Clothes are less tied to the calendar than they used to be. Sure, stores sell swimsuits in summer and coats in winter, but the top fashion trends today transcend the seasons.
Metallics, animal prints, cropped jackets and trench coats are must-haves for fall. But they are also going to be big next year, judging from the spring fashion shows just held in New York.
And when something strikes a chord with shoppers — such as the current infatuation with retro ladylike suits and dresses — designers will keep playing it, observers say.
“Marc Jacobs is continuing to have a big influence with his 1950s silhouette of slim tops and full skirts,” says Cynthia Leive, editor of Glamour magazine, who watched about five shows a day during Fashion Week.
She says feminine outfits are more forgiving and easy to wear than the knee-length shorts other designers floated as a trend for spring.
“There are so many pretty clothes out there — that’s what women want to wear,” Leive says.
Fashion obsolescence isn’t what it used to be, with an item being “in” one season and “out” the next. Rather, designers are thinking more evolution than revolution today.
That’s true for a couple of reasons. Women who spend top dollar on designer ensembles and accessories want them to be viable for more than a season, after all.
With the Internet, fashion information is also much more accessible. No longer does it take a season for information to filter from the French ateliers to the masses. Dior might have animal-print dresses and handbags in the window, but so do the department stores. Fads come and go — Uggs, pashminas and initial jewelry, anyone? — but a woman with an eye for the trends can pick pieces now that she can wear for years.
Watching the spring shows, checking out the haute retail haunts and eyeing the fashionistas attending the shows, here’s what we found:
Honey, I shrunk the suit: Cropped jackets with bracelet sleeves in everything from boucle to brocade and eyelet continued to be the favorite silhouette shown in the spring previews. Skirts were both slim and full, pleated and poufed, but the jacket shapes tended to be short.
Animal instincts: Leopard spots and tiger stripes, black-and-white zebra motifs and snakeskin aren’t just back, they’re huge in both clothing and accessories. Those who just want a touch of the trend can pick up a pair of shoes or handbag.
Gold standard: Metallic clothes and accessories, already hot for fall, will be even bigger next spring. While silver, copper and bronze items are being shown, gold is the most fashion-forward metal in both accessories and clothing.
In the trenches: It might be a wardrobe classic, but designers are teaching the trench coat a few new tricks. Chanel created a style with tweed trim, while such stalwarts as London Fog are offering coats in stripes and fashion colors.
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Heidi Stevens is away spotting trends in Europe. E-mail her at hstevens@tribune.com.
