Last year, Mercedes Benz backed out of New York fashion week Lincoln Center and chose to no longer host top designers in the industry leaving America’s biggest fashion event up in the air.
American fashion got the cold shoulder last year and it promises to get even colder, but as any fashionista knows, with cold weather comes a chance to experiment with layers and bolder fashion choices. Boots, cardigans and coats flooded the past few fashion shows, especially in Paris—the hub of all things style.
Keeping warm this coming season will be simple with embellished capes and jackets, which seem to sweep Paris runways year after year. However, it was Christopher Bailey’s coveted oversized ponchos last year that brought the fashion world back to capes. They have been seen as high as the hips and as low at the ankles. They come in many forms all the way from chic black to rustic fringe. This season’s capes will be the hot “it-coat” for women, according to high-end designers.
“I usually don’t follow trends,” Brittany West said, who often opts for sweaters over heavy coats. West, who is a sign language major, said she often finds herself in maxi skirts and logo T’s. “I like what I like, whether it’s a current trend or not,” West said.
This year is all about giving a nod to the 70’s, and this couldn’t be proven more true with the reemergence of fringe. Expect fringe all over your fall favorites this year. Designers weren’t picky when it came to laying on the textured hemline.
“I’m not a fan of fringe. It reminds me of cowboys and Indians,” West said. “I guess I find it too costumey to be taken seriously.”
Fringe has found its place on all this season’s staples—boots, pants, tops, coats and dresses. This trend has always been a favorite with the boho crowd, but for fall, fringe is for everyone, according to Fashion Week.
“Maybe people will stop wearing things from the 80’s! Let’s keep going back in time, I love the older styles,” said Beth Taylor, a communication major. “I think people should feel comfortable and stop worrying about trying to label it.” Taylor often wears a more masculine style. She said her mother comments on her style saying it resembles a teenage boy.
A fall favorite for women has always been boots. They seem to have been a must in most wardrobes for a long time, but for fall those classic heeled boots will have to be a bit higher. Ankle boots were seen to rise above where their name implies, hitting mid-calf at the Christian Dior, Givenchy and Dries Van Noten shows. This height adjustment will help those women seeking to stay out of the fall rain and winter snow, while still staying with the trend.
“I’m naturally tall and most boots have a heel. I do like flat ankle boots—I guess they make me feel edgy, without adding to my height,” West said.
This year, men’s fashion took its main inspiration not from Paris, but from London, calling on a more sophisticated, yet bold looks. While trends on the runway lose their absurdity as they meet mass production stores, men’s fashion for fall 2015 was a sure show stopper.
While women’s coats took a turn toward capes, men’s ‘it-cover-all’ this year are bold statement trench coats. Whether it is a Victorian inspired pattern, or just bright orange, men’s coats this season are going to be hard to miss. Billy Reid, Saint Laurent, David Hart and many more designers showcased patterns with vintage, tropic and nomad inspired patterns this year.
Another trend, with a taste for controversy, were all the men’s shows this year that touched on the late 70’s androgyny—think David Bowie. Androgyny, sometimes called ‘gender bending,’ is not so much drag as wearing pieces that can be considered more unisex. Simple pieces, like bold patterned scarves, T’s cut in a particular style, skinny jeans, and pale hues are all ways the androgyny style was carried onto the runways.
“Children don’t have much of a choice. My mom made me wear dresses until high school—I wasn’t comfortable then,” Criminal Justice major Sami Gibson said. “I was never a dress person. Now that I am able to choose how I dress, I’m perfectly comfortable.”
She said her style has a masculine vibe. While androgynous style has been adopted by many girls since they threw on their first pair of pants, men are less inclined to cross such lines.
“I kind of mix and match what is considered male and female clothing. My jeans come from the women’s section; shirts and shorts from men,” Gibson said.
An additional bold statement for men this year is a designer’s use of plaid. Men’s fashion had a taste for plaid with the brief faux ‘British invasion’ caused by British trends like One Direction and Doctor Who, but the style is back and bolder than ever. Men’s plaid suits were shown in vivid yellow, black and green this year. Although the style is catching, don’t expect to see this bold look in any office. They are bold pieces for a male fashionista, but not as work-friendly as a classic charcoal suit.
“I don’t feel I dress too loud, and I definitely couldn’t see myself wearing a plaid suit,” Jacob McMahon said. “I feel my style is pretty laid back. Fashion, the kind you see in magazines is great, but you don’t usually see people wearing crazy stuff like that everyday.”
Being a hospitality major McMahon finds himself in uniform more often than not, but finds time to throw on a tie or comfortable skinny jeans when he gets the chance. Business management major, Chrissy Seidel said she often picks up on fashion by using department store trends.
“Stores like Kohls, Macy’s and JCPenny’s often carry relevant styles similar to what’s on the runways that works for real life,” Seidel said. “I sometimes glance through Vogue and Style People, but most of the magazines I look at is Rollingstone and Taste of Home.”
Seidel said her style is predominantly layers. She said she likes daring patterns and gold accessories, but doesn’t consider herself fashion forward by any means. She said her simple, yet defined look says the opposite.
Fashion has a way of bringing back forgotten decades. Predicted by women’s wide leg pants in late 2014, the 70’s are back for both genders. Harnessing colors like burnt orange, olive, brown and maroon are ways to update your wardrobe for fall 2015 without going too overboard with plaid suits and overabundant fringe. So before you dash out the door in the coming months to update your fall closet, sit down and revisit That’s 70’s Show and become inspired.
JAMES DUTY
REPORTER