to lose those
customers either. In autumn 2009 - Winter 2010, berry colours
and the tones of damsons, blueberries, purple, aubergine, burgundy through to
raspberry red create an
important colour spectrum for most collections.
Nicole Farhi is one designer who has toyed with both the fullness
of the top shoulder area and lower cuff of the sleeve. This
alpaca and wool raspberry coat right
from her Autumn 2009 - Winter 2010 collections focuses on a dramatic
cuff shape giving the coat an air of the highwayman.
What a
marvellous rich berry colour for a winter coat.
Nicole Farhi Show Look Double Face Coat in Raspberry - £1250.
Nicole Farhi coats range in price from around £285 to £1000+
dependant on the brand collection. Her top pieces use the finest
cloth including mixes of virgin wool with silk, or virgin wool
with baby alpaca fibre.
Nicole Farhi is at 158 New Bond Street, London W1S 2UB, Tel: +44
(0) 20 7499 8368. For advance orders on this coat contact 020
7495 6963.
Her bio states:- Nicole Farhi now has 9 free standing stores
internationally, concessions nationwide and wholesale customers
in the US, Italy, Russia, Spain, Australia, Scandinavia and the
Far East. There are also showrooms in London, New York, Paris,
Milan and Madrid. Due to demand, April 2009 saw Nicole Farhi
launch an ecommerce site to satisfy customers in the furthest
corners of the globe. Find it here at
www.nicolefarhi.com.
I especially love casual pieces and knitwear by Nicole Farhi
finding them relaxed. Yet the quality yams used and the
resultant great drape of the knits ensure they are always smart
to wear whatever the occasion.
Bright colours in strong jewel colours are sure to brighten up
dull winter days, and if you prefer to invest in a neutral toned
coat the outlay of a brightly coloured cardigan or tunic as
above may be easier on
your budget. Boyfriend cardigans in bright pops of colour
are just the job to cheer up an otherwise dull mix of basic
pants and shirt.
Overall note how there is more assortment in knitwear with
both long and short knits at most shops. In mass market terms, look out for boyfriend
cardigans or the waterfall long alternative. Aran style cable knits, fine knits, striped pieces, asymmetric
styles, batwing or dropped sleeves, leg-of-mutton sleeves, cowl necklines and coat
cardigans, all help to generate vast array.
Cowl necklines, either constructed, as part of a knitwear piece,
or added as a separate accessory give that functional and
fashionable layered look.
Many cowls are so oversized they have become snoods.
This boyfriend cardigan is by Burberry and the purple tone
hot on trends since purple is possibly the most important
fashion colour this autumn 2009 Winter 2010.
Far left - Burberry Cardigan at Harvey Nichols.
Centre Left - Oasis Striped Sweater Dress - Autumn 2009/Winter
2010.
Centre Right - Benetton Knitwear - Details at
bottom of page.
Far Right - Warehouse Autumn Winter 2009-10 - Dress £50/65,
Jeans £40/52, Shrug £45/60, Bag £32/37, Snood £18/24, Gloves
£16/18.
Longer length cardigans are a welcome alternative to more formal coats. Boyfriend cardigans in neutral tones can diffuse the strength
of some overpowering prints. Long skinny knit silhouettes
exist side by side with bulkier layered looks that are more
textural.
Fine knitwear contrasts with bulkier pieces, but
much of it is designed for the Lagenlook way of layering. There are cardigans which have interesting patterns, such as mohair printed
tie-dye knits. Such pieces can change the overall appearance of
on outfit based on a plain or patterned sheath dress or
colourful contrast tights.
Right - A styled look from the Boden Autumn 2009
collection.
Patterned knits can be mixed with patterned fabrics and
striped cardigans can be mixed with florals and animal
accessories.
In better designer boutiques patterned fair isle knitwear is
returning like this runway long knit grey fair isle set from
Matthew Williamson knitwear and shown left.
Dresses are once again a wardrobe mainstay, and
numerous women use them for work and business wear. Just as many
women appreciate the straightforwardness of one garment dressing,
so they welcome the ease of layering up
with a cardigan and contrast belt, the perfect items to wear
under a heavier coat.
Far Right - French Connection Dress Autumn 2009/10.
Purple, Magenta, Raspberry, Acid Green
are all colour contenders this Autumn 2009 and this dress right,
from French Connection utilises some of Pantones top colours
from Autumn 2009.
One of the most popular and easy to wear styles of
the past year has been the kimono sleeve dress.
It began as a
short Kaftan, than became a longer kimono sleeved tunic, and is
now of
dress length.
V-necklines enable the wearing of ethnic chunky
jewellery.
The
raspberry red kimono dress left, is by Rene Derhy.
Right - Rene Derhy Print Silk
Dress, £115, and from John Lewis Autumn 2009 Collections.
Often semi-fitted, these day-dresses look good
with either, A-line or tulip
skirts.
The tulip skirt offers a great deal of comfort when
sitting, and the trend is for the skirt silhouette
to widen into fuller prom and crinoline styles, especially for
daywear. Long sleeves add style and
class to a dress.
Above Left - Dorothy Perkins AW09 - Blue Zebra
Sequin Dress £50/80, Black Studded Fringe Bag £35/50. Read
more about Majolica Blue on the
Blues in Fashion Trends.
Left - Dress from House of Fraser - Pink Leopard
Print Dress £120/144 by Untold.
Animal prints in strong colours are a
refreshing change from the usual tans and caramel of animalistic
patterns. Both the
blue and red animal print dresses utilise 2 of autumns top ten
colours - American Beauty and Majolica Blue.
Autumn 2009
Blues.
Wide-ranging dress styles are in strong jewel
colours, but even sober colours can be lifted with a bright belt
or cardigan. Brighter colours especially the berry hues
look terrific when teamed with contrasting opaque tights or
boots.
If high investment items break the bank for you, try some
colourful budget items from big supermarket chains like those at
Tesco or Asda. This simple raspberry based animal print tunic
dress from Tesco AW09 Womenswear F&F range, uses rich berry
bright colours to bring you on trend autumn fashion at low cost.
The whole Tesco F&F outfit comes in at under £50.
Right - Tesco F&F Pink Animal Print Dress £16, F&F Animal Print
Scarf £5, F&F Black Suede Ankle Boots £18, F&F Pink Frame Clutch
£7.
Leg cover is still important with dress wear, especially
shorter tunic style above knee dresses or mini-crin skirt
silhouettes. There is a continuing popularity of coloured and
textured tights, although sheer bare look tights are making a
comeback.
Designers seem interested in playing with texture whether its
fine or chunky knitwear, butter-soft leathers, laser cut suede,
lace or peek-a-boo fabrics, studs and ribbon embellishment.
Now
they have a new fascination once again with
velvet. And if its
not thick plush velvet, its devore
burnout velvet chiffon.
Ladies, Women, Teens, Girls - Let me tell you now - Most men
love the feel of velvet and love it when women wear velvet. Lush
silk velvet has a sumptuous rich luxuriant quality that no other
fabric has. Make sure you indulge yourself with a velvet dress
this winter. But do be careful that it fits just perfectly since
velvet can add extra pounds if the style is badly selected. For
tips on restoring the plush and
sewing velvet see my
velvet pages.
Limited Velvet Dress
T69 2955 £45
Marks & Spencer Autumn Winter 2009/10 -
Marks & Spencer - Christmas 2009.
These
2 dresses left, are both from Designers at Debenhams, and each
has decorative shoulder interest with a rose or a trailing lei
flower style corsage along the length of one shoulder.
Cherry Red Dress - BDL by Ben de Lisi Corsage Detail Ruched
Bust Cocktail Dress £130/201 - Autumn/Winter 2009 Womenswear
Debenhams.
Far Right - Pink Dress - Debenhams Autumn/Winter 2009 Womenswear
- Debut Soft Flower One Shoulder Stretch Satin Dress £80/124.
For evening, the bare shoulder asymmetric dress of summer has
morphed into a winter version with one full length long sleeve. Asymmetric
one shoulder dresses are the alternative to bustier prom
dresses.
Prom bustier dresses have been refined for Autumn 2009 and the upper bodice is
now much higher with even some arm coverage being attached, as
this dress from Dolce&Gabbana illustrates.
Right -
Damask Brocade Catwalk Black Broadtail Trimmed Lampshade Mini-Crin Dress by
D&G.
There is a trend amongst tulip skirts for greater embellished,
some feature the richness of contrast textures, for instance cord belts that
create a curtain style tassel finish.
Waist nipping, regal bustier, prom dresses with lampshade mini
skirts, will certainly appeal to those under 25. Baroque
brocades take such dresses into an architectural world since the
fabric is easy to sculpt into intriguing forms. But basically
this is just a mini crin. This trend is also visible in
some coats where the skirt has gained frou frou fullness
enhanced by being belted.
You can soften tougher looks with lush velvet, black lace hosiery or
gloves, cosy fur gilets, or friendly cardigans.
Vamp
up soft looks with red lips and berry nails that have a matt
finish without shine. Be a fickle or fierce
woman playing soft or tough, or a bit of both, as the mood takes
you.
For the best fastest on-trend updates, add aggressive hardware statements to your
outfits in the form of pyramid and round punk studs or
superfluous zipper tape appliquι pieces. Studded belts, studded
footwear especially ankle boots and studded suede bags are the fastest route, but biker
jackets, gilets and dresses all feature studs. Right - Ted Baker
Tehya Ankle Boots at John Lewis - £130.
Studs can be small or large, but they are seen in excess
everywhere in keeping with
applied chunky crystal decoration and oversized jewellery.
Glam warrior woman loves to wear studs, taping, zips and belt
buckling. She loves to shock with body con hugging fabrics and
sharp shouldered disco diva dresses.
Tape, ribbon and zipper tapes have all been used to interesting
effect by designers for Autumn 2009.
See more
zip
and tape styles here. Right - Zip Dress by Temperley at
Harvey Nichols.
Tape and grosgrain are used to create modern belts, but belts
sometimes close with a bow rather than a buckle or disc. Bows
and
roses both decorate clothing extensively too.
Day bags and evening bags have flourishing 3D roses. Roses
sprout elsewhere as corsage roses and hair ornament roses.
Skirts and trousers use extraneous zips to add extra texture.
These trousers left are from Pucci. This is a great example of
practical winter wear showing the newer line of slim line pants
and worn with ankle boots.
Every pant leg width is available from palazzo style pants to
straighter slimmer legs. The overall trend suggests a narrower leg,
thus straight leg trousers have gained in-store rack space. These
often have peg-top waist styling. Tregging or slim denims are
perfect for tucking into boots. But finding the right pair
can sometimes be a nightmare and many women feel happier in
pants that fall with palazzo or straight silhouette comfort.
Jumpsuits, or all-in-ones, run the whole gamut of leg width
variations from super wide to super slim. Winter shorts
are best worn with over-knee thigh high wader boots or ribbed
tights. This is a young look best kept for teens, so reassess just what does young
mean today and question if you are having more mutton moments
than is wise.
For evening, pants are making a return as they can also be
teamed well with long sequin tunics. Sequin trousers and
shimmering fluid trousers create elegant looks when worn with
fine wool or silk tops.
Belts, both wide and narrow, still pull a look together whether you are
wearing, skirts, pants, cardigan, sweater or a dress.
Asymmetric belts, studded belts, animal and snake prints
are all belt looks of the moment. I make a special journey often
to get my belts made by a leather craftsman in Worcestershire,
UK.
The Belt and Bag Shop in High Street Droitwich Spa.
Nick Williams is a leather belt craftsman and owns The Belt and
Bag Shop in the quaint ancient High Street in Droitwich Spa. Nick hand crafts
the belts in the finest Nappa leather in hot fashion colours you
choose. For me this is a bonus as I have been able to have deep
belts made curved and lined firmly to fit my difficult
waistline shape, and been able to choose buckles I prefer. The
belts have been much admired by friends and relatives and they
can help really pull an outfit together. Nick also makes
classic Equestrian belts to order and to match older equine pieces that have
become worn. Of course Nick also has a good range of ready
made leather belts and bags for sale too, selling known bag brands like
Radley. Nick is not open on Sundays or Mondays, but a weekday
journey is worth a visit as his shop is about 50 yards away from
a very large Waitrose, so you can combine household chores with
shopping pleasure. Nick's Belt and Bag shop is at 20 High
Street, Droitwich WR9 8EW and the Telephone Number is 01905
779334.
Conclusion of Wardrobe Fashion Tips
»
Fashion amuses and delights consumers
into feeling better about themselves. What could be more
reason to go shopping than a period full of doom and gloom? When
the chips are down fabulous fashion ideas can still thrill and
move your day from a dull one to memorable and extraordinary.
R-E-L-A-X... and in a few easy steps, see the benefit of both
understated and overstated dressing. Learn to have
confidence in making your own fashion statement as you please.
Even investment items can be enjoyable when teamed with edgy
accessories that make your wardrobe appear to have cheeky
sassiness.
Copyright of images courtesy of Prshots, IFTF, Swarovski,
Dorothy Perkins, BHS, Gil Bret, Miss Selfridge,
Dorothy Perkins, Debenhams, Littlewoods,
Marks & Spencer, Warehouse, Harvey Nichols, Marisota,
Nicole Farhi, House of Fraser, John Lewis, Boden,
Wallis, French Connection, Brownsfashion,
Matches, Long Tall Sally, Monsoon, Oasis,
River Island, Accessorize, Matalan, Benetton, Joy, Plumo, Asda,
Tesco, BHS.
Benetton details - Purple
ribbed wool maxi cardigan, Style n.: 1103D6058, Sizes: ONE SIZE;
Deep v-neck wool pink maxi cardigan Style n.: 1024D4132, Sizes:
S -L. Patent eco-leather bag with applied pocket, Style n.:
6SO5D1B67, Sizes: ONE SIZE. Lace up suede ankle boots with
high heel and rubber sole, Style n: 8ZD8B3605, Sizes: 35 - 41,
Photo: F. Morandin.
Fashion-Era.com looks at women's costume and fashion history and analyses the mood of an era. Changes in technology, leisure, work, cultural and moral values. Homelife and politics also
contribute to lifestyle trends, which in turn influence the clothes we wear. These are the changes that make any era of society special in relation to the study of the costume of a period.
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Miss Selfridge, has garments
like this bronze jacket right that have bold, but sleek structured shoulders that are so now. 
The cardigan
is a Tesco F&F Green Leopard Print Cardigan £14 from the Tesco Autumn 2009 Womenswear
F&F Collection.
Read more about
fashionable hues on the
V-necklines enable the wearing of ethnic chunky
jewellery.
The
raspberry red kimono dress left, is by Rene Derhy. 
These
2 dresses left, are both from Designers at Debenhams, and each
has decorative shoulder interest with a rose or a trailing lei
flower style corsage along the length of one shoulder.
