Here is my review of the important fashion looks for Autumn 2011
and Winter 2012. An autumn wardrobe demands less exposure
of flesh, than a summer collection; in 2011/12 we are seeing longer
ladylike styles in jewel colours. The trend is for gracious
looks and the freedom to select from so many styles to suit individual body shapes. Check
that the proportions are correct for
your own body silhouette.
Images Courtesy IFTF. Left - Catwalk Fashions
AW2011/12 Sonia Rykiel, Centre and Right Gucci.
For Autumn 2011 colours, note the vivid rich jewel colours of amethyst, sapphire, emerald, ruby
pink and ruby red, citrine, amber and orange garnet. Vibrant orange colour has
not had as much exposure since the
real 1970s - an orange moment is here again. Expect to see this
fashion colour in all areas of life from clothing to interiors.
Image Courtesy of Benetton Autumn 2011/2012.
Earlier this year we saw how the silhouette was changing to
one of longer dropped 1970s hemlines and wider fuller pants.
Now skirt hemlines that began dropping in summer, have moved to
midi lengths. For the fashion aware, skirt lengths are up to 10cms below
the knee.
The feminine blouson peasant smock top of Spring 2011, with
its ethereal dreamy quality, also continues as an Autumn 2011
high street fashion trend. Blouses of all types are big in both
volume and 'it' factor. Huge balloon sleeves complement the
latest slim line womanly pencil skirt fashion.
Left - River Island AW11 WW Campaign Images. Stockist Number:
0208 991 4904.
Right - Monsoon AW11 Campaign - Monsoon/Accessorize Stockist
Number: 0844811006.
.
For 2011/12 some fashion designers have reworked styles from
several specific decades of the 20th century. They've created
so many fresh innovative looks enabling every woman to style her
individual lifestyle new image and wardrobe.
1)
The Volume Look Autumn 2011-
Cocoon Coats, Padded
Fur
Sleeves in coats and jackets. Sheer or Full Blouson Sleeves -
these morph into cape shoulder styles and
Capes.
2) The Leaner Look Autumn 2011 - Pencil Skirts and Narrow
Tapered Lean Pants 3)
The New Length Autumn 2011 - Longer Midi Lengths - Skirts/Dresses.
Left - Rochas Peach Cocoon Coat. Right - De La Renta Cinnamon
Double Faced Alpaca Coat.
Left - Marks & Spencer Bright Orange Katy Cocoon Cape Coat £89.
Right - Burberry AW2011/12 - Red Wool Balloon Sleeve Coat, Baker
Boy Fur Hat.
Intense Jewel Colours - Ruby Red, Amethyst, Sapphire,
Emerald, Malachite, Garnet, Amber, Carnelian, Lapis and
Citrine add a rich zing of colour. Kingfisher blues, jade and raspberry reds
vie with orange brights and rusty carnelian tones. In red
hues think lipstick red, ruby red, geranium and
hot fuchsia pink.
Colour Mixing - Mondrian Block Colour Mixing - Subtle
Block Mixed Neutrals. Arctic Whites. Greens and orange are
the new 'it' colours to enliven your clothes rail. Take a
jewel toned blouse and team with a colourful midi skirt, and
contrast hosiery.
Right - Monsoon/Accessorize AW11 Campaign
Stockist Number: 08448110068.
Centre - Primark - Mustard Pussy Bow Blouse £10, Crimson Wool
Pencil Skirt, Cobalt Belt £14, Loafers £16. Primark Autumn
Winter 2011 - Primark Stockist Number: 0118 9606 300.
Left - Monsoon/Accessorize AW11 Kite Top 923171, Elm Skirt
923172, Tie Front Loafer 943086 , Regents Bangles 943080, Ash
Clutch 943044 - Stockist Number: 08448110068.
Left - Gucci Colour Blocking Catwalk Fashion AW2011/12.
Right - French Connection AW11 Ladies Red Pussy Bow Fashion
Blouse - FC Stockist
Tel: 020 7036 7200.
1960s - Chelsea Girls -
60s Mod Swing Coats,
Teddy Bear/Chubby Coats. In dresses A-line Mod shifts and fitted shift
dresses often with contrast white Peter Pan collars. Polo neck roll collars.
Short and sharp 60's youth Mod inspired looks include the
accessory Baker boy checked cap hats. The retro 1960s look references monochrome with
black/white themes. This clean neutral palette is smart,
easy to wear, buy, mix and match.
Left - Matalan AW11 - Modern Retro 60's Mods Block Print Pleat Dress
£25, Mary Jane Shoes £20.
Centre - River Island AW11 WW Campaign. Stockist Number:
0208 991 4904.
Right - Oasis AW11 Womenswear Campaign.
Ω
1940s - Late 40s Hollywood Pin-up Glamour Girls and Grown Women Luxe Lady Elegance.
Think
Cinema Screen Sirens. Seen at Miu Miu, Jonathan Saunders,
Louis Vuitton.
The 1970s - Seventies Divas - Wide Palazzo Pants.
Military fitted hip coats. A look from Gucci in designs by
Frida Gianni - 1970's smock
dress silhouette; tunics to A-line shifts.
Left - Burberry Catwalk Coat AW11.
Right - Primark Red Military Duffle Coat £30 - Stockist
Number: 0118 9606 300
Furs, Leathers. Lots of Shearling and
fur trims, fur
chokers, tippets and collars.
60s fur chubby coats, fur knee
coats, fur banded coats with full length centre front fur trim.
The Cocktail Blouse - Emphasised shoulders and sleeves
with extra neckline features make this a seasonal must-have.
The ladylike outline this gives when teamed with a midi-pencil skirt is late 40s
New Look silhouette style. This is
not a 40's utility look.
Left & Centre - Cocktail Blouses - Both Oasis
AW2011/12.
Right - AW2011/12 Love Label Blouse - Very.co.uk.
Fetish Dominatrix to High Gothic. Luxe Lace Layers = sheer areas, cut out and
torn fabrics, bands or tape lines of studs and often with
patent or black leather. Team with over
knee cuissarde boots and add a sultriness best kept
for night times. Look out for gladiator shoe boots that trace
an openwork boot pattern to mid-calf. Seen at Giles,
Givenchy, McQueen, Christopher Kane and Dolce & Gabbana.
Above Left - Sisley Benetton AW2011/12 Catwalk Cuissarde Boots.
Centre - Prabal Gurung Catwalk Show AW2011/12.
Right - Marks & Spencer AW11 - Historical Romance
Autograph Dress £65, Necklace £19.50, Belt £18, Tights £6, Shoes
£49.
Above Left - Elene Cassis Leather Fashions.
Centre - Ralph Lauren Catwalk leather Looks AW2011/12.
Left - Marks & Spencer AW11 - Retro Glamour.
Hat £19.50, Limited Collection Jacket £120, Belt £5,
M&S Woman Skirt £99, Tights £3.50, Shoes £49.
»
Androgyny - Tomboy Looks - A contrast to fetish fashions
and homage to masculine items of dress. Tuxedo jackets give
a formal air and make this look suited to business wear for
those who dislike girly looks. Seen at Chanel, Paul Smith
and Tommy Hilfiger.
Coats - The Cocoon Coat. Full volume on top and a
tapering lower half. Think Balenciaga.
The Cape Cloak - Short and hip length capes. Sweeping
floor capes for evening elegance.
Trousers - Pants are both wide and skinny. Add volume
and opt for palazzo pants. Black pants are on trend again. Or choose tapered streamlined
pants in leather or Lycra satin mix that hug the legs. Consider
alternative jeans or pants in jewel
rich colours or narrow cigarette pants in patterned
materials.
Above Left - Primark Winter Campaign Limited Edition Mermaid
Blouse £17.
Primark Limited Edition Mermaid Palazzo Pants £19.
Primark Stockist Number: 0118 9606 300.
Centre - Great Plains AW11 Womenswear - Stockist
greatplains.co.uk.
Right - Check Coat and Skinny Trousers - Oasis Womenswear Autumn
2011.
Shorts -
Shorts continue into winter. Shorts
utilise luxury materials in jewel colours or rich fabrics.
Shorts look less risqué when teamed with coloured pantyhose
tights, leggings or jeggings. For evening looks they adapt
well to fetish fashion looks with a simple legwear change to
sheer patterned tights.
Textures - Tactile Materials. Snakeskin texture and as
flat surface print. Lace in
many colours especially jewel hues. Chantilly lace plus lace
appliqué is for night and day this year. Sequins add crunchy
texture with shine. Laser cut
leather. Pleats from superfine to box pleats add a new swish
to fuller areas especially skirts and cape shoulder line
sleeves. Crunch Tweed fabrics in the manner of materials by
C20th Fabric Designer Bernat Klein. The coat below left
from Oscar de La Renta looks like knit at first glance, but
it is slub yarn woven fabric. This has an Alpine/Fair Isle
knit look to it like the poncho far right from Warehouse
AW11 Christmas range.
Fabrics -
Liquid silks create fluid sleeves with massive
gigot/leg-of-mutton proportions. This fluid silk look helps define
cocktail blouses and adds late 1940s and 1970s glamour to
swishing longer line skirts. Sequins and stars at Dolce &
Gabbana.
Left - Dolce&Gabbana Catwalk Fashion
AW11/12.
Right - Topshop AW11 Women's Evening Wear - Sequin Dress &
Fur Coat.
Baroque
Brocade Opulence - These utilise the traditional
opulent baroque
scrolling interlinking forms, further enhanced with use of
shiny and dull metallic threads. Intricate embroideries.
Snakeskin pattern is dominant as a
surface on both fabrics and leathers. Leopard print never
retires women love it so much as it goes with most pieces.
Floral - Large Exotic Flora. This may be one dominant flower in grand scale prints.
But this can be mixed with ditsy
floral forms which add character and variety of scale to border print fabrics.
Graphic Prints - Many use sketched female silhouette forms and
everyday objects for print pattern on items such as shoes, bags.
Linear teacups create striking new
pattern designs. Digi-prints take optical manipulation to new
pattern explosions.
Spots - Polka Dot Spot Fabrics/Textures. Spots appear
on everything from footwear to hosiery. Large or
small spots worked on barely black sheer tights add an
instant nod to the fetish fashion theme. These black dresses
below all have an element of little black dress and the
possibility of Fetish/Goth qualities when styled correctly.
The semi sheer spots add a mysterious characteristic similar
to that of lace.
Left - Debenhams LBD - Debenhams Stockist
Number: 08445616161
Centre - Black Polka Dot Lace Shoulder/Sleeve Dress £17.99 From
Pilot.
Pilot Stockist Number: +44 24 7671 8834.
Right - Star by Julien MacDonald Dobby Spot Little Black Dress,
£60/€90 - Debenhams.
Heritage - Tweeds, Plaids and Checks. Burberry used red and black checks in
rich wools. Hound and dogtooth checks, blanket plaids and
tablecloth checks give a cosy air to winter throws, wraps,
ponchos and capes. Tailored jackets also suit the good
quality British wool theme. Heritage was seen at Fendi, Rag
& Bone, Tory Burch, Burberry.
Above Left & Centre - AW11/12 Burberry Celebrates British Wool With
2 Cape Coats.
Right - Moschino Cheap & Chic Checks. All looks copied in mass
fashion wear.
Above Left - Modernist at House of
Fraser.
Boutique by Jaeger Red Cape Coat £330.
Pied a Terre Cream Roll Neck Jumper £70/€91.
HOF Stockist Number: 020 7003 4000
Centre & Right - NEXT AW11/12 Check Cape £28/€38.
Skinny Jeans £22/€29 - NEXT Stockist 0844 844 8000.
Urban warrior studs add texture as do feathers and
fringe. Studs decorated sleeves so thickly at Burberry the
sleeves became a new fabric. Fringe is an integral part of
many ponchos or capes.
Knitwear - Knit Texture - Cable and bramble stitch or Fair Isle add
contrast to plain knit. Warm tones of rust, coral peach,
cinnamon and plum add new chic. Scandinavian
felted fuzz materials add a natural handmade edginess. 1970s Missoni zig
zag patterns in both knit and fabric feature this
autumn 2011 as retro 1970s looks. Crochet patterning
gets a boost from designer Christopher Kane, but at high street level just
check it's well crafted. Gilets work in any of these
textures.
Above Left - Cynthia Steffe Knitwear - Ready to Wear Fashion
AW11/12.
Centre - Sportmax Catwalk Fashion Knitwear AW11.
Left - A|wear -70's Paisley Frill Blouse, €35/£30; Peach Pleated
Palazzo Pants, €50/£45.
Heritage Tweed Blazer, €60/£55; Brown Satchel, €30 £25; Tan
Belt, €8/£4.
All A|wear Jet Set Autumn 2011 Womenswear. Stockist Number: 00
353 1 4724900.
Right - Monsoon/Accessorize - Samantha Stripe Knit Coat.
Camel Trouser - Monsoon Stockist Number: 08448110068.
Heavier Alpine Sweaters
- Norwegian - Fair
Isle Patterns. Traditional band patterns also used on yokes
and jumper bodies. Rich colours in Fair Isle patterns and
stripe variations make good casual knits and tops as well as
thick outerwear layering pieces.
Bags - The Satchel Bag, Hug/Hold Mini Bags
and Bejewelled Bags. At Miu Miu the shoulder details were exaggerated. Miu Miu
also polished the clutch by making them super-size clutch bags. Roberto Cavalli's tasselled
handbag and the chic Vespa bag from Bally (£1295) all fight
for 'it bag' positions.
Winter Warming Hats - The Fedora, The Cloche, The Cap,
The Trapper - Felted or Knitted. The Wool knit cable hat and
the hooded cowl hat are easy roll up winter headwear.
Footwear - Stiletto Court Shoes. Say goodbye to platforms for the hottest
footwear fashion look and trot out for some sleek pointy toe
flat soled stiletto heels. Jewelled shoes add luxury
glamour. Boots Footwear Styling - Choose knee high boots,
Cuissarde (over knee) styles and tasselled boots. Low brogues, chunky block heels,
coloured shoes with colourful clothes are alternatives.
Jewellery - The short choker necklace in jewellery or
fur is an Autumn 2011 accessory. Chunky necklaces in semi-precious stones or metal nuts and bolts style.
Timeless Jewellery - Diamonds, Coral and Pave. Chanel
Boucle de Camélia ring in white gold
and diamonds and the Dior Bois de Rose collections are
trendsetters in floral form jewellery. Try Braybrook &
Britten for less costly alternatives. Brooches make a come-back.
Ceramic wrist watch bands in black or white that imitate the
famous black or white Dior watch styles of recent years, are
now available as high street versions.
Gloves - The easiest colour accessory is an
interesting pair of gloves - above wrist long or short. Add instant new colour
with gloves in plain or complex designs with laser cut
leatherwork.
Hair and Make Up - Bigger Hair, Fuller Chignons, Ponytail
variations, Halo Braid Plaits. Quiff hairstyles
- long or short and with an 80s touch return. In make-up
rich intense lipstick is back as gloss loses its glisten.
The Twiggy style banana socket line adds eye emphasis depth. 1920s style headbands or hair ornaments and fake hair
extension ponytails draw attention to hairstyles. You may wish
to give the thumbs down to feathered hair extensions.
The key elements of fashion trends for autumn 2011, winter
2012 depend on longer lengths and bold rich vibrant colours in
contrast textures and luxury fabrics. The silhouette pays homage
to forties, sixties and seventies decades of style fashions.
One of most commercial fashion trends in UK in 2011 has been
the new retro 1970s. Now for autumn this trend
continues, but is joined by the late forties look along with a
favourite retro fashion of recent years sixties Mod.
Fashion
styles
for autumn 2011 and winter 2012 focus on mixes of zinging jewel colours.
These are the key looks of fall 2011, winter 2012. We enter a
fashion era offering an individual take where the melting pot of
texture and tone take you into self-styling fashion with renewed confidence. Find your
best look and focus on painting a clothing picture that
expresses the true you. Looking like you is more original and
possibly more achievable than looking like the latest celeb.
The focus for autumn 2011 is on jewel colours, a major trend
carrying on from
spring brights and colour blocking trends. One cannot over emphasise the richness and boldness of
these colours. For example the blue range grows in popularity.
Cobalt, lapis, violet and sapphire blue have a sparkling and
stunning electricity about them. More subtle colour blocking
combines rich blue with a neutral such as black.
Left - Mary & House of Fraser - Antonio Cobalt Blue Dress £200
Mary Portas.
HOF Stockist Number: 020 7003 4000.
Right - Roksanda Iilinic Collection Debenhams - Staying Power of One
Shoulder Trend.
Above Left - Oasis Autumn 2011/2012 True Blue Top & Trousers.
Right - CC AW11 Jane Seymour in Petite Fashions -
www.ccfashion.co.uk
The red, cerise, honeysuckle pink and tangerine orange range of
harmonious colours are equally stunning colour choices.
Above Left - Oasis Lady in Red AW11/12.
Centre - Colour Block Red Black Dress - Dunnes Stores AW"011/12
- Dress €25/£21.
Print fabric and check plaids are also important.
Floral fabrics have delicate eastern oriental blooms and the
contrast with reworked animal and especially reptilian snakeskin print can be interesting.
Contrasting soft dusty ballet and nude tone colours remain.
These give the contrast of wispy ethereal looks which now meet
the edgier more aggressive fetish fashions of darker winter months.
Ladylike styling has competition from contrasting gothic
fetish black looks which need control to ensure the look is not
taken overboard. This season exposure has to be subtle. Rarely
has there been a season where more is best - more cover that is!
Modesty is the reality check buzz word of 2011-2012 when it
comes to grown up ladylike dressing. Don't let it all hang out
or you will look so passé that your friends may be embarrassed.
Catch up now with the new decorum in dress.
Left - F&F at Tesco Autumn/Winter 2011 Womenswear - Jumper £10,
Skirt £16, Bag £10, Beret £8, Gloves £6, Tights £3.75, Shoes
£19.50.
www.tesco.com/clothing.
Centre - 70's Fringed Zip Cardigan £28, Pleat Front Midi Skirt
£20.
All Matalan AW11.
Right - Monsoon/Accessorize AW11 - Cagney Blouse, Bleeker Skirt,
Tie Front Loafer, Hawthorn Bag 943039 - Monsoon Stockist
Tel: 08448110068.
The silhouette is mostly longer and the newest skirt is
the longer pencil skirt. The pencil skirt's up-to-the-minute element is the
drop to well below knee. The pencil skirt should be worn at
least at the base of the knee or even midi length. So for length
think one to four inches below the knee.
The below
knee 1970s skirt is A-line and sometimes buttoned through. This
style is suited to fine woollen cloth, corduroy, velvet or
denim. It looks good as a midi with late 1940s 'New Look' styling.
It can also be of 1970s midi styling as a fuller swirling skirt made up in
winter weight fine tweed or worsted/woollen cloths. Full prom
skirts also look novel when cut to a longer length. Shorter prom skirts
are best for the very youthful only - know your limitations and
avoid mutton moments by overdoing 60s/70s retro minis.
Retro Influences
Ladylike
versions from several decades including the forties, the
sixties, the seventies and even sometimes the eighties mean the
main looks are groomed and precise. Bigger
hair and true lipstick coated lips is complimentary to this
clothing. Polka dot spots and Prince of Wales checks add a
graphic touch.
Left - Hobbs London Audrey Coat, £239/€275. Hobbs London Eton
Shirt, £69/€80. 30th Anniversary Richmond Mary Janes, £169/€195.
Stockist Number: 0845 313 3130 or
hobbs.co.uk
Centre - Topshop Unique Catwalk Fashion AW11/12.
Right - Very.co.uk Coat and Spot Tights.
Structured dresses especially structured retro sixties shift
styles highlight button bands, contrast Peter Pan collars, box
pleats and dropped waistlines. Louder checks utilise the vibrant colours of the
season and are usually blended with more neutral grey, black,
brown or navy to mute the effect. Navy has been slowly creeping
back onto fashion rails especially as navy lace or darkest
sapphire lace over a black lining.
Lace made a welcome return some seasons ago, but its
desirability increased a hundred times after Catherine Middleton
wore a beautiful lace gown for her
wedding
in summer 2011.
And one the edge of lovely lady looks is black lace left and
centre or the look of dimity /devore burnout spotted sheer
fabrics as shown in the glamorous little black dress far left
below.
Black is always popular for lace dresses, producing the ideal
little black dress. But the LBD has morphed into the LCD - the
little coloured dress.
Left - Dolce & Gabbana Black Lace Cocktail
Evening Dress at matchesfashion.com.
Centre Left - Fusion Monsoon/Accessorize - Diadem Lace Dress,
£80/€125.
Centre Right - Pink Lace Party Prom Bustier Dress - very.co.uk
Right - Monsoon/Accessorize - Etienne Lace Dress - £140/€222.
Monsoon Stockist Number: 08448110068
Coloured lace, especially sapphire blues, emerald, ballet
pink or red add a welcome alternative to the black lace used for
sleeves and shoulder insets in Goth fetish fashions. The black
lace used in many of these dresses and blouses is a very
sophisticated stand-alone look. This can be taken into fetish themes as long as you select footwear and jewellery
appropriate to your end fashion goal
Cobwebby skirts, high
necklines in early Edwardian Downton style and jet beading add a
prettiness to Goth not seen before. Reptilian snakeskin,
alligator and crocodile surface prints add character to
materials from finest chiffon georgette to hardest leather.
Above - Catwalk fashions from McQueen, Givenchy and Jeremy
Scott.
High street black tops to help work this look.
Left - Debenhams.
Centre - M&S - Per Una Speziale Dita Shell Top £45.
Right - Sisley Benetton Lace Yoke Black Overblouse.
These two styles of Goth and
Fetish fashion intermix very easily. Fetish fashion is a fun
look for empowered women strong enough to cope with showing her
more public daring figure to friends and colleagues.
Get some Spanx or similar Goth bustier corsetry to
define that body into the whittled waistline. The narrow waist
is required of the new
fetishist fashion trend, where the norm for perfecting dominatrix vixen garb
is an hour glass silhouette. Those Edwardian women knew how to
enhance their curvaceous features despite being swaddled in
layers of clothing.
Autumn is the season of parties and special outfits, so metallic fabrics and fish scale or huge
paillettes sequins add glamour to 2011 fabrics. Sequins in particular
modernize pencil skirts that have more length than we have been
used to expecting.
Copyright of images courtesy of Prshots.com, Swarovski,
Marks & Spencer, Hobbs, House of Fraser, Primark, Oasis, Debenhams, River Island, Accessorize Monsoon, Matalan,
Benetton,
Warehouse, Jaeger, Ralph Lauren, CC, Dolce & Gabbana,
Next, very.co.uk, French Connection, A|wear, IFTF, Topshop, F&F
Tesco, Pilot, Dunnes Stores, Great Plains.
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