For those of you who have known me the longest and the best, you know that Fall is not my favorite season. So there are really only 3 things I enjoy about the weeks between <3 summer <3 and my least of all favorite season. (The only good part about winter is Christmas and the occasional snow day.)
Those 3 enjoyable things are:
1. JMU/HHS football season. Yay for something to listen to on Friday and Saturday nights! I couldn't care less about the NFL until the Super Bowl comes around, and only then if I team I remotely care about is in it. But, oh, give me some high school and college rivalry games and I am a happy woman.
2. The food. Apples, pumpkins, Thanksgiving...Lovin' the comfort foods of autumn!
3. 3/4 sleeves. Seriously. I ADORE 3/4 sleeves. They are seriously the most comfortable and most flattering sleeve on the planet. Wear them down when it's a little nippy, or roll the sleeves up on days like today where you want to scream at the Heavens "MAKE UP YOUR MIND!!!!!!!!" (PS-I hate humidity. Passionately.)
If you pay any attention whatsoever to fashion, or at least glance at magazines as you walk buy them at the store, you know that one of the most discussed fashion terms right now is "the Kate effect". I am a believer and supporter of said "effect" and though I am in no way a "copyKat" (seriously, that's what they're called!) I am very pleased with the style changes I've seen over the summer and into the fall. It isn't so much what you may see on the fall runways--high fashion, especially in NY tends to be more avante garde (term used for fashion "ahead of it's time", "innovative", "experimental"...what I prefer to call "icky")--but it is what you'll see thumbing through David's Bridal catalogs, women's home and fashion magazines, and clothing companies like NY&Co, Coldwater Creek, Newport News, and the like.
Now for those who have no clue what that last paragraph is about, let me briefly explain. The "Kate effect" is what the media and fashion industry are calling the influence of the Duchess of Cambridge (the former Kate Middleton). Since her engagement to Prince William she has singlehandedly caused the sell-out of several dress styles, which now have 1 word names "the Shola", "the Issa", etc. The results of the "Kate effect" include: the rise in popularity of any knee length short sleeved dress that even slightly resembles one worn by Kate, and an increased interest in hats, fascinators, trench coats, nude pumps, and even pantyhose. The broader effect is simply this: it is now fashionable for my generation to wear modest hemlines and necklines, ladylike shoes and coats, and elegant accessories.
So here are some of the trends I've noticed while shopping at my favorite stores--Ross & TJ Maxx--and browsing at my favorite "if I had money to spend on more expensive stores" stores (NY&Co, Newport News, Coldwater Creek, etc).
1. Color. Bold and bright. I'm seeing a lot of bright pink, aqua, coral, and purple. I don't wear a lot of bright colors, but I did add a bright pink tee and several purple pieces to my closet this fall.
My favorite part of this trend? PURPLE! :)
2. Lace. This trend has been increasingly popular over the last year or so, which is why so many of us were correct in predicting that Kate's wedding dress would be lacy. Thankfully that look is becoming increasingly more popular in the wedding industry, something I really wish would have been available in '07. Some of the "lace look" though is incredibly fake. Lace prints? Um, no thanks. I don't want the LOOK of lace, I want LACE.
3. White. Black & white together has been a popular trend over the years, but this season has shown an increase in simply white. Little White Dresses (LWDs) are easier to find these days and I think it's darling, especially the ones with the white lace. And while I can say confidently that Kate has definitely increased the popularity of white clothes--She once stated that if she had a favorite color she guessed it was white, and she certainly wears a lot of it--but the popularity of white dresses can actually be attributed more towards her sis Pippa, who singlehandedly made white bridesmaids dresses the "It Thing" for Summer 2011. (Though technically I guess you'd have to give Kate most of the credit for that too since it was her wedding and therefore her fashion decisions. Pippa just wore it really well.)
Anyway, I love this trend, BUT REMEMBER: YOU STILL CAN'T WEAR THEM TO WEDDINGS PEOPLE!!!!
4. Florals and animal prints. This is one trend that 1. I'm not that big of a fan of, and 2. Does not fit under the "Kate effect" umbrella. So there really isn't much to say except if you like bold floral prints or animal prints, wear them to your heart's content just don't wear more than 1 print at a time. Pair your 1 "loud" dress, shirt, skirt, or accessory and wear it with some solids in a complimentary color or a neutral. :)
5. Gray is the new black. While there is still quite a bit of black out there, and always will be, gray is the favorite neutral this season. It's softer and usually more flattering than black, and pairs wonderfully with the pinks, purples, and blues. I prefer brown/khaki with the warmer corals, peaches, etc.
Since I love gray, I am very glad to see so much of it in the stores. At Ross a few weeks ago I added a 3/4 dark gray shirt and a short sleeve lighter gray shirt to my collection. I also have 2 pairs of gray dress pants and a gray suit I never wear since my 2 jobs are not exactly suit-type careers. ;)
6. Ruffles. Love love love! The little girl in me can't get enough. Ruffled edges on cardigans, ruffled hems on trench coats, ruffled shirt collars...It's an added feminine touch. <3
7. Skirts. Pencil skirts, a-lines, "midi" skirts, maxi skirts...The only thing to say here is thank heaven for longer hemlines. :)
For pictures of some of the looks I'm talking about, visit this link:
http://pinterest.com/kbarb/my-style
Let me know other fashion trends you see that you love, hate, or think are silly...And let me know which of the ones I mentioned you love (or hate)! Also, if you have a particular fashion topic you'd like me to address in my next fashion-related blog. I have no idea from post to post if I'll be talking fashion, parenting, or what so it's nice to get ideas. :)
