2005 Fashion Trends

By Pauline Weston Thomas for Fashion-Era.com

This Spring Summer 2005 Fashion Trends section, looks at the main fashion trends for spring and summer 2005 in colours, fashion fabrics, textures, prints, fashion styles and designer looks, colour trends in fashion and the mood of consumers.

Last autumn it was obvious that texture and colour dominated the runways.  In short, female trends for Summer 2005 will see a very feminine approach to summer fashion styles. There are about a dozen main looks that have emerged from designer's spring summer shows, but the key is in the quirky edgy details.  Those little differences. 

Choose carefully to suit your figure and personality.  The key pieces I'm opting for myself are shorter boxy, cropped jackets, with just below elbow or three quarter sleeves.

I bought my first shorter, bracelet sleeve jacket a year ago and am now convinced the closer neater shorter jacket as a fashion piece will get more and more cropped in the next year through Edwardian bolero styles to the ultimate snug cut of the Spencer jacket stage.

Nearly every designer included some cropped jackets in their shows in a wide variety of materials and they will work well with fuller, soft gypsy skirts as well as trousers or over dresses.  The cropped jacket will be a highly wearable item and is set to be one of the biggest fashion choice trends of 2005 fashion. 

It can be anything from a cropped Chanel line jacket to a skinny shorter bodied blazer. As a bonus it's also perfect as a cover up in summer air conditioning or cooler evenings.  Designers will merely take it a step further at some point this year and by next winter I predict we will be wearing spencer jackets in force, perfect under cocooning capes or jackets with cape like backs.

Whilst the pencil skirt is a designer must have for this year too, panel and A line gypsy skirts will be the way to go.  Fuller width means maxi in length or just above ankle.  If you like shorter lengths to show those legs then cropped trousers or knee shorts or the pencil skirt is great alternative, but it puts bodies on show which may of course be your intention. 

The pencil skirt looks so much better with high heels, but wedges may be an option. Whichever skirt or trouser style you choose, stay in tune with the eclectic ethnic look and add tribal fashion. That will be the fastest way to update your personal look.  Failing that add a scarf or bag or shoe style in the latest texture, print or colour.

You are reading an original fashion article written by Pauline Weston Thomas© at www.fashion-era.com ©

2005 Fashion Looks

The Gypsy Look

Probably the next most important look of 2005. Lots of white or coloured gypsy skirts and petticoats that give a bottom half which is wider and fuller.

The Volume Look

The Volume look is new so avoid extremes as you adapt to it.  Much of the volume is focused on the lower half of the body.

The Skinny Look

The skinny look is of severe pared down minimalism, giving a lean silhouette.  Elements have a neat sharp edge that says zeitgeist moment.

The Empire Look

Raised high empire waists should be strong look for dresses and tops which may feature bohemian, tribal, Kaftan styles or other fads.

Eclectic Ethnic Look

These looks below are different looks, but all easily mixed together under the guise of 'ethnic'.

African Tribal Look

Pick an aspect like African tribal jewellery, tribal prints, faux animal fur fringe or choose native American symbols - any would work well for moving fluidly into these ethnic and folkloric themes.

The Bohemian Look

You could work the gypsy look in with this, but it's vital to understand the importance of the silhouette of the gypsy look.

The Clunky Arts 'n Crafts Look

Likewise if you are not keen on jewellery start with wooden heeled cowboy or ethnic boots.   Try though to avoid looking like a walking collage.

The Botanical Look

Vibrant to soft colour with femininity. From Miami to Madrid to Milan, flower prints are favourites.  Sprigs to bi-coloured toile de jouy to full exotic blossoms in landscape colours and bird scenes coexist. Sometimes the prints are covered up with enveloping cardigans or capelets or neat cropped jackets to keep to the layered theme.

Perennial Classics

Empire line dresses that are feminine also feature in this look.

The Nautical Look

A naval theme easy to achieve with classic striped pieces such as sweaters or T-shirts, sailor collars and navy and white flowing pants.

Military and Safari Chic

For those who love classic looks

The Skinny Look 

The Skinny Look includes commercially sharp collections and snappy sharp tailoring for women. The skinny look with boyish styling is ideal for skinnies.  It's the snappy chic look with perhaps a skinny cropped close-fitting blazer, a safari jacket and shorts or skinny jeans tucked into boots.

The Volume Look 

This is a really new look which makes the body seem as if cocooned in fabric.  Like fashion of the 1870-80s, dresses are covered in an abundance of swags, layers, bows and pleats, ornamentation and sheer volume of fabric.

Full bubble skirts (in the past called the puffball skirt), hooped skirts and small panier styles show how the trend to volume in clothes will progress with some movement of the waist rising above the normal waistline. 

Volume will be supported by the correct under petticoats being available.  To get the look you will need the correct under petticoats and often the petticoats will be intended to be seen.  This is a look that might take a while to surface.  The public will either love it or loathe it.

A more acceptable volume look for most of us will be the big cardigan look that envelopes and cocoons as we use it with other layers to achieve the perfect personal eco environment.  There's volume and volume.  Take your pick.

The Bohemian Eclectic Ethnic Look

Most of the 2005 fashion looks under eclectic ethnic, pay homage to global elements that create a bohemian look borrowed from many sources and derived from many countries and highlight tribal, African, peasant, folkloric, Indian, Japanese, Polynesian, Romany, Moroccan, Puerto Rican, Mongolian and native American Indian traditional decorative embellishments. 

The theme is go native. This look borrows features like Nehru collars, sari fabrics, embroidery,ikat and Aztec or primitive pattern, excessive bangles and beads, shisha mirror work, batik and tie dye printing, obi sashes to macramé knotting, all to achieve an eclectic mix that makes us feel we have seen it before, but are not quite sure where. 

Then it dawns on us the characteristics are ones we've either seen on holiday somewhere or on TV when all the Miss World contestants line up in what passes for national costume! 

The Gypsy Look - Spring Summer Fashion Trends 2005

The ‘gypsy’ look will be next years most widespread trend when topped off with disproportionate bling with rococo elements such as shells or spangles, metallic lustre sandals and an excess of accessories.  The look is not peasant poor, but with tones of tempting Rita Hayworth in exotic mesmerizing gypsy mode, sultry and seductive.   Skirts are fuller than they have been for years and billow with fabric.

The Clunky Arts 'n Crafts Look

A fascination with hand crafted looks is a strong theme for 2005 fashion. Individuality is the name of the new fashion game.  Identikit fashion is out and you can express yourself with individually crafted looks.  Choose your style, make your statement, make it yourself or buy it from an independent lone worker. Express yourself and be you.  

2005 will be the year to dig out those knitting needles, that knitting machine or long underused crochet hook or get your macramé knotting skills up to scratch.  But this is craft with a difference - the yarn is cashmere, angora, silk or linen with silk and ramie.

The commercial look will consist of layers of texture and embellishment with perhaps a hem of sequin decoration overlaid or underlain with more layers of perhaps a second and even third embellished appliquéd hem.

Garments that look as if they have been clumsily recycled will appear with decorative cut outs and will strongly feature badly applied appliqué.  This clumsy, roughly worked appliqué with a clunky effect that is intended to be a naïve, folksy and amateurish will be easy to apply as a custom finish to your own garments.

Already high street stores have honed in on this texture with clunky hand crafts look and here are some bags from the Marks and Spencer Per Una range I photographed last week. 

The Garden Look  - 2005 Fashion - Spring Summer

Hand painted Watercolour paint effects are part of the garden/botanical theme.  Dreamy pastel printed florals, tropical vibrant hothouse flowers and Toile de Jouy fresh prints all sit side by side. 

The latter have that clean rain washed summers past quality.  Some prints have flowers so large they easily cover half a skirt and become abstracted.  Others feature as garlands of roses, using impressionist to cubist paint techniques.

The Wrist - The New Attention Zone

The wrist is the next new attention zone, some have even called it the new erogenous zone.  The nakedness of a lower arm against a covered up torso will be the new area of interest.  Women and girls at long last rapidly abandon the low slung naked bellies now so passé and so it seems so disliked by many. The three-quarter sleeve or bracelet length sleeve will maintain it's positions as a modern looking sleeve on garments.  

Many sleeves will have flounces to finish them and draw even more attention to the wrist.  Because of this, gloves will be the perfect 'new' accessory to cover the area of wrist flesh lending a new interest and variety to clothes, adding chic glamour styling when overdressed with cuffs and charm bracelets.

After fashions set in the film The Aviator some will adopt boldly contrasting gloves for outfits and use them in the way shoes have been used as symbols of desire in the past decade.  Some sleeves at the elbow will be finished with ruffles making them evoke memories of C18^th Watteau Pleat dress.

The shorter sleeves in general will encourage an old style technique of turning back the sleeve edge on longer garments to show a contrast lining. To compliment the attention on the hands and wrists large cabochon rings and rings reminiscent of the 1960s dress rings will soon emerge as the next must have piece of jewellery. 

Plenty of rings such as the latter can be found in the back rows of jewellers display cabinets of second hand rings. Other sleeve styles include the short angel sleeve as shown by Matthew Williamson and bracelet sleeves with flounces.

You are reading an original fashion article written by Pauline Weston Thomas© at www.fashion-era.com ©

Collars/Cuffs/Buttonholes  - Spring Summer Fashion Trends 2005

Asymmetric large cowl like bertha side collars and oversized decorative non functioning buttonholes will feature on cropped jackets.  Zips that don’t fully zip up, but act as decorative hardware show a new attention to fasteners as facets of embellishment that are purely decorative rather than utilitarian.

Trouser Shapes- Spring Summer Fashion Trends 2005

Trouser shapes are changing.  There is a whole range to choose from.  These are the main styles of trousers to emerge for summer 2005  - shorts to cut off cropped trousers, rolled up trousers, knickerbockers, culottes and skinny drainpipes to straight cut thirties bags often with turn ups and which flop over the shoe almost obliterating the shoe upper. 

The rolled up trouser look will get its look from the fabric used. After the boot cut trouser, shapes can always go two ways.  They can either go much narrower and skinny jeans have already done this.  Skinny jeans can be worn inside boots or used as stiletto jeans.  Choose some skinny jeans such as those by James Jeans from designers Siun Kim and James Chung who make jeans designed to slim and flatter the inner thigh.  In the UK you can get these from Matches from approx £130.

Or the upper leg can widen until it reaches the outside of the flare and morph into the Oxford bag shapes of the 1930s.  Look to the 1930s for inspiration and the film The Aviator for classy well cut trousers, with length, style and grace. Some trousers have turn ups, others flop well over the shoe and it is these little differences that are important.   All should be cut in quality fabric and worn with well cut smart tailored shirts or blouses. 

Being waisted and looped these trousers can be finished with either a tie dyed scarf threaded through the belt loops or use a great belt.  The belt really can be the designer item that gets worn time and again.  The use of a tie dyed or hand crafted silk scarf means you can follow one of the season's hot looks without going over Boho.  Alternative fashion belts you could use are macramé or bead encrusted belts.

Other Looks

Other looks worth mentioning that can take off include those with witty quirky styling that looks fresh and inspired.

• Nautical/military look
• Kaftans from hip length to floor length.
• New emphasis on the higher waistline.
• Halter neck dresses with baby doll empire lines.
• Smock looks.
• Apron dresses.
• Narrow cut swing coats with cuffed sleeves and cuffed pockets.
• Sashes on garments especially coats with sashes.
• Flared and draping skirts.
• Shantung silk bag trousers with rolled up self made turn ups.
• Trousers with turn ups.
• Coin decoration.
• Beaded and jewel encrusted sandals.
• Charm bracelets.

2005 Fashion Color Trends

Timid discreet colours are likely to be some of the most loved, but there will be nothing timid about the bold statements the clothes make.  Colours are moving toward brighter, cleaner more vivid tones and shades. 

Colour trends for spring summer 2005 which are expected to reach new rainbow heights include a coral toned flaming geranium, nude flesh tones, every hue of blue to lavender lilacs, many greens from light to dark and acids, plus the neutral white with white and animal tribal earthy tones.  Dark saturated blues may become as popular as blacks have been, but black still continues as a strong feature in many women's wardrobes.

Colours for Spring Summer 2005 Fashion Move Toward...

Kiwi and watered lime, acid green, colours of lime, chartreuse, sulphurous khaki green, catkin, apple green, mint green, pistachio, lichen, fir green, moss, jade, gun metal copper green, green.....and lots more green.....

.......and just as many Glacial blues, watery icy aquamarine, turquoise, crystal white, electric blue, delphinium, periwinkle blue, sapphire blue, royal blue, indigo, cornflower, delft, lapis lazuli,teal, cobalt, sky blue, grey, slate, lilac, wisteria, purple, heather, Parma violet, mauve, light purple, lilac, lavender through to purple.

Primrose, lemon sherbet, lemon barley, melon, lemon rind, daffodil yellow, hot yellow, mango, yellow sunshine, butterball, amber, apricot, nude, golden saffron, sultana, spicy orange, carrot, pumpkin, tangerine, ginger, spice, cinnamon, date, toast, taupe and soft browns meet reds.

Geranium red,  coral, geranium pink, rosewood, beige rose, rose pink, flesh, peach, pale pink, candy colours, poppy red,  watermelon, strawberry, raspberry, fuchsia pink, pink, shell pink, cerise pink, hot pink, raspberry, chilli red, claret, ruby red, paprika. 

Add to this some neutrals such as oyster pearl grey, silver grey, white, black, parchment and ivory, then vary all these colours further with metallic shimmer effects.  Shimmer and coppered bronzes that glow, will be with us for some time.

You are reading an original fashion article written by Pauline Weston Thomas© at www.fashion-era.com ©

2005 Fashion Fabrics, Prints and Textures

'The return to nature look' will use fabrics which are natural such as silk, cotton, hemp, ramie, linen and often showing elements found in grey goods and yarn imperfections found in silks, but now serving as a natural and desirable feature. 

Surface textural interest will also be a focus.  Raw rustic fabrics with a vintage worn quality, mercerized cotton fabrics that are lustrous with sheen, cotton piqués, thick yarn worked with thin yarn cotton materials, pintuck pleated fabrics, denim edged in white lace, puckered seersuckers and stone washed goods will be favourite fashions. 

Linen will seem less popular in 2005 fashion now that it’s become ubiquitous and has lost some of its earlier cache.  Very lightweight tweeds remain fashionable and women adjust to new ways of wearing them against fabrics such as chiffon and tulle.  Fringing on tweed hems will still be seen and merge with new twists such as crochet and macramé.

Lace  

Collectors of vintage lace have long known how wonderful old lace can enhance clothes.  Now lace is reborn with such variety available from sculptural guipure lace to delicate chantilly lace used as in fills for panels on garments or as frills, flounces and ruffles.  The newer metallic platinum look lace is as popular as palest pink, ivory, cream and white lace.   Many lace types look surprisingly different and modern with their cellophane coatings.

Plastic cellophane style or thin golden metallic coatings surface on the finest of materials from chiffon, voile, lace and tulle.

Macramé and Crochet 

Macramé resurfaces as a texture for cardigans and borders on garments. Fringe of all types continues to grow as a fad, but macramé adds a new fresh twist.  Crochet emerges as a method used in knitwear adding summer lightness and variation and is useful for scarves, shawls, shrugs and hats. 

Silk

For evening Spring Summer 2005, silk is the big evening fabric along with lace and tulle for high end and couture garments.  The colours are the softest of softest pastels with purple and pink still showing big followings.

Rich embroidery, trimmings, beading of spangles, rhinestones, crystal, metal on metal with effects that rival Tutankhamen’s collar all encrust cuffs and collars.  Cut out lace and silk pieces reapplied as decorative elements on new fabrics.

Chiffons

The fabrics are some old favourites and include chiffon, from imprecise torn chiffon fringes to being used pleated, smocked and gathered or shaped into free forms such as organic trailing decorative petals and leaves.  It can also surprise and shock at other times, as it is sometimes layered in colours with light over dark. Multi coloured shading of organza layers is a similar story which means shimmer and glistening under lights and texture enhancement when placed to contrast against some of the wonderful slinky thin double faced satins.

By day silk crepe de chine sits beside duller silks such as georgette, moss crepe and charmeuse.

Pleating

Accordion pleating makes welcome change as the thinnest of taffeta silks are used to great effect and give origami sculptural style to sleeves and other garment parts.

Metallics

Metallic fabric and knits are still strong for spring summer 2005.  Metallic finishes, often reptilian also make sartorial statements amid bags and footwear.  Metallic and shimmering fabrics are a growing trend.

2005 Fashion Fabric Prints: Spring & Summer

Pattern is well and truly back.  Many of the spring 2005 cropped jackets will be printed or woven patterns.

Toile de Jouy

Toile de Jouy style prints in clean colours like blue on white on summer dresses will seem serene and echo summers past.

Stripes and Checks and Graphic Signs

Striped textiles will be major force particularly in knits and tops.  More subtle checks and broken disrupted line plaid varieties will emerge.  Open stitching in fabrics and broken lines in weaves means that many fabric will have sheer openness which is light and loose in structure.

1950’s scenic poster prints and stylized symbols of everyday 50s objects printed on textiles in graphic way.

Graphic signage such as newsprint imagery using media to give the appearance of ink to crayon to charcoal will be a favoured form of printed fabric. 

The background fabric may have a surface that looks like any one of many paper styles. It might be intended to look as vellum or might appear as a  grainy rough handmade paper for watercolour paints or even blotting paper or parchment. 

The paper look which is fabric will be strong and will vary from dull crepes to shiny oiled effects dependant on the paper being imitated.

Indian scarf prints and African art flower forms or Inca geometrics make interesting decorative prints for cropped jackets and also for coats which capture a sixties printed coat dress feel.

Animal and reptilian prints continue in fashion.

You are reading an original fashion article written by Pauline Weston Thomas© at www.fashion-era.com ©

Dyeing and Tie Dyeing

Ombre dyeing, targeted dip and tie dyeing which places a pattern on a specific part of the garment all help create the free thinking Bohemian and gypsy looks. 

Tie dyeing is ripe for a mass revival and although manufacturers can produce spectacular looks using it this is a craft people love to try out themselves.  Suede will be an unexpected surprise tie dyed choice and batik effects are also used.

Embroidery

Embroidery is abundant on dress now and will be even more in fashion trend terms this spring and summer 2005 fashion. 

Varying from coarse and rustic to fine and delicate, to multi coloured wools or silk threads to single tones of silver and often combined with beading or sequins or other sparkle effects.  Every variation is there and often in skirts specifically intended for daytime, but which are perfect for dancing.

Knitwear 

Knits are jazzier than for many seasons.

Traditional fair isle circular knitted yokes, Missoni style zigzags or Argyle patterns make an interesting change from plain and textured knits.  Remember garter stitch garments of a decade ago that replaced picture knits and intarsia sweaters.  Well after the zigzags and stripes of this spring look next for jacquard and fair isle knitting both back on the scene. 

You'll probably be buying some once you see the film The Aviator.  Contrast colour schemes like pink and black, turquoise and browns, lime and lilacs or rust and creams bring new vibrancy to knits.  Accessorise your knit cardigans with skinny belts or replace buttons with pearl or diamante buttons for the latest fad.

Spencer style cardigans will be the knitwear version of cropped jackets.

Hand knitting is back in style with a vengeance as knitters across the globe take up their knitting needles and create gorgeous confections using textured and beribboned yarns. 

The latter add 'original' looking hand crafted appeal with ease as individuals strive to connect with their creative side and pass away time relaxing and cocooning at the same time.  Crafts in general will see a resurgence as original novelty in dress takes hold.

Contrast colour schemes like pink and black, turquoise and browns, lime and lilacs or rust and creams bring new vibrancy to knits. 

You are reading an original fashion article written by Pauline Weston Thomas© at www.fashion-era.com ©

2005 Fashion Accessories

This seasons accessories are going to hinge on the adoption of ethnic related fashion.  Key pieces include Tribal, Animal and other Ethnic styled Jewellery.

Jewels, Ornamental Effects and Jewellery

Diamante buttons on cardigans, jewelled charms, plastic robot dolls and plastic charms hanging from belts and bags, fruit earrings and rows of rainbow coloured thick plastic bangles are all fads for 2005.  Ornamented clothes for special occasions will have jewel studded cuff areas and necklines.

Tribal Beads

One big fashion which has already taken off is the trend for tribal beads whether wooden or bone or plastic.  The look is chunky crafts inspired, ethnic arts and crafts and almost what one might imagine a cannibal might don.

In addition to tribal beads look out for Middle eastern and Indian art and crafts inspired coin jewellery where strings of coins create an ethnic Boho look.  Snake bracelets, gladiator cuffs and narrow wrist bangles worn by the dozen are all fashions you can wear now and keep wearing this summer. 

One of the best takes on this tribal/ethnic jewellery look is of chunky turquoise bead rope necklaces wrapped around and around the neck.  Ropes of pearls worn twenties style are also in vogue.

Earrings

In Hollywood there was a decline in huge chandelier style earrings in favour of larger diamond studs.  Yet in the UK Chandelier style earrings are more popular than ever and the tribal/boho look is set to create even more dangling styles of strings, ropes and tiers of decorative units from metal discs to jelly bean plastic beads. 

It seems like only yesterday that we abandoned those diamond studs. Coloured gems like Aquamarine, Peridot, Amethyst, Citrine and stones like green Beryl, Jade and Turquoise have gained fresh followers. 

New style chandelier earrings like straight stiletto sticks are coming in.  This link is a nice example of a straight chandelier style perfect as a Valentine's day gift.

You are reading an original fashion article written by Pauline Weston Thomas© at www.fashion-era.com ©

Cocktail and Dress Rings

2005 sees the return of enormous cocktail or dress rings, chunky gothic poison rings and rings known as gobstopper rings.  These fun rings are jewellery pieces you wear on the right hand to match or highlight the colours of an outfit and bring attention to a beautifully manicured hand.  Dress rings are also perfect on hands that show the wrist zones of the new cropped jackets with shorter sleeves.

With three quarter and elbow cropped sleeves gaining momentum the time is ripe for the wonderful art deco Estate styled bracelets on offer. 

The Boho version is of semi precious carved stones or plastics in cuff wide bangles with black, amber, rusty coral and deep yellow gold being the colours that look right.  Big statement jewellery is back in fashion.  Rappers made bling fashionable.  But sometimes less is more. 

Brooches

It's worth mentioning that brooches have dived as fast as they rose.  The problem seems to have been overkill.  Everyone who already had a brooch or acquired one from grandma was happy to instantly pin them to lapel the minute they heard brooches were ok and suddenly brooches were everywhere.  They became a normal fashion before we even had chance to buy new ones in boutiques. 

Just as suddenly they were nowhere to be seen.  What a pity - they can be cute and my research suggests individuals like them.  So let's put them back on.

Bags - Spring Summer Fashion Trends 2005

By day chunky handbags with straps and hardware almost like hold alls will be the fashion bag many adopt.  Anya Hindmarch and Jimmy Choo produce a workable bag capacious enough to hold a book or small bottle of water whilst remaining stylish. 

Affordable bags in real leather that are large and capacious include the bags by Joe Floto. 

Ruched leather sack size bags which have a squashy appearance and appear oversized make an appearance against bum bags set to return amid sporty types. 

By night streamlined animal skin clutch bags with real or mock croc or python effects will vie with small beaded bags. 

Whilst underarm bags have held stage for some years there is evidence of longer small neat shoulder bags with strap to the hip and worn across the body making a slow return.  Tula and Radley make great leather body bags in an attractive range of colours.

Shoes  - Spring Summer 2005 Fashion Trends

Flats, wedges and platforms and stack heels are the next footwear that we lust after.  Wearing flat shoes is a trend that has been growing fast.  But keep them for day and wear your heels at night to feel grown up and sophisticated.

Sensible looking flat peep toe natural leather sandals worn with knitted tank tops that scream I made it myself, but produced for the high street give new options to those who don't want to opt for the metallic stiletto sandals also on offer.  Many natural earthy coloured flat thong Gladiator sandals have an African/Egyptian feel with embedded large cabochon beads atop a flat leather disc.

Steely silvers, burnished golds, black and white footwear and platinum flats vie for attention besides rounded T-bar shoes, Mary Jane styled crossbar strap shoes and printed platform sole shoes.  Tea dance shoes are high heeled and have straps and round toes.

Two tone, three tone and multi tone shoes bring new colour to the foot not seen since the 1980s.  Round toed shoes and sturdy heels will compliment cropped pants, knee length trousers and shorts as well as Bloomsbury style floral dresses in sprigged prints.

Flat boots are quite flat and wrinkle. Some have highwayman style cuffs.

Lets not forget patterned Wellington boots which should be arriving in the shops now.  Whether or not you will want a pair I have no idea - I know I don't and that's another matter though!

You are reading an original fashion article written by Pauline Weston Thomas© at www.fashion-era.com ©

Hats

Cloche hats of felt with visible saddle stitching or chunky bead embellishment make for easy to wear hats that are not obtrusive.  Floppy wide brimmed Biba style 1970s hats or flowerpot hats set the style.

Belts

Matching narrow fabric covered skinny tailored belts and buckles are used to emphasise the 50's feel to clothes, whilst deep wide belts in soft leathers, sometimes jewelled, studded, woven or ethnic coined will be worn set mostly at hip level and make the body appear longer.  Alternatives include obis sash belts cord belts and purses that dangle off belts.

Hair and Makeup Trends from Spring & Summer 2005

Hairstyles for 2005 include wavy ruffled, fluffed up hair much like the styles worn by Cate Blanchett in The Aviator and by way of contrast pared down sharp, chic streamlined bobs as well as a return to updos in the form of high Edwardian Pompadour teapot style chignons.   Austrian style plaits, ragged hair, teased pre Raphaelite tendrils and Rastafarian braiding pulled into tight updos are all some of the hair possibilities.

Red hair from strawberry blonde, amber, saffron, copper, through to flame to the plum of Kelly Osbourne will emerge as a favourite hair colour to sit beside blonde. 

Julianne Moore the Revlon girl has red hair, so does Nicole Kidman the official face of Chanel in the 2004 Film style advert designed to put Chanel no 5 back on course since it slipped from it’s no 1 slot to around 4 or 5 in USA.  The ad was so expensive to make that Chanel is likely to use it for some years as it did the last time it made a big advertisement for No. 5 perfume.

Supermodel Erin O'Connor's hairstyle in the mode of Louise Brooks is a dramatically different look from the red hair and waves that will suit those opting for the skinny sharp chic look.  More importantly it's very wearable, easy to manage and working women like that.

Hair Accessories

In the film The Aviator in the 'it's a wrap party' scene look out for the use of orchids everywhere.   You'll be hard pressed not to notice the Orchids women wear in their hair as accessories and as corsages.   Are these the new brooches?  They are simply everywhere as are pearls, fur warps and art deco diamond earrings.  It's truly a visual feast for the senses for fashion lovers. 

Eyebrows

Fashion will favour pencil thin eyebrows and that's a look that means eyebrows will need real attention. Waxing and plucking of brows is for the confident, so 2005 may be the year to check out a beauty salon and get eyebrows professionally shaped.  The sheer indulgence of the experience will reward you with the correct look in a fraction of the time it would you to achieve yourself.

And in case you missed the other pages....more looks worth mentioning include:-

Beaded and jewel encrusted sandals, charm bracelets, sashes on garments especially coats with sashes, mink boleros and shrugs, bucket bags, gunmetal leather and bronze silk, seventies fringing, crochet and macramé, coin and metal disc or heavy stone rope decoration, reptilian effects, military and safari chic, delicate crystals on fabrics and leathers all making for witty quirky styling that looks fresh and inspired.

Influence of Dancing - Strictly Ballroom - Strictly Glamorous

Following on from the BBC's Strictly Ballroom competitive celebrity dance series, one of the new fascinations UK society is the revival of contact dancing, where a man holds a woman and leads her across the dance floor, swirling her left and right as if she Ginger Rogers and he Fred Astaire.

This trend is back big time in Britain.  People everywhere are signing up for dance classes to learn to samba, salsa, do the merengue, the paso doble, the lambada, the tango or cha cha. 

For dancing, clutch or fan style evening bags are chic, flesh toned tights, gold or other glittering metallic shoes with plenty of straps to secure them are also a must, as is a great updo hairstyle and a dress that shimmers and gives leg room for sways and fall backs.  These women who dance really want clothes to dance in.

Designers who cater for dancing include Roberto Cavalli and Michael Kors.  Designers who gave their catwalk shows volume, gypsy style and full 50's skirts are sure to be the winners.  Designers who do vulgar are likely to be ignored, but where people once dressed down they are now dressing up. 

High street shops who do garments that like to be danced in include Monsoon and Frank Usher.  Whilst Accessorize will have any number of beaded bags that will lift the dullest of outfits.

You are reading an original fashion article written by Pauline Weston Thomas© at www.fashion-era.com ©

2005 Consumer Mood & Luxury Fashion Trends

The possible fashion fads and trends suggested in this page here for 2005 are related to female styling only.  These pages are my analysis, personal opinion and fad prediction of the next common new fashion themes we are likely to adopt.  

What is clear is that A NEW SILHOUETTE IS EMERGING AND IN COSTUME HISTORY TERMS IT MAY WELL THE MAIN OUTLINE THAT DEFINES THE NOUGHTIES.  This new silhouette is neat and small at the top, but much fuller in the lower half.

A long known fashion fact is that a season's main look always hinges on 4 or so key pieces. 

Choose the correct key piece for you and your body whilst camouflaging your imperfections.  The secret to getting a look that suits you is in simply picking out the bits you like, rather than going overboard on the whole look.  Less is always more.

I see key female fashion pieces for spring summer 2005 as being the shrunken cropped jacket, the fuller bigger longer 'gypsy' skirt,  cropped trousers or overlong trousers that get rolled or turned up, the empire line dress or top, flat or wedge shoes and masses of tribal style jewellery.   One other feature that is likely to develop, but more slowly, is hip and derriere interest in the form of soft bustles and side pockets/panier hips.  However there are plenty more looks available and discussed below.

A true trend is a change, a movement toward a new idea or new or different way of doing things.  For example it has been a strong trend in the past decade for women throughout the UK and the world in general to more and more wear trousers for every type of occasion. 

The actual styled type of trousers they have worn though varied from boot cut to palazzo, to cargo pants to pedal pushers to low rise versions and are better described as fashion fads.

One fashion trend that is changing and has changed in the past few months is that of the bare midriff.  The bare midriff fashion is well and truly dead. 

Over exposed flesh is now considered very trashy and very vulgar and well past its sell by date.  Anyone who is fashion conscious ditched this style some time ago.  Only pop stars living on faded glory continue to adopt it.  More decorum in dress is the new order of the day.

You are reading an original fashion article written by Pauline Weston Thomas© at www.fashion-era.com ©

Decoding the Key Fashion Themes

Most of you reading this will have keyed in the words fashion trends in an effort to find out what colours, styles and new materials are likely to be in the shops near you soon.  So let's not worry too much whether these ideas expressed in these pages for Spring Summer 2005 fashion here are a trend or a fad, a theme or a preference or craze. 

The fact is fashion is moving so fast that we need to decode quickly the distinctive details that create a new key piece.   Today designers present a fresh catwalk idea, and within a few weeks they are horrified to find that more than one high street store is already selling the cream of their designer collection ideas.

Some of the suggestions for fashion listed here are already in the shops, the ideas and concepts having been ripped off even before a top designer can get his spring summer stock into his or her outlets.  This is having the effect of many of us having a more fluid wardrobe than we ever did in seasons past; where we are constantly adding and subtracting garments as we revise and update our concept of what is a contemporary fashionable image. 

The ordinary person can be as up to date as the woman with thousands to spend and indeed this is becoming a problem at the higher end of the market, as those who desire exclusivity often dress in a very similar way to those who know little or nothing about fashion, but just happened on an item in the shops that copy designer ideas immediately.

Shopping in the sales a few weeks ago, the thought crossed my mind 'why bother' as I saw little clutches of new clothes arriving which were far more interesting for my brain to feed on and lust after than anything dying on a sales rack.  I decided to wait for a few weeks and move onto the next fresher look, remembering the golden rule of never buy into a look that's on the wane.  

Fading high fashion fads should be left to fade away gracefully.  Remember the poncho - it's now another fashion fad that has become so ubiquitous that only those who have bought them already are wearing them still.  As a fashion it's fading and being replaced by warmer more functional capes. So any you see hanging around on sales racks are best left there now. 

Recall to mind the shearling or faux fur gilet?  Yes unlike the poncho it does fulfil a function of actually keeping the wearer warm, but sadly it has suffered from too much exposure. 

But if you do still succumb to a gilet in the sales at least it will stand you in good stead in the garden on cold days that's if of course it didn't make you look twenty pound heavier.  Maybe it will morph into an Afghanistan inspired 1970s Mongolian hippy styled coat for winter 2006!   Hedge your bets for now and invest next in a newer shapelier cropped jacket for spring summer 2005.

Decorum and Modesty in Fashion 2005

In 2005 and 2006 a new attitude to comport yourself and be more lady like will emerge as grooming makes a welcome return as the film star look 1950’s look continues and this coupled with films such as Aviator, and the about to be remade Brideshead Revisited will rekindle designer and consumer interest in the fashions of the 1920s and 1930s. 

Decorum in dress is back - Trash dressing is dead - Ladylike is the mood of the moment.  Chic and refined, polished and dignified, graceful and groomed is in.  Revealing, scanty clothes and endless tawdry images of barely dressed celebrities are now tiresome to the point of boring.  We've seen it all before.  Gentler, less crude images are beckoning.

Manufacturers should have acted sooner and addressed the fact when designing for grown women that the majority have no desire to bare their belly button in public or show their top arms as the years advance. 

You are reading an original fashion article written by Pauline Weston Thomas© at www.fashion-era.com ©

The Changing Consumer

There is no doubt that consumers are changing and are rather more sophisticated personalities than those of 20 years ago.  Many are older and wiser some are young and informed.  They simply refuse to fit into the demographic system that marketing men would like them to slot.

My website readers are ordinary people, ranging from Miss Mere Mortal to Miss Musthavethatnow.  From research I have done with them I believe that just about everyone interested in fashion today, assumes that not only can they aspire to designer (ready to wear) goods and have their eyes on even costlier ranges, but they can and do often buy them.  

Nor do they mind mixing TopShop or Monsoon clothes with Dolce and Gabbana or Matthew Williamson.  They buy what they like and woe betide a manufacturer who misses the vibe they have tuned into.  Poor customer knowledge and mismatched goods in store means the retailers never recoup lost sales.

Take spectacles as an example.  Consumers may purchase new spectacles once a year or every 2 years, so many now only opt for a designer brand name to ensure the spectacle shape has some wearing credibility in styling terms. 

The same goes for special occasion, 'reward myself' buys or recognisably costly shoes or bags.  Access to luxury is available to all consumers with goods such as sunglasses, perfumes and beauty products being the starting points. 

From there it is one step to the belt, or designer jeans or the luxury bag.   In fact, compared to the new luxury designer brands, standard ready-to-wear designer items are often not that luxurious.

An Ageing Female Consumer

There are certain fields where this is happening more and more even among your grandma or great grandma who may well be a baby boomer and cash rich.  The huge purchasing power of baby boomers may mean that a separate youth culture may be in decline. 

In 2006, just one year away, 50% of the UK female population will be over 40.  Marketing men would like to get inside Ms.40's head, but somehow find her elusive and changeable, when what they mean is they have less control over her once easily recognisable predictable whims.

High street goods are now seen as not only affordable, but also disposable and we find marketing men in despair as they cannot track how the consumer is thinking as well as they have done in the past. 

There is no one fashion look.  The look is eclectic, with many global influences all paying a part.   Much of the mode is no longer exclusive because of digital communication which has an immediacy and an instantaneous characteristic about it, that no other communication has ever had.

The Customization Empowered Consumer 2005

This dribble down effect to the masses in what is comparatively an instant not months though can have a negative effect on brands.  Those who once sought exclusive brands now seek out designers who produce personalized goods or very limited editions of an item or even one offs that are edgy and have a buzz.  This is the world of demi-couture.

Logo Fatigue in Fashion

Only China and Japan (see footnote) still consider logos desirable aspects of dressing, with many westerners rejecting them years ago.  Now in Britain, only chavs really wear logos to any extent these days, with logo fatigue ensuring that others reject any item or fabric associated with logos and by default with chavs and their lifestyle and attitudes.

Logo fatigue is reason enough for the next 'clunky' arts and crafts look taking off in a big way.  No two pieces of a craft inspired piece should strictly speaking look alike.  For tomorrow and next year and the foreseeable future individualization, personalization and customization which empowers the consumer with some measure of self selection and personal designing input is what it's all likely to be about.  Visual logos the same as everyone else wears are now out, and to be really fashionable your style must be customised and made more personal to have cachet. 

Limited Editions in Fashion

Exclusivity and scarcity has returned so that the luxury market can reinvent itself providing personalized luxury items with a fleeting life and few in number.  Some companies will in future produce limited editions of around 50 items or 100 items.  Many are already doing this. 

One method of doing it is to make perhaps 80 items and give away half of them to friends and high profile celebrities.  Then hold back the items until they become highly sought after and are hard to find and so are then desirable and must have items within a specific group of decoders of fashions.

Waitlists are big news.  By the time a person reaches the top of a waitlist they may not even desire the item any longer as another luxury item will have come along or a mass manufacturer will have captured the elements.  The scarcity value increases it's desirability. 

You are reading an original fashion article written by Pauline Weston Thomas© at www.fashion-era.com ©

Beyond Luxury Products

'Beyond luxury products' will become a new norm for the rich to seek as they crave rare materials and unusual finishes not generally seen.  An example of this is the use of Tyvek with marvellous technical properties used in garment making in previously unexplored ways to created unusual crafted clothing. 

Another 'beyond luxury product' might be custom made jeans at $1000 basic price when made with superior $40 a yard denim plus even extra costs for custom enhanced diamond studding when required.

Having a personal fragrance made easily falls into this category, but clothing is the most outwardly obvious signifier.  Moneyed celebrities do this all the time.  Scent systems sell pink lotus a perfumed oil used by Madonna.  It contains pink lotus Sandalwood, and tuberose at £107 from 8ml.  It's from Scent System in UK.

The ultimate personal fashion indulgence item of this decade is of course a nip and a tuck, teeth whitening or implants and let's not forget the removal of tattoos once a wanted personal fashion accessory for many.  All at a beyond luxury price. 

Fashion involves seduction of the senses.  We see an image of a product which is new and we fix our mind so often on obtaining that new ‘thing’ whether it be a piece of the latest jewellery, a garment, a car, a hairstyle, or even a holiday.  All are subject to fashion whims.  We do this even though we know that fashion is fickle and ephemeral and that fashion will move on almost the moment we have established in our minds that this is the new ‘new’. 

So no sooner than you have read this will you be wondering what will be new for autumn winter 2005/6 fashion.

You are reading an original fashion article written by Pauline Weston Thomas© at www.fashion-era.com ©

Chinese Market Footnote

The Chinese market is huge and the Chinese luxury market is still way behind the level the western world enjoys and is a market still to be captured.   However sociological differences and attitudes between regions means that manufacturers will need to tailor their goods accordingly.

2005 Fashion Designers

Designer Ideas

A brief look at spring summer 2005 ideas from a small selection of world-renowned fashion designers in the autumn 2004 prêt-à-porter ready to wear shows.   

Some of the main fashion statements made can be summed up with the words lace, embroidery, crochet, safari/tribal/animal effects, ruffled refined romantic feminine fashion and tiered long maxi skirts.  Fur has always been a symbol of rank and privileged circumstances. Design houses of Roberto Cavalli, Dior, Gaultier and Fendi all use fur in their designs.

London Fashion Shows

London is the city to find shows with witty, inspiring clothes that outrage and shock.

Jasper Conran

He had polished tailoring, stunning colours, lustrous dresses, seventies sparkle fruit colours of lime, watermelon, Clementine, kiwi and watered lime.

Roland Mouret

Mouret featured shrunken cropped jackets in light turquoise tweeds and contrast textures. Like the shrug,  cropped jackets don’t have to do up, but just slip over the garments beneath.  Silver brocades and textured slubby silks make them garments that add a flourishing enhancing decorative touch. 

Dress and coat outfits and suits, with an update on the boat neck highlighted a strong sense of understanding fine tailoring.  He favoured using mint green, silver grey, pale gold and rose pink.

Betty Jackson

Betty Jackson never fails to make an impression producing wearable clothes that her clients love.  There were Bohemian touches throughout her show.  Her Knitwear featured a hint of Navajo amid feathered trimmings.

Her evening wear focused on dresses which glowed with Moroccan silver embroidery and beading.   Soft flesh coloured kaftans were delicate and easy.  An unusual combination was the pairing of striped sweaters with full skirts of taffeta, wrapped with sashes and bowed at the waistline. 

She was also inspired by both the 70s and 30s and Jackson's floral frilled chiffon, high waisted dresses took us to a world of voluptuous cleavage and lazy dreamy afternoons. Jackson showed leaf printed coats a line also followed by Proenza Schouler in New York.   One feature likely to be a big hit were her studded belts.

Julian MacDonald

MacDonald concentrated on his first textile love of knitwear, producing a very commercial range which buyers loved.  His cardigans were pearl embroidered and perfect as covers for clothes inspired by 1940's flamenco where he used ruffles and flounces and showed a very commercial frilly cleavage blouse. 

He also had dresses with tiers decorated with fabric flower in their hundreds.  Sequinned halters, satin and Lurex pants or fine accordion pleated skirts meant that he created looks loved by buyers and fans alike.  The 1940's feel was emphasised by Betty Grable Victory Roll styling to the hair.

Milan

Milan catwalks last autumn were inspired by African and Indian styling.  This spring summer 2005 fashion we will see the dramatic melting pot effects of the Milan shows as we adopt folkloric/ethnic/peasant/tribal and even Polynesian details that initiate exotic spectacle in dress unseen for years. 

Afghanistan, Romania, Japan and even the Amazon were the sources of bright ideas from designers such as Roberto Cavalli, Rifat Ozbek, Molinari, Dolce & Gabbana, Gianfranco Ferre and Prada. 

There was no holding these designers who trotted the globe for stimulation.  On the other hand the globe is now at everyone's fingertips so it is hard for them not to be influenced by the need to appeal to a wider customer base.  There real is nothing new in this approach.

The house of Yves St. Laurent looked to the Russian steppes and other places for inspiration some 40 years ago and designers like Poiret in 1910 fashion which looked to the asian culture for inspiration 100 years ago.

Rifat Ozbek

Rifat Ozbek created a slim silhouette with his elegant slender skirts and Nehru stand collar jackets embroidered with traditional Indian silver embroidery.

Roberto Cavalli

Roberto Cavalli opted for Garden of Eden prints on his gypsy skirts and looked to even more exotic themes with his kaftans in lavish tiger prints.  Using earthy tones he managed to make crochet look sophisticated as he worked it into evening dresses that reminded one of early 1970s macramé bikinis from Corfu.  His use of semi precious material like coral for a halter neck suggests that designers are striving to stay ahead of mass producers that rip off their designs before the designers themselves can really market them to their once exclusive clientele .

Dolce&Gabbana

Dolce and Gabbana took animal prints like zebra and tiger onto chiffon and continued the exotica theme with use of crocodile, python and other reptilian textures.

Miu Miu

Miu Miu favoured high waisted dresses and this look is sure to be widely copied by mass manufacturers. 

Versace

Donatella Versace showed more refined far less vulgar clothing than usual shows with less bling than earlier fashion shows concentrated on.  Her days by the sea influenced designs of coral prints, sarong knot dresses in fluid silk jerseys and starfish flip flop sandals will suit her jet setting, sun tanning clientele as they lounge on yachts or cruises.  Her colours were attractive in aquamarine and peach tones.

New York

Generally in September 2004 New York shows showed a lot of shorts.  Some styles for this forthcoming summer will be tailored with cuffs, others sharply creased and teamed with jackets and high heels. 

Marc Jacobs

Marc Jacobs is very highly regarded as the innovator and face of young fashion ideas. He changed direction last autumn to produce a show with full skirts and crisp taffeta prom dresses.  Ladylike was the look he did well with memorable bold tweed check coats.

Michael Kors

Gave us whisper grey wedges and the skinniest white jeans and used bright colours like his blue glass like shiny python jackets ideal for strong sunlight on the Riviera.   He also favoured sulphur yellow green, turquoise sea, and opted to show plenty of gold bling making his pieces perfect for his cruising customers who jet set and like to show off.

Matthew Williamson

Matthew Williamson created 1970's Ibiza inspired hippy bohemian clothes.

Anna Sui

Anna Sui's white ruffled gipsy skirts were reminiscent of the life of idyllic girls on the prairie.  Fringed suede, slouchy cowboy boots and north American Indian embroidery or Navajo jewellery produced some translatable winning ideas.

Zac Posen

Posen was notable for joining in the current ethnic inspired shows and did mirror image Aztec style prints well.

Oscar de la Renta

At Oscar de la Renta paired short voluminous skirts with ikat prints in bright colours on coats and jackets.

Narciso Rodriguez

He enchanted with glamorous evening wear that referenced  swimsuits.  He also showed wispy flesh toned v necked empire dresses just above the knee. Peep toe pink heeled sandals low cut shoes.

Luella Bartley

She did cropped jackets and shorts that were rolled up.  This was an interesting look.

Proenza Schouler

The New York team Jack McCullough and Lazaro Herandez showed brocade skirts topped with liquid gold bustiers overlain with foliage printed swing coats.  Toe cleavage was evident with low cut peep toed silver shoes.  Metallic shoes are set to be a big hit globally.

Ralph Lauren

Hollywood style twenties and thirties inspiration and revived nostalgic luxury dressing ideal for movie stars was the theme of this design house.

Paris

Balenciaga

The House of Balenciaga showed a look which was full and voluminous on the bottom and narrow and fitted on the top, with the front and sleeve hemlines of a jacket studded with jewels. 

There were also high waisted narrow cut loose trousers with button front sailor style panels and all worked in a restricted colour palette. Jackets had a military French Revolutionary air and gold worked buttonholes as a decorative feature with no function were a highlight

Lagerfeld

At Lagerfeld’s own gallery collection his glitzy designs included Jewel cuffed coat dresses in taupe, pink, cappuccino, algae greens.  Clothes were teamed with high gold sandals everywhere.  Kaftans embroidered in coral sprigging gave an air of relaxed glamour dressing that was serene and luxurious at once.  Halter neck dresses, suits and jackets abounded.  

Alexander McQueen

Alexander McQueen added Indian embroidery to Chantilly lace, embellished sheer layers on wispy dresses with gorgeous carousel horses and continued the decorative elements with smocked tailoring and knife pleating.

John Galliano at Dior

Galliano used black denim and crochet to create decorated commercially translatable pieces that buyers loved.  He abandoned his extravagant ideas in favour of clothes for people in the real world which somewhat defeats the point of being a Paris fashion house. 

But evening extravagances included devore velvet trousers and flower embroidered georgette skirts.

Jean Paul Gaultier

Jean Paul Gaultier favoured the Romany gypsy dirndl skirt look with bare off shoulder tops and tailored jackets with ruffles.

Alber Elbaz Designer at Lanvin

Lanvin is now a very hot label.  The house showed silk padded jackets, languid shifts full of Grecian pleats and fine accordion pleated skirts.

2005 Housewear, Loungewear, Afterwear or Chilloutwear

Fed up of political correctness which requires effort to maintain, many will opt to react with tongue in cheek reaction where people can make statements about their place in society and their desire to feel alive and sense their own exceptional uniqueness. 

This may manifest itself as a sense of needing personal at home luxury, against showing concern for global devastation where having access to luxury enhances the responsibility to give of the self to those less fortunate.

Indulging the sense of self at home, the one place where you can be yourself, has not escaped the marketer's fashion input.  A whole new apparel market called housewear, also known as loungewear, afterwear or even chilloutwear as I like to call it, has become important to the ever shifting change of homelife patterns. 

Working from home or coming home from work demands a new dress code where watered down comfort fashion that goes a step just beyond a dressing gown is required, particularly for hanging around in a very relaxed do nothing way with a partner or flatmates before dressing 'properly' to go out or undressing for bed.

You are reading an original fashion article written by Pauline Weston Thomas© at www.fashion-era.com © 

Slobbing Out at Home

Basically this fashion is really comfy casual dress intended to serve the rather nasty phrase 'slobbing out at home.'   We all know exactly what it means.  In yesteryear it was the oversized Kaftan/muumuu Liz Taylor was caught wearing at the end of a very long lens. 

More recently it was the oversized T-shirt Cherie Blair wore to open the door of No.10 Downing Street the morning after the first labour election victory. But wait, marketing man has been looking at the need for clothes to fit these moments and he came up with the concept of luxury lazing clothes.

It's impossible to give these clothes a really good name.  The best and most descriptive is actually slobwear, but for the sake of sounding attractive I like to think of it as Chilloutwear  Calling it chillwear was my first inclination, but that might imply it was for skiing or mountaineering!!!

These fashions usually consist of relaxed pocketed hoodies, vests, camisoles, cashmere socks, and casual trousers often with drawstrings or easy elastication.  Fabrics used are soft and comfortable knit constructions like cashmere mixes, Vincel jersey, cotton jersey, angora and velour. 

They are just the kind of clothes to don after a hard day shopping or working and after a quick shower or lazy bath.  It's not quite nightwear, you can still safely answer the door to a neighbour who knocks at 9pm in these outfits, but also curl up in ball on the sofa being totally lazy and self indulgent knowing your designer outfit is safely hung up for another day. 

This area is likely to be a hugely expanding market as more people work from home or feel the need to express their desire to unwind, particularly after work, not by changing into nightwear, but into at home evening wear so that time slots within the day are just that, occasions to dress for in a specific way to differentiate precious hours in a short time space before the next day begins again.

Soon we will have come full circle and be very much like the late Edwardians who changed 5 or 6 times a day so that they were completely at ease with the particular role they played at any moment in 24 hours.  Just ask yourself reader do you already change outfit 3 or 4 times day now for work, gym, evening, then chillout and then bed?  

As you read this webpage ask yourself what exactly am I wearing at this moment - chilloutwear maybe?

You are reading an original fashion article written by Pauline Weston Thomas© at www.fashion-era.com ©

TOPSHOP Spring / Summer May 2005 Fashion Press Images

This page features more latest releases of spring summer 2005 fashion press images from the UK store TopShop which is owned by Arcadia. The text of this press release is on the previous TopShop page and covers the whole of the Top shop spring summer range.  These images relate more to holiday and beach wear.

According to their press information office celebrity customers who wear their fashion garments have included Gwyneth Paltrow, Madonna, Kate Moss, Liberty Ross, Chloé Sevingy, Claudia Schiffer, Erin O'Conner, Lizzie Jagger, Liv Tyler, Kelly Osbourne, Beyonce, Scarlett Johanssen. 

Since these celebrities also favour top couture fashion wear this is an acknowledgement of the great fashion edge Topshop has to produce affordable fast fashion easily in tune with the zeitgeist.

Little jackets, tops and short skirts at TopShop 2005.

Little Tops, wedges and tribal jewellery at TopShop summer 2005.

About TopShop

TopShop's customer profile is a 16-34 year female with 70% being in that age group.  It's worth noting that many shoppers there are well over age 40, but they tend to do their fashion shopping there midweek. 

Since TopShop first appeared in 1964, but within the Peter Robinson group this is understandable.  Many who shopped there for the latest fashions as teenagers still take a quick look around. 

They do it out of old loyalty and also know a bargain may be found there.  TopShop came out of the Peter Robinson stores as a stand alone shop in 1974.  One of TopShop's best hot fashion sellers for some years has been the simple vest they call the Kate Vest.  Many of the simple Tshirt vests can now be bought online from the TopShop website.  Top Shop is well known for their innovative, affordable hot off the catwalk fashion designs.

Shop at www.topshop.co.uk Click thumbnails  - All Images courtesy of Arcadia

TopShop Press Release Images Ends.

Arcadia owns TopShop and Miss Selfridge. 

Crochet Looks and Little Tops at TopShop 2005 Fashion Press Release

Folk Festival

Hues of purple, earth green, raspberry, yellow, and slate create an organic palette with vivid embroidery highlighting greyed-off denim.  Big satchels and deep bucket bags of tumbled, delicately tooled leather compliment the layered natural fabrics of the collection.  Signature studded wedge shoes provide an individual twist.

Mid West Feminine Touches at Topshop

Introducing a distinctly feminine touch, pretty prairie skirts and Victoriana cotton dresses are styled with cinch-back and apron shaped work-wear. 

Bold Broderie Anglaise, Madras checks and cut-work contrast with natural vintage lace smock tops and watery botanical prints. 

 Ebony crafted necklaces and heavy black patterns punctuate the look and give it a harder edge.

Explorer

Safari to Wooden Beads at TopShop

Safari and utilitarian wares in natural linen and crumpled and ramie cottons evoke a well-travelled feel.  Pigment dyed wide leg trousers with rolled up cuffs, billowing pockets and slouchy paper-bag waistbands are worn with sun-bleached shrunken jackets and gilets. 

Zips and buttons reinforce the functional influence and printed blouses and jersey tunics bear earthy batik prints in new soft colours.  Naïve wooden necklaces, natural leather wedges and sandals, Hessian belts and chestnut brown leather bags finish the story.

 Tribal Chic

Cropped shrug jackets with soft shoulders in muted, neutral colours add to the feminine shape of the silhouette. 

 Fabric patch necklaces, espadrille wedges and studded wooden platform sandals sit with wicker bags. Left - This season's must get - Wooden Platform Shoes and Wedges at TopShop

Modern Pacific

Cropped Trousers and Bold Geometric Prints at TopShop

Lightweight, voluminous printed blouses are paired with slouchy, easy wearing shorts or cropped trousers, creating a relaxed feel.  Crisp cotton tunic dresses with patch pockets are layered over fresh block colours of geranium while flat decorated sandals and wedges add sophistication and confidence to this otherwise simple look.

Hippy Deluxe

Indian paisley prints are treated with sequins and Lurex weaves run through fine cotton blouses. 

Long maxi skirts in diaphanous silk taffetas add romance while layers of trinkets, coin bracelets and long jewelled necklaces provide a dressed-up finish.

Press Release Ends

Miss Selfridge - 2005 Fashion Press Release

Tropical fashions press release text and images of a 2005 fashion press report from the UK store Miss Selfridge.  These latest press images are of fashion swimwear, bikinis, sarongs and dresses all suitable for a hot beach holiday.  All Images and text below courtesy of Arcadia

High Summer 2005

Be a free spirit with Miss Selfridge this summer.  Wear soft handcrafted kaftans, maxi length skirts and vibrant prints to embrace this romantic ethnic inspired season.

Miss Selfridge Kaftans and Sarong Wraps

Ambient Daze

Unwind with this ambient sun kissed look and rejuvenate yourself in a silk embroidered top and maxi length wrap skirt to keep you cool through the day.  Chill out in sun bleached Anglaise lace and rope wedge sandals, perfect for laid-back Ibizian beach chic.  African abstract prints make for a luxe-hippy feel while colours are washed down shades of blue, corals and hazy orange with fresh white.

Miss Selfridge Bikini and Broderie Dress

Tropical Escape

Escape to faraway isles with an explosion of exotic colours.  An ultra feminine silhouette is created with floaty soft dresses and dip-dyed kaftans are worn over embellished bikinis. Jewelled sandals and huge charm trimmed bags are perfect to accessorise this eclectic summer look. 

Crochet knits encrusted with shells and beads are teamed with short ruffle skirts to create a cool beach vibe.  Tropical prints are mixed with vibrant colours of orange, hot pink and blue tones of aqua to azure for a glamorous summer look.

Crochet and Dip Dye Ombre Features

African Jewel

African floral prints add a modern twist on this inspirational journey as ankle skimming dresses sit perfectly with bejewelled cork wedges.  Raffia trim bikinis add a sophisticated touch while tunics and halter neck tops with embellished necklines add spirit to maxi wrap skirts and cropped walking shorts. 

Complete the look with a heavy beaded belt worn low and add a large naïve crafted inspired necklace.  Subtle shades of mosaic blues, amber and clay pink are mixed with metallic hues of brushed gold and silver.

Press Release Ends  - added 25 May 2005

Miss Selfridge Spring/Summer 2005 Fashion Press Release

Country Casuals  Click thumbnails  - All Images courtesy of Arcadia

Folkloric Chic

Simple broderie anglaise blouses are worn with ditzy floral prairie skirts for a feminine yet eclectic look.  Hand crafted crochet tunics sit back with African inspired prints and oversized beads and wooden bangles. 

Appliquéd wide canvas and aged leather belts complete this look.  Offbeat colour combinations add a modern slant to a pretty colour palette of lilacs, blues and geranium.

Rich Exotica

A vibrant colour story of exotic greens and blues and rich purples mixes with citrus tones of orange and yellow and metallics add highlights.

Retro Resort

Summer Festival

This is a pretty hippy look with touches of retro and vintage, with a strong emphasis on casual wear. Worn denim is mixed with cheesecloth shirts, printed kaftans and broderie Anglaise detailed blouses.

Festival vibe influences come through in silhouettes of tiered maxi skirts and loose fitting tunics, in natural textures of cheesecloth, seersucker and voile. Pretty shades of lilac, pink and lemon lighten the look as they are mixed back with indigo denim and neutrals of chestnut and ecru.  Brights are added with touches of spring green and red spice.

L’ete a Saint Tropez

A soft flowing ethereal look, all about understated cool.  Texture and layering are key as white on white layers create a refreshingly simple style.  A subtle play on tonality is created as loose linen trousers sit with sheer chiffon tunics in faded prints.

Trouser shapes are soft with wider-legged silhouettes offering a new relaxed yet casually tailored look, worn over jewelled flat sandals or high wedged peep toes. The colour palette is fresh and youthful with all shades of white and soft pastel shades of vanilla, sweet lilac and grape mist. 

Embellished highlights of metallic bronze and old gold add a sun kissed edge.

Press Release Ends added 22 March 2005

Wallis SPRING/SUMMER 2005 Press Release & Images

This page features elements and 10 beautiful images of a spring/summer 2005 fashion press report, from the long established UK stores nationwide called Wallis, which are owned by the Arcadia Group.

The main themes of the Wallis season are defined under the concept of Global Decadence as Ballets Russes, Ecuador, Maharaja and Tribal Queen. 

This is an unashamedly decadent collection with a strong ethnic undercurrent, spanning the tribes of Africa and the plains of South America, the exotica of India through to the dance theatres of Imperial St Petersburg…

Bohemia

Influenced by a time when Jean Shrimpton and Twiggy were the darlings of the fashion world, bold floral patterns contrast with the delicacy of sheer chiffon in deep purple, aqua and magenta. Surface decoration adorns skirts in the form of embroidery, appliqué and beading.

Maharaja

Is all about Indian opulence and rich detail.

Neutral metallics and olive tones are mixed with brights. 

At Wallis dresses are strapless or with an empire line and heavily embellished. 

Kaftans are worn with sandals and layered jewellery or over slouched pants for a daytime casual look.

Key fabrics include extravagant brocades and fresh linens.

Ecuador

Vibrant tangerines and purples  with neutrals and give an ethnic 1970’s feel against a modern mix of embroidery with metal work. 

Babydoll dresses, silk tiered skirts and halterneck waistcoats are finished with trinket trims and dirndl borders.

Ballets Russes

Takes inspiration from the pre-Revolution dance era of 1900’s Russia. A Wallis delicate occasion collection that uses tulle, organdie, mesh and satin to highlight movement in fabric and colour.

Cropped bolero cardigans or coloured crochet wraps are worn over sheer chiffon dresses. Linen pieces have cutwork details and lace inserts.

Silhouettes are elegant yet ethereal, or reminiscent of vintage opera outfits, in exquisite tones of jade, watery green, white and ivory.

Tribal Queen

Wallis Autumn/Winter 2005 Fashion - Casual Wear

Retail shops Wallis of UK draw inspiration from two distinctive trends for Autumn/Winter 2005, fusing old-world Russian style with grown-up Edwardian elegance.  This military line coat below is not just a black coat, but is made in luxurious velvet.  Velvet is the fabric of fall 2005.

Outerwear makes a strong statement this season with chic wool capelets in cream or red and black military frock coats.

Victorian/Edwardian Fantasy

Travel back to the decadent Edwardian era with floaty chiffon blouses in whites, creams and ivories for a truly up-to-the-minute look.  Wear a crisp white shirt and jeans, or dress up a long ruffle or lace skirt with a jewel-trimmed top.

Faux fur and astrakhan capes make perfect cover-ups and complete the capsule 2005 Autumn/Winter wardrobe.

Stylish pencil skirts, fitted waistcoats and lace-up round-toe boots finish the outfit, or opt for a vintage silhouette with the tiered lace ribbon skirt and sculptured corset top.  The sense of wearable elegance continues with Wallis eveningwear in luxurious fabrics on this page.

Folkloric Casual Wear  Fashion

Gathered-sleeved peasant blouses in deep berry colours are key and are worn with slim-fitting black trousers, a wide leather tooled belt and the must-have sheepskin gilet.

Casual Wear has an Eastern European feel, with influences taken from the wilds of Mongolia and Siberia ,in a rich collection combining embellishment and decorative print.  Wrap up warm in chunky fair isle blanket cardigans teamed with dark denim jeans.

Arcadia who own Wallis (see their evening clothes here) also own Topshop.

Page addition 15 Sept 2005