Seventies mania!
This autumn is very generous with absolutely new and slightly forgotten trends! It also makes a good use of extravagance as an instrument. The charms of the late sixties – early seventies are still irresistible, even in the new century. Small A-shaped dresses (Emilio Pucci) are in again – sleeveless, or with sleeves that are widened towards the bottom, always with luxurious trimmings near the mouth. Just for sake of visual demonstration it won't hurt to watch «Ivan Vasilyevich Changes Occupation» again – it's a great influx of style and atmosphere of the time.
Another equally current item from the same era is a trouser-suit (Just Cavalli). Two versions are particularly popular: one is all covered in prints, and the other is one-color. The former fits the hippy style perfectly – can you imagine, this style doesn't intend to give up the positions that it took in the warm season. Which might be for the better. If you would like to stay in the realm of hippydom, you can feel free to continue (paying particular attention to the wide-brimmed hats and long scarves). If you didn't you might as well pretend that it was a purely summertime trend.
Another version of the trendy trouser-suit is single-color, with slightly flared trousers and a tunic with short sleeves and touching superimposed pockets with rounded corners. This tunic looks more like the aforementioned A-shaped dress. It's as if the owner couldn't resist the beauty of this model but then thought better of it, realized that the dress is too short, and just combined it with trousers of exactly the same pattern.
On shining, asymmetry and other details
From time to time trends so attractive appear that the fashion industry starts to skid on them, or even gets stuck. One of those is clothes made of rich, shiny fabric – and they're still popular (Alessandro dell’Acqua). The preferred colors are natural, noble, seasoned, the likes of which shine through the centuries from the Hermitage paintings: bottle-green, color of red wine, bright mustard color, shrill blue of all tones. You have to make a dress or a full-sized skirt out of shiny rich-colored fabric – to let the beauty fully shine.
To take a shiny clothing item towards a full-blown, extremely trendy perfection you have to fulfill two conditions. Number one: presence of any form of asymmetry. Exposing one shoulder is the most foolproof way (Versace). Number two, though it may seem utilitarian, is black, lusterless and dense tights. This inexpensive accessory has turned into a subject of madness for the majority of haute couture brands and a real fetish. It is thought that there isn't a more thrilling combination than black tights and bright fabrics, and the contrast between lusterless and shiny materials is particularly valued.
Speaking of which, lusterless tights generally experience a crazy kind of comeback these days. In particular, it's very much in to be wearing small boots of purple suede with tights or stockings of the same color, green shoes with green tights, etc. The colors should be exactly the same.
Since we'd mentioned this everyday item which no-one previously took for a serious accessory, let's add a few more words about other trendy colors. Mr. Cavalli's collections now feature not just his trademark leopard print – that's to be expected. There are also wonderful tights with flamingo design (they’re clear though). Dolce & Gabbana preferred tartan-colored tights as a part of their ‘English campaign,’ whereas the Gianfranco Ferre collection is dominated by white tights – lusterless and thick. According to Alberta Ferretti, “strict” grey tights with vertical black lines are worn with everything, including smart dresses.
English and manly
As the cold weather hits, two national styles come back into vogue as if they're rightful owners – English and Russian. This year both trends are not as strong as they were, which is to say that it's not as if every other designer has stuff of this sort. But fewer numbers still wield a considerable influence: Gucci has done some Russian-style things, while Dolce & Gabbana took up Britain.
Dolce and Gabbana have sincerely confessed that after watching 'The Queen' they got so imbued with the English spirit that they’d dedicated both of their collections to England. On a practical level that means that D&G collection mostly features checked items, largely red-based tartan. Head to toe tartan is a pretty obtrusive color scheme but the only advisable dilutions would be denim or this season’s hit, suede. The more adult-orientated Dolce&Gabbana collection quotes the English country estate style profusely: knitted cardigans, suede trousers, long skirts (often also tartan-colored), vests in characteristic diamond-shaped patterns… Everything is very, very decent and elegant. Neckerchiefs and cloth-caps enliven all these classics, while the headscarves, worn a la Elizabeth II, hint at an ironic touch even in this serious collection.
Russian style as interpreted by Frida Giannini, creative director of House of Gucci, looks rather like Hungarian or Romanian to our Russian eyes. We don't know what the Hungarians or Romanians think about it though. We know however that Ms. Giannini was inspired by Diaghilev's Russian Seasons. That explains everything: largely historical costumes created for ballets, quite naturally, have little in common with real Russia. But we won't be too picky – an attempt also counts.
Another largely wintertime thing is a woman's man's suit. To buy a dark-blue suit with thinnest white stripes means to obtain a clothing item that will be in vogue even 10 seasons away from now. What should attention be paid to? Firstly, the quality should be flawless. Secondly, it will look great if it seems to have been made in the 1920s, and is a little baggy. Thirdly, blouses and tops aren’t worn with a such a suit – only white shirts can possibly exist here. But the creative urges regarding neckerchiefs and ties shouldn’t be restricted.
Accessories: novelty
Let's start with footwear – women's chief passion. Many collections seem to feature nice and modest shoes with small strap – fairly similar to the ones our great-grandmothers were wearing before the war. But there are differences: high heels and small platform wipe off the coating of excess modesty. Important detail: it's good when such shoes are two-tone. Perhaps the heel, the platform and the strap are always black, but a second color is present – purple, blue or green. The other color should be distinct, yet unobtrusive.
Another gimmick is ankle boots with extremely thin and high heels. They are known as stiletto heels, and do look dangerous. The ankle boots can be simply black but naturally it's not the most interesting thing. The rich-colored suede is so much nicer – blue, green, purple…
Next point. Nearly knee-height boots. The only item without many whims. If you don't count long suede tassels as such.
Finally, the most absolute must-have item, the one that's very hard to ignore is another pair of boots. They're high, about mid-thigh, and come in any color but black. The front is decorated with lacing front top to bottom, and if it weren't fake it would take half an hour to lace up the thing. It's crucial that the bootlaces are of exactly the same color as the boots themselves. Two of the hottest categories are the suede ones and the patent leather ones – say, salmon-pink in color.
As far as bags are concerned, the rule’s very simple: whatever the shape, they’re carried by hand. Very much in are the small clutch bags – when used for daytime purposes. Crocodile skin bags are popular, especially lacquered ones, and always bright in color. Red should be just fine. If you don’t like crocodile skin, you can try the python one, though it doesn’t quite have the same bite.
We seem to have an interesting autumn ahead of us, don't we? You have to agree that it didn't spare efforts to make us like it. And we'd better start preparing for it now.