Designers Push Formal Elegance. Will Fashion Follow?
According to this article in the WSJ, ladylike matching tailored
suits with classic pumps and long gloves are the hot thing right now. I
noticed this while reading the August 2007 issue of Burda. So are
hats and long gloves.
If the fashion industry succeeds in converting
shoppers, several recent style staples could be deemed passé. Low-rise
pants and skirts will be replaced by higher-waisted versions. Fitted
coats could be taken over by oversized, cocoon-shaped styles. And, with
classic pumps and ankle-high lace-up boots with slender heels now
ubiquitous in stores and fashion-magazine spreads, the chunky wedge and
platform shoes that have been popular for several seasons could look
out of place.
Stores from Saks Fifth
Avenue and Neiman Marcus to Banana Republic and Target are promoting
this more formal look as a big trend this season. Bloomingdale’s is
prominently displaying mannequins in matching outfits that include
1920s-style hats and gloves. Even trendy boutiques like Intermix, which
has 18 stores and also sells online, are calling the fitted jacket and
the traditional pump some of the most important fashion items this
season.
From a completely non-practical viewpoint, I love this look. Most
women look really good with a fitted jacket. But it doesn’t make
any sense for me, when I’m going to school and it is considered
“dressing up” if I wear a skirt, let alone a blazer.
This article also mentions how high-waisted pants are creeping back
into style. A VP for Kohl’s truthfully stated that those high
waist pants, like seen on Jessica Simpson, really aren’t flattering for most figures:
But even some in the industry aren’t following all
of the new rules. Kohl’s, for instance, is stocking up on matching
suits, hats, gloves and high-heeled ankle boots. But it is steering
clear of dressy, high-waisted pants. “You have to be very thin for that
to look nice,” says David Hacker, the chain’s vice president of trend
and color. “Anything that’s high-waisted shows every flaw.”
This made me laugh:
There are downsides for the consumer. Some of the
more eclectic styles that worked well in outfits that had a
thrown-together feel may have to be relegated to the back of the closet
for a while. Also, those who have become used to looking more
individualistic may think the traditional, matched look makes them look
like their mothers. There’s also the risk of stepping out in ensembles
that are so highly matched that they may closely resemble someone else.
There’s also the risk of stepping out in ensembles that are so highly matched that they may closely resemble someone else.
I thought part of being “fashionable” meant wearing clothes that
everyone else wears…why else would magazines have a style section
with “must have” pieces?
If looking fashionable yet unique was so important, they would learn to sew. 
