The Mood: Jewel tone-on-tone looks worn top to toe proved that all that glitters isn’t just gold. Shimmering ruby, emerald, amethyst and sapphire had all the impact of last season’s flashy neon brights, albeit with a decidedly more regal air.
Style Tip: Take cues from fashion's fearless colourists by going after one hue and layering contrasting shades.
Also see: FLARE's 30 Days of Fall
STRING & PURLS
The Mood: This season, the name of the game is spirited sweaters. Thickly knit and often belted or moulded to the body, they combined cosy with covetable. The best part? Most were so substantial that they eliminated the need for an oft-cumbersome coat. Talk about knits with benefits.
Style Tip: The modern sweater girl simply throws on a circular scarf and a fur hat on her way out the door.
Also see: FLARE's Denim Guide
FINE & DANDY
The Mood: Suit yourself in witty, tailored patterns, the more outré and oddball the better. Think ’70s wallpaper prints for wandering-about days and statement raw silks for evening debauchery. Just don’t forget the dandy’s secret weapon: eccentric finishing touches, from a madcap chapeau to a dapper platform brogue.
Style Tip: Tie a silk foulard around your neck, ascot-style.
Also see: Going For Gold: 8 Glam Picks For The Olympics!
EASTERN PROMISES
The Mood: Undoubtedly a response to growing global superpowers, the style compass pointed east on many key runways. Trends travelled from the Chinese Year of the Tiger and Coromandel motifs all the way to reinterpreted Japanese sumo and geisha codes, and even into former U.S.S.R. czarina territory via Uzbekistani paisleys and Russian tapestry prints.
Style Tip: With a look this decorative, keep accessories to a minimum with one major statement, such as decadent chandelier earrings.
Also see: Olympic Street Style: Snaps from London
LEATHER LOVERS
The Mood: It’s official: Leather is fashion’s current MVP. It popped up in styles as diverse as sweetheart patent dresses, mannish tuxedo trousers and sporty down-filled jackets, and the subliminal message spelled tough luxury. Metallic, glossed or lacerated treatments even played look-alike in new techy synthetics that mimicked the real stuff’s uncanny edge.
Style Tip: Give it an office-ready spin with boxy accessories and prim blouses.
Also see: Elements of a Tomboy: Wardrobe Essentials and Style Tips
FUN FUR
The Mood: Remember when fur and dress were two separate concepts? No more. Designers couldn’t get enough of novelty fur, which appeared everywhere from skirts and sweaters to all-important coats. Boundary-pushing iterations in patched, mismatched and mixed-media fur brought Where the Wild Things Are to the runway.
Style Tip: Treat these furs as highly textural prints and mix with boldly patterned separates.
OPULENCE IN OVERDRIVE
The Mood: Never has the expression “more is more” felt so right. Taking a turn for the decadent, maximalist creations literally dripped in opulent beading, baroque bijoux and sparkling surface embellishment. Assertive shapes and abbreviated hemlines kept the look in-line, while nonchalant styling had the air of easy Parisian soiree dressing.
Style Tip: Lay off the accessories and opt for straightfoward, sharp heels.
PEP IT UP
The Mood: Last season’s flirtation has grown into a full-blown affair with the peplum. Bursting from virtually every runway, this beguiling flourish gave a shapely allure to whittled pencil skirts, ladylike jackets and dramatic evening looks. From moulded ruffles to swinging godets and clever removable peplum belts, the options were seemingly endless for those who dared to wear this couture-tinged style.
Style Tip: Streamline the extreme volume by keeping everything else super-lean.
OUTER SPACE
The Mood: It’s obvious that fall’s key shape story centred on boxy, outsize proportions. Whether playing with ideas of 2-D flatness or carving out stiff cocoon shapes, fashion sized up accordingly. While the results often veered to the avant-garde, cinched waists reined the look in.
Style Tip: Nip the waist of full-bodied styles with the widest belt you can find.
VAMPIRE DIARIES
The Mood: Judging from the plethora of blood-red, gothic looks and sinister styles this season, it’s clear we’re not the only ones who have been bitten by the vampire bug. With their powerful, sexy and immortal qualities, these moody creatures of the night seduced designers to spin out plunging dresses, hooded cloaks and slit-to-there styles in a Twilight palette. Just try and resist.
Style Tip: Dark-red lips and sunless skin give this look haunted beauty.
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