Now
that I've shared with you all the flimsy rationalizations that I use to
excuse my fall obsession with wardrobe, here are some of the trends
I'll take seriously this year.
Minimalist Black
One
of the nice things about being a very mature stylista is that you get
a useful epiphany once in a while. (And the embarrassing thing about
proclaiming personal epiphanies in public is the chorus of "duhhhhh"
that you hear from all the women who got this a long time ago. I can
hear it now ...) Head
to toe black is easier and more interesting than ever with mixed
textures (lace and wool, leather and chiffon) or black with formerly
taboo colors like navy, cobalt and brown.
I'm finding new ways to put together old items from items I already
own, and that makes being financially challenged this fall feel a lot less
pitiful.
Do I have to do the hair, or can I just do the dress, boots and jacket?
Leather
and Leather Accents
While
I will buy leather-look items more often than real leather in
trendy-as-opposed-to-classic items, even this looks fresh and very
cool this year. I particularly like leather trimmed, floaty blouses.
A recent purchase. Bisou-Bisou at JCP.
... the back. I love wearing this blouse.
And
while we're at it, oxblood leather. Or oxblood anything. I'm so
happy that these deep, warm reds and shades of burgundy are back.
Here, again, are shopping-my-closet opportunities.
Another recent purchase. Outrageous value from dressbarn.
Velvet
More
back closet shopping. I retrieved a classic gray-blue velvet blazer
that I had put away because I was having trouble putting it together
with anything. This is the year for this little blazer! It will go
with ... almost everything! Went a little farther back into the
archives and found a little OXBLOOD velvet shirt-jacket that I've had
for a few years and had forgotten. Looks like this year's buy. I
should go down the rabbit hole more often it seems.
High-Low
Sweaters
With
leather-like leggings, coated jeans, metallic jeans, any straight leg
or skinny jeans at all. Short sweaters to layer or longer ones. I've
never gotten so much use out of my collections of camisoles. I love,
love, love this very modern-feeling cut.
Oversize ...
... tissue light layers. Love this.
Pointy-toe
Pumps
These
never really went away. Nothing dresses up an outfit faster than
these, and while I love me some platforms, I never feel more womanly
than in this classic shoe.
Having a Carrie Bradshaw moment here .... 'scuse me.
I
hope you got just a little sartorial camaraderie from this little
three-parter.
What are your current must-haves for this fall and
winter?
_______________________________________________
Hard to see here, but the back has a lovely chiffon panel in back.
Have a great week, and thanks for reading.
I love that leather trimmed black blouse - you say you bought it? Do post! - I have an oxblood leather biker like this one here on my fantasy shopping list this season!
ReplyDeleteYup. The leather trimmed blouse is work wear for me. I get to swan around our tiny little pub-restaurant on weekends in dressier clothes. (I also do a lot of shlepping and fetching, so maybe not so much swanning. A little swanning, maybe. At any rate, I dress for it.) I'm not supremely comfortable with my own outfit pics yet, but am working on more aplomb.
DeleteWill get pics when I can and post. Probably a good VM outfit.
Oxblood biker: I'm betting heavily that the Christmas season will bring out wonderful versions of this style.
Thanks for writing and reading. (I still haven't gotten over your post on The Storm. Thanks again for that, too.)
Leather, velvet and black -- I adore all these for Fall. I don't do well with pointy toes, but I really like the look! Thanks for sharing your ideas with Visible Monday and have a great week : >
ReplyDeleteAgain, thanks for hosting, and a good week to you as well. I've sometimes wondered what you might get up to in a pointy and teetery heel! Seriously, you may get me to see the virtues of flats yet. YES... I get what you mean about "too flat."
DeleteI have never stopped wearing leather, velvet and pointy-toed shoes - about time fashion caught up with ME, I say!
ReplyDeleteThat leather-trimmed blouse is to die for!
Yes. I've done without velvet for a while, but it's high time to take back the opulence. Like satin, it can be tricky to wear if you are round like me, but it's worth the effort.
DeleteThanks for commenting, reading and your own writing!
I LOVE all the trends you mention here, and am trying them all out. My FAVE's are the velvet & the leather details, as those are things I've been wearing and LOVING since before they became trendy!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE that leather trimmed blouse you featured. I haven't shopped at JC Penney's since my kids turned 12. I think I should start again!
XOXO
-Daisy Nguyen from the PS BANANAS! fashion blog: http://psbananas.com
Thanks so much ... there are not a lot of shopping venues here. It was a HUGE deal when Target finally built a store here. Even JCP is looking a little less pokey these days. I'm sure you've heard of the huge "store within a store" revamp they've done nationally. It's an improvment. M.N.G. by Mango looks pretty good, and Bisou-Bisou always has things I like.
DeleteDon't you look when you can pull something from storage and suddenly you're trendy again?!? So great! Loving that oxblood jacket and I could sing the praises of pointy toed pumps all day long. ~Sarah
ReplyDeleteYup. Feels like Christmas. I have a particular pair of Antonio Melani pointy-toe patent leather heels that fit like none other. I've put miles on concrete floors in them, and they are always comfortable. I'm about to wear them out (they've been re-heeled twice... I NEVER bother with that much maintenance.) I've been afraid I wouldn't be able to replace them, but since the style is back and there are lots of glam pointies around, that's just one less little thing to stress about! And shop for. In colors.
DeleteThanks for reading, and your own writing!
You're awesome, not only do I love all these picks for fall, but you are hilarious! I'll be back!
ReplyDeleteWith Love From Hollywood,
Kier
Fashion Addict
Pinterest!
Thanks so much, Kier. When you look south, wave to my hometown for me, please. I'm a San Diego County kid.
DeletePopped over to your blog. You are lovely, of course, and your legs go on FOREVER. Astonishing. Will watch your progress with interest! Thanks for reading and writing.
I would love to add some leather details to my wardrobe, but hard to do when you are living in a tropical climate. Maybe I'll just stick to nice leather bags!
ReplyDeleteOooh. I could see you in a light weight, highly tailored sheath dress with a little leather(or faux) trim! Know it's hot there, though. And humid! Bags ...yes, and shoes!
DeleteThanks again for the link to COLOURlovers. What an amazing tool!
Gorgeous picks, darling! I love oxblood with black and you pulled it off perfectly.
ReplyDeleteThat's way more than kind of you, Alison. I'm having some blogger's remorse about the photo I posted, as I'm in no little difficulty making the square shaped tops work. But live and learn ... and remember to train my photographer to take more flattering shots!
DeleteThanks for reading and writing.
Super cute outfit! I have completely succumbed to the Oxblood trend. It just seems so Autumn. You pants are amazing!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Margaret. I've promised myself NOT to end the season with a closet full of Oxblood items, about half of which I bought just for the color. I do that when I get obsessed and in style-love. I'm already getting dangerously close. Edit, edit, edit,Jan.
DeleteThanks for reading ... I love stopping by to see what you're wearing.
Great post again, love many of these trends , I recently bought oxblood pleather leggings I can't wait to wear. My fav is the high low sweaters , they will be great for winter . They are great with boots And skinnies - one of my go to outfits. I love your outfit !
ReplyDeleteCarrie
It's FINALLY staying cool enough here to wear a sweater that doesn't have to be removed as the day warms up. Yeaaay!
DeleteJust yesterday, I saw a pair of oxblood leggings ...regretfully, I'm on self- imposed hold on buying any more deep red. May already have too much, but know I'll succumb eventually. Any new pieces need to rock my little world.
I KNOW you'll look fabulous in them with your trim little figure. Please model for us on a VM Monday soon. Thank you so much for reading, your note and for your own writing.
Hallo Ms Jan, Drooling over the oxblood bomber jacket thank you very much. And you know I'm gonna say that my brogues/oxfords are on my current must have, already do have, list. So far the only oxblood, that just sounds ew, is a nail polish and a pair of shoes, both of which I adore.
ReplyDeleteLove you in your brogue-y shoes. Really, they say so many nice things about you. I'm full of admiration at how you make them work. Yes, oxblood does sound ick when you think of it. But just used to it, I guess, after all these years. Feel the same about the plethora of "pony-hair" in leather accessories. Not really from ponies ... good to know!
DeleteJan, you seem to be channelling a bit of Stevie Nicks. Very, very attractive outfit. I adore your hair color and length. Great post too.
ReplyDeleteThank you Debbi! Especially happy you liked the post. You're kind of a blog-icon-woman for me. I'm not happy with the way my black top looks in the photograph, nor comfortable with being photographed, but it's a good thing to finally learn to get over myself. I'm jazzed at how your hair is looking as well. Hope you are feeling better generally.
Delete'Preciate ya, lady.
Whoa, looks like you hit the trends head on with this outfit.
ReplyDeleteBlack, chiffon, hi-lo and oxblood...........You rock!
As I sit here is tights and a flannel shirt, I think you inspired me to get off my butt and get dressed!
You, like Debbi, are a blog-icon for me, so I'm especially happy you liked this post. Now that I think of it, this outfit was perhaps a trend too far. I've always wondered how to do just one or two trends per outfit ... may always have to try to just keep it down to a dull roar! BTW, I wrote that post in cat-hair dusted yoga pants (with holes) retired tank-top (with holes) and also hairy and hole-peppered ancient cardi.
DeleteSpeaking of getting up ... hope it's easier to do just that. Keep on improving, please.
I'm glad someone else isnt afraid to admit they pay attention to trends! Its a great way to refresh a wardrobe or style in a new way. I have my fave's! Love this~
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to avoid considering trends if you read style magazines. As you already know, weeding through is the trick. But at the heart of it, I hate to look like I'm unaware. If you wander around looking like you dressed out of someone else's closet in the dark, then folks might infer that you can't name the branches of government or find East Jabitt on a map. I don't like looking like I just woke up out of a decade-long-coma. Wow ... this turned into a rant! Thanks for reading, commenting and for your blog, too!
DeleteJan, I think you've picked the best of the best to try.
ReplyDeleteThanks for introducing me to the high low sweater. I hadn't really paid attention to that trend, but I like that black one above you featured.
Oh, and that black on black minimalist look... duhhh! Just kidding! Head to toe black has gotten such a bad rap in the last few years, I had honestly tried to avoid it, but it really does look great. I don't care what anybody says; black is the new black!
"Oh, and that black on black minimalist look... duhhh!"
DeleteIt's okay, Agent 909, it was a dirty job, but somebody had to do it. Ha! Thanks for reading thoroughly! Yup, I love these sweaters, but am finding they have their own problems, especially the boxy ones and my largish chest. Had to buy a new necklace yesterday to give me a more vertical line ... none of my other dozen just like it would do. Urk. But they just FEEL good with skinnies, boots and a scarf. In black, of course.
Looking forward to your next adventure!
Jan
I love the idea of black in mixed textures. It looks so rich and beautiful!
ReplyDeleteHow did I miss this post?! Guess that would be the hectic part. All these trends are interesting but my most favorite thing here are the hi-lo tops. They are sooo comfortable, trendy with out being self-conscious, and easy to make from older long tops with a minimum on effort. Great eye for the trends, and your outfit at the end is superb!!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Jean. The hi-low thing has so much potential, and I'm especially interested in how you might proceed in remaking older long tops. I can't know if you'll see my reply here, but I'll be in touch with questions for sure. I have a few sewing skills, but not much with knits.(Which, contrarily, I insist upon trying first...) I've been extra inspired by poring over the "Altered Couture" issue that has your items.
DeleteThanks so much for reading, and again for reading!
Jan