What's In This Fall?
By Raquel Parks
The hot summer days may be long gone but there are plenty of vibrant colors and plush furs to keep us warm and fashionable this fall. Typically, designers have used dark and basic rich colors (such as rust, black, and navy blue) in their fall collections. However, this year, designers have embraced bold, bright colors to create unique ensembles and furs in their new fall collections.
From Diane Von Furstenberg to Bottega Veneta, it's evident that designers were inspired to carry summer colors and patterns into their ready-to-wear fall collections. The trend of colors, patterns, and colorful furs provides a fresh, vibrancy to the fall wardrobe.
Gucci and Sonia Rykiel were among the numerous designers who used this trend to create fashion statements. Gucci's ready-to-wear fall collection showcased a lot of classic pieces that included velvet blazers, silk blouses with bows, chiffon evening dresses, and suede pencil skirts.
The collection also had fur shawls, vests, and python. Yet, it was the splash of colors that made the collection unique and eye-catching. The Gucci collection featured a palette of vibrant colors: turquoise, fuchsia, forest green, royal blue, purple, and pink.
The use of these colors made the classic ensembles, fedora hats, leather pumps, and fur pieces pop. Overall, Gucci's ready-to-wear fall collection is unique and presents a don't-take-your-eyes-off-of-me attitude.
Sonia Rykiel's ready-to-wear fall collection also commands attention with its use of varied patterns, fabrics, furs, and colors. Rykiel used a diverse mixture of patterns that ranged from plaid to simple stripes. She even created colorful, unique patterns of her own. Rykiel's selection of furs was also impressive.
The furs were dyed in an arrangement of rich colors that seemed endless. She used blue, pink, burgundy, orange, and yellow dyes (to name a few) for her fox stoles, shawls, and coats.
The fabrics of tweed and cotton gave the collection a warm, cozy feel. The simple patent-leathered pumps complimented the colorful and patterned ensembles, perfectly. Sonia Rykiel's collection was diverse, creative, classy, and had had funky twist to it.
Getting The Look
The key to creating this fall look is the paring of colors, patterns, and fur accents ( or faux if you prefer). Try pairing a colorful cardigan or polo sweater with slacks. If you're feeling daring, pair that sweater or cardigan with a houndstooth pencil skirt. Accessorize the look with some costume jewelry, leather boots, and a simple fur scarf. You can also achieve this look by putting a brightly-colored blazer with a ruffle blouse, and a pair of plaid or basic pants. A fur shawl or scarf would add a nice touch to the outfit. Avoid mixing different patterns together. Have fun creating the look and stay true to your own personal style.
Raquel is a Michigan native with a Bachelors in Journalism from the University of Michigan. She loves fashion and writing about life's everyday stories. She has written for various local publications that include Dearborn Press & Guide and Detroit Fashion Pages. Raquel also writes for her own local events blog, Metro Diva Pages. You can visit Raquel's blog at metrodivapages-rdp.blogspot.com and follow her on Twitter @MetroDivaPages.
