Savvy fashionistas have been quietly, but consistently adding
carefully selected new clothing items and accessories to their wardrobe that
will fit in with the new season’s latest autumn 2005/ winter 2006 fashion
trends. Fashion styles for Autumn/Fall 2005 - Winter 2006
are
here. Fashion-era.com regularly takes a realistic look at the hot
female fashion trends and simplifies these differing fashion trends and looks coming from all
directions into clear categories that you can easily comprehend, whatever
your age group or income. As usual there are a dozen fashion themes, yet only a
few items from within those themes will emerge as key looks. The main looks
to choose from are detailed below.
Ethnic styling along with shorter non nineties cropped
jackets will I predict will go down in fashion history as important aspects of
costume history of the masses from 2000 to 2010. Elements of ethnic
styling have been cropping up for some years and are a true fashion trend of
the decade as opposed to a one month fad. Realistically let's acknowledge that whilst some fashion
magazine editors and some web sites may say
Boho has passed, street and forum evidence suggests that both women and girls love wearing it and many will continue to wear it a little longer yet.
However, moving
into decorative Russian/Military/Victorian looks will make it all very
painless and easy to achieve a fresh fashion feel with just minimal tweaking of
wardrobe items. With the Russian Look you'll breeze through the
transition from Boho to Babushka with ease.
In Autumn 2005/Winter 2006 the overall fashion
trends feature components that echo the drama of historical costume and the glorious
glamour of screen starlets. There are even more opulent embellished fabrics than
previously seen. These fashion looks mostly emphasise women and their
hour glass curves, feminine ladylike attributes and a longing for the chic
sophisticated grooming combined with a yearning for the more romantic
clothes of decades past.
Black of
course is back - as if it ever went away!
By contrast the Sixties Beatnik/New Mod Look is aimed at the 15-25
year old group. The Tomboy Look is for those who
seek practical everyday, but masculine influenced clothes. The Tomboy
Look focuses on
waistcoats, trousers, mini-shorts and tailored cropped shorts or the newer
item called skorts (mini skirts with modesty shorts underneath) that adapt to
active urban working life. Coming up behind it, is a close friend the
androgynous Aviator Look.
There is something for
everyone with two major silhouettes.
The latest silhouette this year shows a
new focus on lower volume.
Amid almost every designer theme is the persistent desire to
introduce more volume into the silhouette as in fuller puffball skirts,
lavish fulsome collars and enlarged sleeves.
Will we
adopt the puffball skirt en masse? Maybe yes, maybe no! At
first it will seem strange, but odds are on we will eventually adapt to
the look. Perhaps the tulip skirt or onion skirt will be a half
way choice. TopShop have a purple version of a yoked (therefore more
flattering) puffball skirt at £45.
Autumn may see the focus of volume also shifting to the upper half of
the body as more volume is introduced into fuller/wider sleeves and
tops.
The second look has been
with us this past season and is of a leaner silhouette with lean
trousers or pencil slim straight skirt and cropped jacket or an
elongating empire line dress.
Be careful to add volume only to your top or bottom half
in preference to both halves of the body silhouette.
If
you do add volume top and bottom try to ensure the waist is cinched in
to avoid appearing swamped.
If you have
fullness and more volume in the garment top, such as a smock top or puffed
or angel sleeves or a cape, then make sure the bottom is skinny and narrow
as in skinny jeans or a pencil skirt or long narrow Edwardian style skirt.
Designers
still continue to plunder costume history and vintage clothing shops for
fresh ideas. Near Eastern Slavonic inspiration, Victorian and
Edwardian elements all combine to give this season a huge costume drama
fillip. To ensure chic fashion success don't slavishly copy the
catwalk looks, have some sense and pare the look down to the more subtle
aspects otherwise you may all too easily fall into the trap of appearing
to be in re-enactment costume or about to take to the stage!
Probably the
next most important styling look of autumn winter 2005/2006 is the
Russian Look which will suit many age groups. Also
called the Russe it has several strands from the embroidery of Slavonic Peasants, the
ornament of the marching Cossack or Hussar to the aloofness of a Romanov
Tsarina or mysterious Lara of Dr. Zhivago. Each
theme from Russe Luxe Baroque to Revolutionary
pays homage to Russian heritage.
Imperial Russia of yesteryear with its crisp military lines will be contrasted against traditional embroidered wool peasant style inspired clothing of the
Russian Steppes.
Empire line dresses
are kind and flattering to those with thicker waistlines drawing
attention to decorated sleeve, neck and hemlines.
New volume skirts set
on a yoke are frequently made up in velvet with lush baroque brocade
fabric and embellishment
beyond Boho style. This is best teamed with eyelet lace up or fur trimmed
boots all capturing the spirit of this newest fashion trend.
Roberto Cavalli does this look really beautifully.
Russian style double
breasted and military Cossack coats feature strongly as does the late Edwardian
(c1910-14) raised waist empire look
from Doctor Zhivago.
Fur is a
big trimming feature and coats are long, calf and knee length, so take
your pick. The styling is from military severe
long and straight revolutionary to softer and more feminine waist nipping
Cossack inspired versions.
Lets hope it's chill enough to wrap your hair up with an extravagant fur
Cossack hat and pair it with the correct boots and the Russian look is
instantly yours.
This Russe fashion
moves into richer more textural fabrics such as velvet adorned with
folkloric decoration perhaps in suede appliqué over volume making skirts and tops.
The embroidery decoration has a geometric feel often found in Slavonic
work.
The look is
frequently combined with fur trims on both garments and accessories and
continues to oblige the consumer with its fantasy of romantic folkloric
girly dressing.
Principles in UK has done the Russian Baroque look very well in its skirt section and
some of the skirts have gorgeous floral detail. These decorated
skirts are a snip at around £40 to £45.
An interesting approach to these skirts is the yoke or waist banding.
Look out for satin waistbands about 4 inches deep or even deeper
contrast hip yokes, before soft fold pleats or gathers. Smocked
yokes also highlight the area.
The military look has been
very popular this past summer and the autumn trend will pick up on this
with cording and emblematic enhancement lifting garb into the realms of
Sergeant Pepper. The military look jacket is a must have this
season.
This fresh
take draws inspiration from military coats and often an officer's dress
uniform especially of the Russian Cossack era. Think of European Hussar
uniforms of the Regency era, Little Drummer Boy or Circus Boy jackets,
then imagine coats of every length from ankle to knee.
Jackets
cropped or lightly tailed from the waist are all richly balanced with
body braiding, cuff and epaulette trims. Such trims might be
rich metallic or self coloured matching braids, tonal frogging, soutache
braid decoration or contrast colourful piping and all capture the look.
Military jackets were seen
at Michael Kors and Burberry. The
high street retailer TopShop have called their version of this look the
Admiralty Look. TopShop Admiralty
shows naval influenced officer jackets and equestrian
touches. The Nautical look moves into Military with ease and so
does the appearance of navy blue often teamed with black, a once frowned
upon colour combination.
As the season draws on,
the military jacket has developed more Victorian
touches. This is not surprising as a great deal of
Victorian costume was
decorated with frogging, cords and braids in complex patterns as in
Garibaldi blouses. It was also used on decorative mancheron epaulettes
especially those found on
mantelets and
capes.
Victoriana is a trend to watch. It has Gothic hints and
combines to recreate nuances of styles worn in Victorian England.
Victorian and Edwardian fashion elements highlight the importance of
hourglass shaping and waist definition. The Gothic dramatic feel
to this look will appeal to all age groups, but don't get too swamped by
adopting the complete catwalk look.Image courtesy Arcadia
Think of Mid/Late
Victorian high necked blouses with ornate deep cuffs and lace inserts
all teamed with full dirndl taffeta skirts often with ruffles or flounces.
The main instant piece to capture this look quickly, is the neck
accented Victorian blouse.
It may fall from a circular yoke and have large puffed sleeves
either very early Victorian Romantic
beret sleeves (c1835) or
leg o' mutton sleeves of the
1890s.
Some
designs also showed cape and mantelet effects that were popular in the
late Victorian era.
It can be a blouse of the
finest white lawn or silk with
rows of carefully placed tiny buttons, tucks, pin tucks, lace insertions,
deep cuffs and small stand necks.
The blouse can be on the lines of a
formal decorative braided Garibaldi jacket.
It's an old
fashioned period look which is girly and
marries opulent fabrics from jacquard matelasse and velvet satin to chiffon and
silk georgette.
In dark moody black fabric,
full tiered Boho skirts easily morph into Gothic influenced Victorian skirts.
But the Victorian blouse also looks good with a pencil velvet skirt as
shown left.
The Victorian Look was
a feature of both the Chloe and Rochas shows where lavish
Victorian touches captured the spirit.
Edwardiana looks
are really about an hour glass figure and sweeping full skirts that
define the waist and hug the hips whilst flowing out into a
fuller hemline sometimes frilled, flounced or ruffled. This particular look for autumn depends on an hourglass body - a
corset
belt is sure to push your figure into the right shape. Capes to
the waist highlight the circa 1900 feel.
This look
also touches on the Principal Boy effect with jabots, frills and luxury
fabrics. Think girl in rich fabrics like velvet and brocade masquerading as handsome boy. Linked to
this are Edwardian line double
breasted Russian styled long coats.
After fashions set in the film
Aviator,
the Aviator Look draws from faded distressed leathers, tan riding boots,
tea dresses, cashmere argyle and fair isle V neck or chunky cable knits
with fur collars and cuffs. Fur trims can be thick and
wide to the narrowest of dainty fur trimmings that trim a cardigan.
The Aviator jacket can be in all types of leather or suede or in a
wide range of materials from boiled caramel and cream coloured wool, to
dyed Shearling or Persian Lamb. The Aviator jacket is likely
to be a huge mass hit as it is so casually wearable with narrow skinny
jeans or traditional masculine cut check trousers in the mode of
Katharine Hepburn.
At Dior the Aviator Look was played out many ways. Full length
Aviator style coats to knees were also worked as aviator flying and
pinafores dresses with blouson hemlines. This look was worked in
taupe colour or natural aviator tan.
Dior's
jackets and coats had massive collars with huge revers sometimes
round or square, but always over sized.
In particular a neat cropped jacket in crocodile leather made up in
various colours, including natural tan was set just below the waist with
sleeves with a narrow puffed head and the jacket upper side arms had
side pockets. With its excessive double collar this just below
waist jacket is a key Dior piece for fall.
You will find one of the nicest versions of the Aviator Look by Diesel,
who do a Diesel cropped sheepskin jacket at £600. As for
jeans get shopping for the newer slim leg styles if you can wear them
well. TopShop
have some of the long awaited skinniest jeans in stock now in their new
Baxter range. Such jeans should be avoided by those with thunder
thighs!
Masculine
lines in tailoring and cropped to knee shorts and super short shorts will appeal to tomboys.
This is the contrasting androgynous look which will vie for attention
with Hitchcock Heroines.
Alexander McQueen used 1940s tailoring with masculine touches to great
effect. With a British touch this look also uses traditional
country style cloth, tartans, plaids and checks.
Look out for rich fabric waistcoats especially those of Regency style
c1800. These have curved low front shawl necklines and single
button fastening and are also reminiscent of horse and hounds hunt master
ivory cream
waistcoats.
Sixties
style focuses on black and white. It is a sharp graphic monochrome
noughties version of the Beatnik Look. Black is a used in a
60’s graphic pop art way contrasted sharply against white so that it
zings New Mod.
This
will be a big young look and has been taken up by a lot of manufacturers.
Selfridges will patronise the black and white op art
influenced sixties look and are devoting a great deal of floor space to
it.
Primarily aimed at the
15-25 age group this Beatnik look pays homage not just to the sixties, but also
to the finer points of 50s rock, Goth and Punk fashions. Think black and
white and slightly space age - a total refreshing contrast to many other looks this year.
Note lots of traditional checks and tartans in black and white
- don't be surprised when older women adopt certain elements such as the
smart checks teamed with black.
English
Lady is a Fall 2005 classy
ladylike look that epitomised a particular kind of cool detached woman
seen in
films of the 1950s and 60s.
Visualise
tastefully groomed ladies mostly with golden blonde locks like Tippi Hedren, Grace Kelly,
Lauren Bacall or Kim Novak. Think also of immaculate brunettes like Audrey
Hepburn and the exceptional accessorized ensembles. Proper
handbags required.
The English Lady is a
fashion look of controlled perfection in
grooming and will delight those who like neatness in fashion from suits
to pert lace fitted 'tidy' cocktail dresses.
This
fashion trend is for high maintenance grooming with lots of
wearable suits with either pencil skirts or more voluminous full dirndl
skirts. These are topped with neat fitted jackets made up in
flatter boucles and tweeds as well as traditional tweed.
Simple less textural
classic British tweeds like finer lighter weight
beautifully tailored modern
Harris tweeds
are more prevalent too than highly
textured deconstructed fray edged tweeds of the past couple of years.
The look is smooth tailoring with finesse.
The fitted hour glass look jacket
demands a waist when 50's inspired, but has the option of a more
relaxed, semi fitted straighter jacket when 60s inspired.
Grown up sophistication is
cool, classy and groomed. This look of autumn 2005/6 is ladylike
in the style of upper crust British ladies of elegance. Think of a
Norman Parkinson debutante of the month, in her various guises - from twin
set and pearls to riding equestrian gear - to the groomed sleek hair of a
class act chignon and cocktail dress. Add cashmere knits to create
a working wardrobe.
This look may be just
a bit too formal for many women. However it may find refuge in
business wear. Donning a suit is a no brainer first thing in the
morning when it comes to fast put together looks for all day grooming.
No sooner than we all
happily adopt colour than some designers (OK the highly regarded Prada) decide to
simplify and pare fashion down and design mostly in black
again. Black is a useful base and is always in fashion.
No wardrobe is complete without a section of items in black. But
ask yourself this - having been liberated to wear colour again,
question do you really need more sombre black yet, quite so soon after years of wearing it in
the minimalist 90s.
Before adding more this winter hold your horses before
embracing it. Check out your wardrobe to see just how much classic
black you already have and just add a few fresh items that nod to the
trend - take advantage of colour whilst it's here.
You'll be hard put to
avoid black though as it is part and parcel of the 60s Beatnik/New Mod
Look.
See the mood board here.
Sumptuous rich claret
velvet and other deeply coloured jewel tones such as purple and green
are hot colours for autumn/winter 2005/6. They were often made even more plush with fur trim.
Mood boards.
Fall 2005/6
Main Colours include purple, aubergine, navy,
petrol peacock teal blue, raspberry to rich claret, mustard yellow, grey, burnt orange,
forest green, moss avocado, peaty earth tones, creamy
champagne and flesh tones, all competing against black.
But experiment with bold
contrasting colour mixes such as that found at Dior where a lovely warm mauve
toned aubergine was worn
with red shoes.
Vibrant colour is used
especially to invigorate new life into sheepskin and other leathers. Fendi showed coloured
Shearling and leather trimmed red
coats. Look out for vivid dyed furs and skins.
Expect to see lots of
contrasting fabric laid side by side in one garment.
There will be rich
deeply coloured plush velvets,
Shearlings and corduroys. Panne velvet is back in favour and sits beside suede, leather skins, boiled wool, suitings and tweeds of many types all contrasted with
fluffy
real fur and faux fur, dull
crepes, lace, satins and silk, graphic and Pucci style prints.
Lace trim and lace looks abound this winter.
Graphic abstract prints become more prevalent
as florals move through organic patterns and paisleys into
more abstract and op art influenced imagery.
Distressed leather,
crocodile effects and fur are used abundantly and combined with hardware
buckles, lace eyelets, grommets, pompoms and embroidered braids.
British Country Style
Tweeds have been out in force
for several seasons, but this year's
tweed is moving toward checks and a flatter smoother less textural knobbly finish.
Tweed tailoring is becoming finer.
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