Style Now: Fall 2013 Women’s Style Guide
By Paige Schultz, Fashion Editor, and Fashion Writers Victoria Fok, Emma Leuman, and Annie Murphy
With hectic fall schedules and spring trends already making an appearance on the fashion horizon, it can be easy for one to fall out of step and forget what the current must-have looks of the season are. Feel yourself fretting? There’s no need. Providing some much-needed clarification, our brand new Fashion Team at MODA has created your ultimate style guide for the season to help you figure out what you should be wearing now as others are pondering what to wear later. Featuring the most statement-worthy yet wearable trends of the season, our Fashion Writers have dedicated their time to ensure that you understand how to don the best styles of fall so you can effortlessly incorporate them into your wardrobe and feel comfortable rocking them in your day-to-day life. So put down your coffee and take a break from hitting the books, because no matter how stressful your schedule may be, there is always time to help yourself become a little more fabulous.
Shift into Neutral
This fall, designers deviated from spring’s ultra-colorful ensembles and shifted into neutral, showcasing minimalistic looks that stunned with their crisp and powerful presence. While some designers kept it simple, others strengthened their looks by incorporating embellishments such as studs, buttons, and grommets, giving their take on neutrals a fresh, cool-girl vibe.
Yet while an all-neutral ensemble may work incredibly well on the runway, it can appear a bit contrived in a real-world setting. To pull off this trend in your daily life, invest in a few neutral-toned coats and sweaters. For a casual look, pair these pieces with tailored denim, or dress up your ensemble with a skirt in a different colored neutral for something a little bit more refined. Concerning shoes and accessories, stick with the basics. A pair of riding boots, or neutral heels or flats would work fabulously with these pieces. Your new fall style mantra? Simple and sleek equates to modern-day chic.
Classic Prints
Let’s be honest, in the past few seasons prints have been a bit out there. Extremely bold and more flashy than wearable, they’ve become undesirable for the fashion-lover who wishes to don them in real life. Luckily, patterns took a turn for the better this fall with designers highlighting prints like classic leopard and preppy plaid in their collections.
For a day-to-day look, challenge yourself to embrace this trend in a new and interesting way. For example, a printed jacket can effortlessly take a look to the next level, or a pair of plaid pants with a simple top can create a sleek and trendy ensemble. Either way, to make a classic print the statement of your outfit, wear it in an unexpected way or giving it a modern twist. By doing so, you’ll rock these oldie-but-goodie prints without looking as though you’re too nostalgic for the past.
Luxe Tux
When YSL first introduced the sultry-yet-sophisticated Le Smoking Suit in 1996, a women’s version of menswear was born. This season, the sexy elegance of the luxe tux has returned, with slim-fitting pants and structured blazers adoring the fall 2013 runways. At Akris, models with plunging necklines and sleek pants strutted down the catwalk, while models at Ralph Lauren offset their structured looks with ultra-feminine, ruffled blouses.
Though the tuxedo look may seem a bit too dressy for everyday wear, suit-inspired separates are perfect for a night out. Trade in that typical, tight body-con dress for a mixed element blazer and skinny ankle pants for a look that is sexy and powerful. Afraid of that your look may be too masculine? Add feminine touches to your ensemble with a sheer top or satiny pieces.
Cobalt
Last year, oxblood saturated the runways as fall 2012’s color of the season. Yet in 2013, designers chose to tell a different story as cobalt was emphasized as this season’s most exciting pop of color.
Open to interpretation, this trend can be worn in a variety of different ways. Incorporate it in a statement piece like a cool, structured jacket or draw attention to the finer details in your look by wearing it in an accessory. For a casual setting, opt to carry a bright, cobalt bag with your standard jeans-and-a-tee look. To dress up your ensemble and be ultra-daring, model your outfit after runway looks and go cobalt from head to toe. Seem a bit too over-the-top? Draw inspiration from the Maison Rabih Kayrouz ensemble pictured above and color block with cobalt for a look that will really turn heads.
Statement Outerwear
When it comes to outerwear this fall, your style mantra is “the bigger, the bolder, the better.” From vivid colors to strong structure and interesting textures, this season’s outerwear is all about making a statement. At Stella McCartney and Jill Sander, models strutted down the runway in bright, vivid colors, and at Emporio Armani different textures proved to be the main emphasis as voluminous coats with light-as-air feathers stormed the catwalk. Bold structure was also a big theme in fall’s outerwear as well, with Gucci showcasing coats with rounded shoulders in a cocoon-like shape.
Unfortunately for those of us dwelling outside of the fashion realm, outerwear designs like these are perhaps too severe and inconvenient for day-to-day wear. After all, trudging around campus and walking up Bascom are already challenging enough without having a heavy, fur coat weighing you down. Yet that being said, there are ways to make this trend work. A coat in a bold print or bright color is an easy and fun way to incorporate the style during the day. For night throw on a faux fur jacket with a tight dress for a Carry Bradshaw-esque look that will be sure to stand out.
Green with Envy
Turn heads and make onlookers green with envy by donning one of fall’s most statement-worthy hues. Always a trend for fall ensembles, green has appeared countless times on the runways in seasons past, but this year the rich hue was taken to new heights. With a plethora of shades adorning fall 2013 collections, designers pulled from all parts of the green spectrum emphasizing forest green, jade and military green in particular to create looks that were completely saturated with the hue.
However, if dressing entirely in one color feels too intimidating, there are other ways to embrace this trend this season. By incorporating a pop of color in an accessory or a statement piece, you can easily get your green fix. For an even stronger look, feel free to mix and match different shades and textures for a visually appealing ensemble with intriguing contrast that will catch everyone’s eye.