most favorite day: FW11 trends

Showing posts with label FW11 trends. Show all posts

AW11 TRENDS: BEING BORING (with boring fashion on the side)

Posted by Melanie Rickey, Fashion Editor at Large

I'm going to tell you something you might not like. You are fricking boring. Booorrring. You make me want to cry tears of sheer and utter head-banging against a table-top frustration. It's not just you, I'm boring too. Well, actually, it's not quite like that. But it has been firmly established that Being Boring is a powerful trend infecting music, TV and culture in general. The Guardian last Thursday summed it up succinctly, citing our love of Adele, Kirstie Allsop, baking and Downton Abbey as key signifiers of the movement christened The New Boring by the excoriatingly smart popjustice.com editor Peter Robinson. All together now "We coudda had it aaaa- aa alll, rollin in the deee eee eep." Even now, as I write this, me and the Fashion Junior are listening to "Don't Your Remember" with a tear threatening to trash our carefully applied eye makeup.

Nice, boring jumper from L'Agence on Net-a-Porter.com just what the doctor ordered!

Well, I'm here to do my bit for boring fashion. Hopefully you're already in your pyjamas? Sales of those have gone through the roof recently, and you'll find the trendiest online and real world stores are heaving with sensible cable knit jumpers, lace up shoes, dull mannish coats, pared-back shopper bags, satchels, polo necks and novelty reindeer and snowflake jumpers. Alexa Chung's successful collection for Madewell is the height of Being Boring, what with its Bin Man Coat, and cosy cardigans.

So dull, even the bin men stopped wearing them. Alexa Chung loves her Bin Man Coat though.

It sounds wrong on paper that we should aspire to - nay even enjoy - boringness, but in fact we are all rather partial to it right now. I know I am. I draw the line at X-Factor and Coldplay's new album, but Frozen Planet is currently the highlight of my week, I can't listen enough to Arcade Fire's The Suburbs and my favourite new fashion item is a Isabel Marant Navajo inspired sweater. It certainly seems that we have an affection for boring things and find them amusing. How did this happen? Recession obviously. Dire straits cause us to contract into a smaller world of familiarity and safety. This directly correlates to our penchant for novelty Christmas jumpers.

The Pet Shop Boys brilliant ode to how not to be boring: "Being Boring." (1993)

When the Killing II hit BBC4 this weekend, all everyone could talk about in print and on Twitter was Sarah Lunds jumper. A fricking JUMPER. Boring! Yesterday aftertoon while Hugh Grant gave evidence to the Leveson Enquiry, inane and amusing Tweets about the #womanontheleft began trending on Twitter.

Grenson for girls at My-Wardrobe.com

At the weekend a young codger named James Ward hosted the world's first Boring Conference in London. Here's how yesterdays The Sun newspaper reported on it. "IT was billed as a dreary look at life's dullest things — the world's only Boring Conference. Speakers were lined up to talk on topics so mundane that delegates would be forced to poke themselves in the eyeballs with sharp objects just to stay awake. After the cancellation of the "Interesting" conference last year due to lack of interest, Ward tweeted that there should be an alternative event called Boring. The response from his Twitter followers was so huge he had to follow it through and stage an event. James said: "Last year we held a much smaller gathering but this is the first ever conference. I can't believe the number [400] attending. Subjects included polite small talk, electric hand dryers and the first ten years of Which? magazine 1957-67. But once the conference started it all went horribly wrong — it failed to bore the audience rigid." Oh how I laughed.

Nostalgia with a hefty dose of boring: a Cambridge Satchel Co. satchel,

Borring! From the New York Post's The Cut blog that boringly follows every outfit K-Mid wears

Protest against Being Boring here: Snow Bored by Ashish from TopShop

WHO ARE YOUR UNLIKELY STYLE ICONS?

Posted by Fashion Junior at Large

In this week's Grazia, the Fash Ed and I have had great fun choosing the unlikeliest of muses for our AW wardrobes. I am feeling a definite affinity with a Del Boy look with so wrong it's right polo neck and sheepskin combinations and a bit of bling as the cherry on the sartorial cake. Meanwhile, the Fash Ed is enamoured with the Fraggle Rock look- think super fun textures and bright, bright colours. They are such 'happy, jolly creatures' she says- I don't think they could be anything else given their cheering appearence!

Quentin Crisp- Gay Icon and general fabulous dresser

Del Boy and a darling 60s air hostess

Have fun with a nun... and a fraggle.

As space in Grazia is at such a premium, we couldn't fit in our sixth Unlikely Icon but we think she deserves your attention. So, meet the cowgirl.

Jane Fonda in stills from the fabulous 1965 movie Cat Ballou

The real Lucy Ewing (aka actress Charlene Tilton)

Jason Wu's city-fied cowgirls for FW11 (from catwalking.com)

FEAL recommend....

7 for All Mankind at Donna Ida

River Island £75

Rokit- from a selection. Around £80

Topshop £16

True Religion shirt £206

Hat from Vanessa Bruno £288

Collar tips- a must have styling accessory this season- £10 from ASOS

FW11 TREND #4: POLKA DOTS

Posted by Fashion Junior at Large

Each season there is a graphic that feels right for now, even though it is a variation on a classic- think stars, stripes and spots. For FW11, you are going to find it hard to avoid polka dots, that's if you haven't succumbed already- this trend was a goer pretty much the moment the catwalk shows ended, but more of that later.

Marc Jacobs has been known to look to Yayoi Kusama for inspiration. Read all about the polka loving artist here, including her long-time residence in a mental institution

It is a joint effort from Marc Jacobs and Stella McCartney which brings the humble spot print into hot fashion territory this season. The polka might not be something new but the way we wear it for FW11 is different and perhaps initially surprising for those of us who first think of Minnie Mouse when we conjure the quintessential dotty dresser. Basically, it's all about sex. You could even see this as a subversive, sub-element of the fetish trend which we will talk about another day.

Polka dots represent a charming, playful innocence but when are they done in rubber (as at Marc Jacobs and Louise Gray) or artfully placed atop a sheer base (as at Stella) then the effect really can be a bit mind boggling- is this supposed to be fun, or sexy, or (can we take this) BOTH? Sexy fun.

David Koma FW11

The flames of this trend have been fanned by the early celebrity endorsements of Stella McCartney's collection. Kate Winslet caused a stir wearing the black sheer polka cut out dress not long after the catwalk shows, as did Liv Tyler. The ad campaign stars Natalia Vodianova. By having the dress etched in our minds from such an early stage, the high street was bound to follow in order to satiate the predictable need to emulate. If you want to splash out on a less celeb-y, but no less in your face, polka reference then I am rather in love with Louise Gray's thigh high rubber wellies, a bit fun, a bit kinky, so I would point you in their direction (available at Harvey Nichols)

Louise Gray FW11 (style.com)

Natalia Vodianova for Stella McCartney's campaign (stylerumor.com)

Marc Jacobs' peplums and pencil skirts are made in tweedy wools but then you stick a shiny polka on top and ta da, lady becomes fun. David Koma's furry appendages have a similar effect alongside the be-polkaed body con dresses. Stella also used giant paillettes to take the spot pattern a step further, they have a slight delicacy which means they sort of hover threateningly over their sheer underlayers, as if they might drop to a big reveal at any moment.

Marc Jacobs FW11 (catwalking.com)


Stella McCartney FW11 (catwalking.com)

WE RECOMMEND

BARGAIN DESIGNER DOTS: Balenciaga at Matches £272 (from £545)

Wolford at ASOS £33

Marc Jacobs at Net-a-Porter £825

Topshop £38.50

Warehouse £60

DADDY, I STOLE YOUR COAT

Posted by Fashion Junior at Large

For FW11, there is something about a big coat. A coat so big that it tends to look like you might have borrowed it from your Dad/ Boyfriend/ Brother. In fact, a good way to try the look is to do exactly that. If you're anything like me, then before now you may have taken comfort in the 'big coat' look anyway. I can confess to stealing the jacket from my male companions' backs on numerous occasions as we stumble home in the chilly, small hours. Now there is a bona fide fashion excuse for this habit after Stella McCartney, Miu Miu, Michael Kors and others included blatantly oversized jackets in their collections.

Dolce and Gabbana

Michael Kors

This look can be styled in two ways- take it straight down the masculine road by adding tailored trousers or make it feminine and sexy with a pretty dress, or nothing, underneath your big jacket. Take note of the silhouette at Stella and Miu Miu; the shoulders are wide and sloping (a significant departure from the pointy Balmain power shoulder) but the sleeves finish just above the wrist, rather than hanging down several inches below the fingers as an actual man jacket might. This flash of the slimmest part of the arm is extremely flattering and stops the jacket from bulking you up too much. Miu Miu's little coat also nips in under the bum, making for an altogether neater line than the flapping circumference of your Dad's suit jacket. Given that this male/female thing is set to be a key aspect of how we dress in the coming months, we would like to suggest that the single item which can transport you between the two looks most successfully will be the oversized coat.

Stella McCartney


Miu Miu

Kirsten Dunst wears the Stella look in her shoot for the current issue of Elle UK. Her pose pretty much sums up the appeal of these big coats- while the sheer dress beneath is revealing and daring, any vulnerability this evokes can be immediately countered by hugging the big blazer close. The ultimate comfort fashion.

Kirsten Dunst in ELLE UK's September issue.

These baggy, sculptural shapes are not confined to the coat. If you fall for the oversized look, then a tunic would be a great way to explore further. Raf Simons' version at Jil Sander is particularly desirable.

Jil Sander

WE RECOMMEND:

This tweed version by D&G is available now at My-Wardrobe for £565

We love the deep pockets and buttery colours of this Winter coat. £180, Coming Soon at Full Circle

£60 from Warehouse

All catwalk images from catwalking.com

FW11 TREND #3: HERITAGE

Posted by Fashion Junior at Large.

Next up on our menu of FW11 trend reports is Heritage- think blue-blood, aristocracy, crumbling stately homes and wholesome country pursuits. This trend encompasses a lady in two very different, but equally glamorous and elegant guises. In the first, she is hunting, riding and shooting thus requiring riding coats with practical elbow patches, a warm polo neck and some jodhpurs. When the horses are stabled and the guns stored, the skirts come out, but are still tweed-centric, and the addition of a decorative silk shirt transforms the gutsy equestrian to Lady of the Manor. This is our muse.

Celine's riding inspired opening look for FW11(Image from catwalking.com)

Margaret Howell FW11

Two women who sum up this trend are Wallis Simpson and The Queen (we are very sorry Your Majesty, to mention your name in the same sentence as a woman's we can imagine you are not mad keen on but fashion needs must). The Queen is the ultimate country pursuits poster lady, always resplendant in custom made riding jacket and neatly knotted silk scarf. Even at 85, recent pictures show she is still able to pull off this look with aplomb.

A young Princess Elizabeth riding with her sister, Princess Margaret (Image from telegraph..co.uk)

Softened with a silk scarf. A lesson for Ronald Reagan from The Queen (Image from wikipedia)

There is a great deal of buzz surrounding Wallis Simpson at the moment. Most notably, Madonna is preparing to release her biopic W.E which examines the life of the woman who remains somewhat of an enigma; there is still great intrigue surrounding her relationship with Edward VIII and the reason why he would choose this woman over the God, country and duty he had been brought up to believe in. Sartorially, Wallis represents our archetypal Lady of the Manor. A legendary hostess, Wallis always dressed exactly as the occasion demanded and her look was invariably accessorised with a cigarette.

Wallis with Edward. Her suit is ladylike AND tweedy (Image from englishtap.com)

Let's not forget that not so long ago, Madonna herself developed quite an obsession with all that is English and Aristocratic. She rode, she shot, she had the Gloucestershire acres and she wore the tweeds. The manifestations in her look and lifestyle may have now worn off, but her involvement in W.E indicates that something of this story had a great resonance for her. To celebrate the film, Vanity Fair's September Issue features a shoot with the actors playing Edward and Wallis, James D'Arcy and Andrea Riseborough respectively. Arianne Phillips has done a sterling job collaborating with the likes of Dior, Dunhill and Stephen Jones to create bespoke pieces for the shoot. Very handy too that they also provide perfect inspiration the Heritage look.

Lady of the Manor does evening in Dior and Cartier (Image from www.fashionista.com)

Andrea Riseborough wears a brilliant Dior twist on tweed (Image from www.fashionista.com)

Dashing (Image from www.fashionista.com)

So those are the muses... How did the catwalks do it? Here are some of our favourites.

A careful concoction of tweed, elegance and modernity at YSL (Image from catwalking.com)

Gucci. Perfect for Afternoon Tea. The stole adds glamour and keeps you warm in blustery big houses! (Image from catwalking.com)

Tweed, deconstructed. Modern day Girl of the Manor at Erdem (Image from catwalking.com)

Mulberry make it modern with crinkly socks and long hair (catwalking.com)

Celine's Pre-Fall collection pre-empts this trend. The trench is a good transition alternative to full on tweed (Image from style.com)

Celine makes riding the tube as elegant as riding a stallion. (Image from style.com)

Now, do it yourself. As we have previously said, don't take these things too literally otherwise you may end up looking like a walking anachronism. That said, I have been fantasising about my own riding coat from Savile Row and some custom made riding boots. Equestrians and Ladies of the Manor alike are all well catered for. Here is our curation of what's available NOW.