This Holiday Season's Hottest Trends
As the Holidays rapidly approach, so does the opportunity to start planning our holiday wardrobes. During this time of year, dressing can get complicated as our calendars become filled with family functions, dinners, black-tie events, and office parties. There are a few key looks every gal should have in her arsenal to keep her looking on trend and fiercely chic this winter.
Tuxedo Dressing For evening, one of my favourite re-emerging trends is borrowed from the boys: the tux is back in full force for women. This trend is strongly rooted in the 70s and this season we saw looks walk down the runway in both traditional interpretations in basic black as well as the classic white with black shawl lapel. A few designers also experimented with colour, texture, and proportion, giving this trend added dimension.
As with any trend, this one especially lends itself to interpretation and can act as the blank canvas where you can allow your own personal style to shine through. This look can be worn traditionally for an evening/black tie/cocktail setting or, for an added dose of sex appeal, nix the traditional white cotton button-up for a lacy cami or, for you more daring dolls, channel Bianca Jagger and go sans-blouse under your sharply tailored jacket. The key to pulling off this look is to keep it simple with minimal accessories and make sure your suit is well tailored (as with any investment pieces, fit and fabric are very important). With this trend, there are few rules so have fun with it! Try pairing your tux jacket with a pair of skinny Jeans and a white tank for day or rocking your tuxedo pant with a sexy T and sky-high heels for dinner out with the girls.
Bold-Coloured Trousers Nothing says the Holidays like bold colour choices. Colour has been a huge trend for a while now and by the looks of things, the colour trend shows no signs of fading anytime soon. Whether you’re dressing for day or night, opt of a bold hue in the pant silhouette that best suits your shape. This Fall, designers showed pants in silhouettes ranging from high waisted and pencil leg to flare and voluminous so no matter what your body type, there is a pant for you that will definitely be on trend. There are quite a few options for topping off painterly pants. For the more subdued gal, top the pant off with a nude or cream fine-knit top or a crisp white button-down man-tailored shirt layered with your favorite statement necklace for a classic yet chic look. Feeling a bit more daring? Try a top in a contrasting colour or a complimentary print for a bold statement.
Daytime Bling During the holidays, we all love to look festive at all times and nothing makes me feel more festive than reinventing and breaking a few style rules. To add a little extra dazzle to your daytime dressing, I say borrow from your evening arsenal and sparkle in the daylight. I love seeing signature sequins and beaded pieces juxtaposed against clean, crisp daytime looks. Designers this season showed sequins, paillettes, and embellishments on lust-worthy pieces that will definitely add some glitter to your holidays.
Try a sequined or embellished jacket/coat as a topper. For a more refined look, layer under the coat a fine-gauge cashmere top with a pant of the same hue. If you’re feeling a bit more urbane or rock and roll, slip into your skinny jeans, hard-edged platform boots, and favourite T-shirt as a foundation for your blinged-out bespoke coat. It’s all about bringing your personality to this look and the only rule when wearing a statement piece like a sequined or embellished coat during the day is to let that be the star of the outfit and keep everything else simple, minimal, and clean. Follow this, the only rule, and you’re assured to look fashion forward chic.
Comfy Cozy Chic During this time of year, time becomes scarce and comfort becomes more important. This next trend makes me ecstatically happy because it gets you out of your tried-and-true uniform of jeans, T-shirts, leggings, and sweats. It ups your style quotient while maintaining the same comfort and ease of your old weekend uniforms. This season, many designers sent sumptuous yet chunky sweaters paired with delicate yet voluminous maxi skirts. This low-key and übercomfy idea will have you rethinking your weekend wardrobe this season.
The best advice I can give for those attempting to follow this trend is: think monochromatic. This guarantees you look as long, lean, and polished as you do comfortable. The appearance of a long and slim silhouette is never a bad thing. Another added plus to this look: these chic yet chunky sweaters and maxi skirts are available in every price range. When I’m working as an image consultant and fashion editor, I always instruct my clients to invest in certain wardrobe items, so-called “investment pieces.” These are usually classic offerings made in luxurious fabrics that will be worn throughout the season and many seasons to come. If ever there was an item to splurge on, comfy cashmere is it. Ladies, also note “comfy” and “chunky” are not synonymous with “oversized” and “sloppy.” If it’s a heavier gauge knit, make sure it fits closer to the body (which prevents the garment from making you look bulky).
Welcome to the Sixties This is an exceptionally fun trend to follow for it lends itself to family bonding. Call me a romantic but I can imagine a grandmother making her way to the attic with her granddaughters following behind to rummage through her fashion past to select the perfect little shift dress and oversized shades from the swinging 60s. Or pay a visit to the local vintage shop and pick up one-of-a-kind frocks and accessories.
If straight from the runway is more your speed, check out looks from Prada, Lisa Perry, and Alberta Ferrety. For a looser interpretation of this trend, try adding a bold-coloured leg under your favourite skirt (tip: keep your hem line just sweeping the top of your knee for a longer, leaner silhouette).
Written by: Harold Jay Melvin
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