Style Notes: Fall '12 Fashion

Fall Fashion is all about expressing yourself through graphic tees, oversized accessories, opulent colors, rich textures and an attitude to match. It's time once again to have fun with fashion. Here's a list of the most wearable fall trends and how to incorporate them into your wardrobe.

If you were smart enough to invest in leather last fall then you're in luck. It's back in a big way this season and there are so many fun ways to wear it. Zara gave leather a nod by using it to create a stylish peplum ruffle on a lace dress (pictured above, left) while other retailers went back to the basics with moto style jackets and chic pencil skirts. While traveling abroad we spotted leather making appearances in little ways, piping on a woven shirt, necklines with leather trim, leather earrings, etc. Leather is such a versatile way to add texture to your wardrobe and is a great way to give easy basics an updated edge. 

Breathe new life into summer florals by pairing them with fall favorites like dark denim, black leggings, high heeled boots and oversized sweaters. Top Shop has great assortment of fall floral pieces including the floral blazer (pictured above, center) and the skinny floral crop (pictured above, right). This trend is all about two of my favorite things, fun and romance. Pair a floral blouse with dark denim or wear the trend by layering a sheer floral tank with a sweater and topping it off with a leather jacket. 

Leopard is one of my favorite fall trends. It looks fresh when paired with this season's bold reds, olive greens and royal blues. Pair leopard with leather for a rock and roll vibe, keep it utilitarian by pairing with an army jacket, or glam it up by adding pearls and a pair of classic trousers. You can also play with this trend in a small way with leopard print shoes, bags and accessories.  

Contrary to popular belief the peplum is ultra flattering on a wide variety of shapes and sizes. For fall the peplum has evolved and is now taking shape in the form of flirty tops, easy tanks and even in the accessories world as a leather belt (as seen at H&M). Play with proportions by pairing a peplum top with skinny jeans or pairing a peplum skirt with a fitted top. I also really love the Zara rendition (pictured above, right) mixing the peplum with two more fall fashion tends, lace AND leather. Love. 

The collar is everywhere for fall. Some of the fashion mags are calling the collar a "statement necklace" to ease people into the trend but let's be clear the collar is about more than just a simple necklace. In London we saw the collar on just about everything from dresses, to sweaters to tops. Even Heidi Klum named the collar as one of the top 10 trends for fall. It's surprisingly easy to wear and can really update basic you already own including sweaters, casual dresses, even t-shirts. 

The High/Low Silhouette is new for me this season and it's one of those trends that anyone can wear. This trend is the perfect compromise between a maxi skirt and a knee length dress and looks great with high heels, ankle boots and even flat sandals. For Fall '12 the high/low silhouette has evolved into sheer skirts and wrap front dresses (as pictured above). What I love most about this trend is that you can style it very casually (t-shirt, sandals, belt) or dress it up for date night with high heels and a silk tank. 

Blazers have come back around to give fall fashion a little bit of structure. The best thing about this key item is that a great blazer can instantly make any outfit look polished and pulled together. When I'm crunched for time and need an easy outfit for a night out I love pairing a great fitting blazer with a stylish dress and adding heels and a clutch. Blazers look great when paired with denim, trousers or even this season's slew of skirts. Think of the blazer as the Fall '12 alternative to the cardigan sweater except so much more chic. 

Military chic is always a relevant trend if you live in Seattle but this season it's a legitimate top trend for fashion retailers and celebrity stylists. Army jackets, camo print, Doc Marten boots, leather, cargo pants and studs are all part of this Fall trend. Key colors for going military chic include olive green, khaki, navy and even using red as a pop color. This trend is great for cold fall days when you want to be comfortable, covered up (think: cinched waist army jacket paired with a knit scarf and jeans) but still stylish. 

Hot on the tail of the military chic trend is the Dark Romance Rock Goddess. This trend is all about graphic tees, ripped skinny jeans, studded biker boots, motorcycle jackets, glitter leggings, sequins, denim shorts and heavy embellishment. To me this trend is all about rock goddess meets punk princess. While traveling in London we saw this trend played out to every extreme. Ripped tees, overly distressed denim, super embellished vests and structured leather shorts. The easiest way to incorporate this trend into your wardrobe is with a rock & roll inspired graphic tee paired with your "maybe I should think about throwing these out" jeans. 

There's a ton of crossover between the trends this fall so feel free to mix and match and do what feels right and suits your mood. Fashion is all about having fun, so remind yourself of that next time you're standing in your closet stressing out over what to wear. 

Happy Shopping!

London: Day Four

Fast Fashion is not a Trend

The concept of “fast fashion” is buzzing throughout the fashion industry. Retailers are changing their business models to take part in it, and consumers are breaking their loyalties to companies who don’t carry it. It’s undeniable that the speed to market approach results in retailers enjoying a higher profit margin because of the simple fact that they are capitalizing on fashion that their competitors either don’t carry or don’t have in stores yet. Fast Fashion is a topic that will continue to define the Fashion Industry over the next decade because it’s span spreads over a variety of areas within the fashion industry and will have a direct effect on the way consumers shop and react to trends in the future.

Although it’s a relatively new concept for many consumers, Fast Fashion has been around for years. In 1999 American Vogue Editor Anna Wintour sent a personal letter to all major international designers notifying them that photographs taken at their recent runway shows would be appearing on Style.com. This move was seen as a “demystification” of the fashion process and the catwalk then became a public arena. The Internet began to make it possible for the average consumer to gain access to runway shows that had previously been conducted behind closed doors. In the words of David Wolfe, one of the leading trend correspondents at The Donegar Group in New York, “The hunger for “instant gratification” on the part of some fashion-aware consumers led companies such as Zara and H&M to steamline their methods of production to rush copies and interpretations of runway items into their store faster than ever before”.
This meant that instead of waiting 4-6 months from concept to delivery, companies like H&M were able to rapidly react to runway trends and put new product into stores within 2-3 weeks.

It’s undeniable that fashion trends are peaking faster than ever before. The rise and fall of fashion trends comes and goes in the blink of an eye and even consumers attempting to keep up have a hard time keeping pace. Marketing firms depend on selling consumers on the idea of ‘Here Today, Gone Tomorrow’ via Limited Edition Collections and low quantity production runs of special items that encourage them to visit the stores more frequently. Fast Fashion creates excitement in a store and it separates one storefront from another as consumers stroll down the mall. Under the “fast fashion” model, product life cycles are much shorter, meaning that customers see a constant turnover of a store's clothing assortment. Retailers who carry fast fashion collect higher margin profits from the sale of their fast fashion merchandise because they are able to sell through it so rapidly that it skips the entire markdown process altogether. After the merchandise sells through the company then has more money to do it all over again. They key for retailers is the “speed to market” approach that comes through vertical integration throughout the supply chain in order to achieve greater flexibility to market changes. Companies are also addressing the speed to market approach by setting up design offices and distribution centers in the countries they are producing in. Developing counties like Bangladesh depend on the fast fashion business model to survive. In fact, nearly 80% of Bangladesh's foreign earnings are derived from the garment industry. Although it could be said that companies take advantage of cheap labor and production costs in countries like Bangladesh, it should also be said that the citizens of Bangladesh benefit from fast fashion by having stable employment through the creation of jobs in the industry.

Fast Fashion has been a great way for retailers to keep pace with their customers need for rapid self-editing. Consumers have always showcased their social commentary through their choice of personal dress by making style statements with pop culture t-shirts, fashion forward accessories or even a head to toe “look” styled after their favorite celebrity. Annamma Joy, a Professor at Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s Institute of Textile and Clothing thinks that fast fashion sufficiently caters to the needs of postmodern consumers. “Fast fashion allows personal editing of not just the wardrobe but also personality,” says Joy, “In the US for example, consumers have “closet consultants” who help them throw away clothes that no longer reflect their lives”. Fast Fashion provides consumers with the freedom to be themselves through instant style editing while allowing businesses to cash in on the transformation.

The “speed to market” approach in the Fashion Industry doesn’t come without red flags from Environmentalists who can easily identify the concerns and issues regarding the sustainability of the fast fashion movement. Fast fashion is regarded by conservative consumers as “wasteful’ because rather than buying one high quality item to satisfy a wardrobe need, consumers are buying multiples that are lower quality and then throwing out old items just as quickly as they are bringing in new ones. In fact, many Consumers report that the fast fashion apparel they are purchasing is actually cheaper to buy than to wash because they would rather dry clean it than risk putting it through their own washing machines and compromising the garment integrity. This trend is a sharp contrast to the rest of the pop culture trends that exist today including the Green Movement and the concept of Sustainability.

Fast Fashion just might be one of the only things in the Fashion Industry that is here to stay. Consumers love instant gratification and companies will go to great lengths to provide it. Meanwhile, the Internet will continue to drive the fast fashion trend and solicit consumer interest in fashion hot off the runway, while the excitement of fresh new fashion will be a focal point in storefronts as they attempt to differentiate themselves from their competition. Fashion will continue to follow the evolution of consumers who are constantly changing, growing and editing not only their values and personalities but also their wardrobes.

Seattle Fashion Events

When it rains it pours and in this economy even the savvy girls can appreciate a good sale. In Seattle we are fortunate enough to have an entire slew of regularly scheduled shopping events including Thread, Unzipped and of course, the Crave Summer Sample Sale. Below is a brief list of upcoming fashion events that you’ll definitely enjoy if you love to shop.

October 18th - YWCA Shop Sale
From 9am-3pm the public is invited to the YWCA Closet Treasures Sale which features deep discounts on gently-worn designer apparel and accessories from Jimmy Choo, St. Johns, Donna Karan and more. Many items are under $50 but come early because the best items go first. Proceeds benefit Seattle’s YWCA Dress for Success Program so come early, spend generously and enjoy your "new" winter wardrobe. For more info visit www.closettreasuresale.com
Date: Saturday, October 3rd
Time: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Place: Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center. 104 17th Ave. S. Seattle, WA


October 25th - Eco Lavish Fashion Show
Join the Half Past Lavish crew for an eco-friendly fashion show sponsored by Dry Soda, The Urban Fashion Network and Seattle Picks. Tickets are $10 cash at the door and include a reception following the show. I believe this is their first annual show and they have not announced their line up for the runway show- but it still sound awesome and the tickets are cheap. For more info visit www.halfpastlavish.com
Date: Saturday, Oct. 25th
Time: 8 p.m.
Place: Abbey Art Center. 4272 Fremont Ave. N. Seattle, WA

October 26th - Thread Seattle
I love a great shop sale and this is one of the best the city has to offer. My suggestion is to grab some girlfriends and head to Pesos for brunch and then wander down the hill to the Seattle Center. You can generally find some great underground designer fashion at the Thread show and also other well know labels like Jeepney, Suzabelle, Michael Kors, Upper Playground and more. Tickets are $10 at the door and you can also check out more info at www.threadshow.com
Date: Sunday, Oct. 26th
Time: 12-5 p.m.
Location: Fisher Pavilion. Seattle Center.

Top 10 Fall Fashion Trends

It occurred to me that before we can review Spring 09 trends from Fashion Week, we must first circle back on what the must-have items are for Fall 2008.

Here's a quick list of the top 10.....


1 - Colored Tights
You can buy any color that works for you. The important thing here is to tie them back to a great outfit and pair them with a hot shoe or a slouchy suede boot.


2 - Lace
I love lace. It always looks classy as long as it's done right. Lace can come in the form of a sheer lace shirt paired with a nude tank or even in the form of a maxi dress with leggings. If you are still stuck on how to incorporate lace into a casual wardrobe- cut yourself a little slack and buy a headband with lace detailing.


3 - Plaid
The buffalo plaid shirts in reds, yellows and purples are everywhere for Fall but plaid doesn't have to be overwhelming or even reminiscent of the late nineties. Plaid fabrics are everywhere from casual jackets to wrap dresses so finding something that is the right color for you shouldn't be an issue. If wearing plaid scares you it might make more sense to start with something a little less committal like a plaid scarf.


4 - Fall Florals
Florals work for me any time of year- but once you get past the summer months it's important to update your floral wardrobe with pieces that reflect a fall color palette. Go for neutral floral colors with rich jewel tone colors.


5 - Head to Toe NeutralsAlmost every designer showed head to toe neutrals in at least a handful of outfits that were part of their fall collections. Jean Paul Gaultier showed neutral everything from the scarf to the knee length boots.


6 - Purple
Our Fashion First theme for the 2008 runway show was "The Ultimate Color Tour", mostly because we knew purple would be huge. Purple is the hottest color for Fall so it's important that you have at least 1 good piece that covers this trend. My suggestion would be a purple dress that fits you like a glove- but I'm partial to my new Delia*s dress that is purple with front button closures.....The point is, get something that you love and wear it- often.


7 - Metallics
The metallic trend spans across a variety of categories. I've seen this trend in handbags, shoes, special occasion dresses and blouses. Jewel tones like gold, purples, silvers and teals have been very popular in metallics but the trend doesn't have to be worn in apparel it can also be worn in the form of a handbag or a belt.


8 - Bows
This is one of my favorite trends from Spring 08. I fell in love with my Rachel Leigh bracelet that I forced my boyfriend to buy me in Boston over the summer. I just can't get enough of cute little bow headbands, necklaces or even the rhinestone Juicy Couture bow earrings. They are simply adorable and seemingly innocent! For fall I suggest you get a blouse with bow details or possibly a gold necklace with a metal bow detail.


9 - Menswear Fabrics
Herringbones and tweeds will be popular for Fall 2008. If you don't want to sport menswear trousers or a menswear inspired blazer you can still get the look with a menswear vest, a herringbone pencil skirt or even a tweed jacket.


10 - Monochromatic Gray
 I love grey eyeshadow any time of year- but mostly in the fall. Sheer greys and cloudy silvers are going to be the one color (aside from PURPLE) that you will want to stock up on. Boots, cabbie hats, sweaters and even tights in shades of grey will help update your wardrobe for fall.