2008 Woodie Awards
Skinny jeans, old trends reappear for fall fashion
Maggie Mertens
Issue date: 9/5/06 Section: Features
For those of you who were lucky enough not to work in a mall all summer, you may have missed the fashion forecast for fall. And with all the trends this season, it would be heartbreaking to remain ignorant.
This fall we're seeing old trends resurface; when I originally saw certain items arrive at the upscale-women's-retail-chain-that-shall-remain-nameless where I worked all summer, I groaned - loudly. I was immediately wrought with flashbacks of the terrible purple and pink leggings my mom would force me, kicking and screaming, to wear as a young girl. Or the tapered jeans my brothers and I begged our mother not to wear for years. Needless to say I wasn't completely convinced that the leggings and the "skinny" jean were going to be mainstream this season.
But as anyone who pays the slightest attention to the fashion world knows, everything we thought was dead will eventually resurface. After a few weeks at work, seeing the new shapes and the way these pieces had been reinvented, I found myself sheepishly eyeing a pair of leggings to wear under my mini-skirts or a wrap dress. And I even bought a pair of skinny jeans, affirming to myself, "They aren't tapered, they're straight."
Straight-legged jeans are just one bold new silhouette to try for fall. Topped with a long tunic, a slouchy sweater, or my favorite, a shirt-dress, along with a pair of classic pumps or a sweet pair of ballet flats, and voila! Jeans just got dressy again. But remember, to keep them dressy go for the dark washes. The whole "I paid extra for jeans with holes in them" thing is on its way out.
If the idea of the skinny jean is still daunting to you, no worries; you can go in the exact opposite extreme: the wide-leg trouser is also making a comeback. Available in denim as well as more classic materials, this menswear-inspired shape can be just as chic when balanced with a fitted top and feminine heels.
Overall, the fashion trends for fall are extremely dressy. There is a large focus on making "formal" wearable. Fans of the casual dress, rejoice! It is here and taking on this fall and winter with a vengeance. Worn alone in early fall and in the cooler months with leggings, tights, high boots and even leg warmers, the casual dress will soon be a fashion staple for all seasons.
This fall we're seeing old trends resurface; when I originally saw certain items arrive at the upscale-women's-retail-chain-that-shall-remain-nameless where I worked all summer, I groaned - loudly. I was immediately wrought with flashbacks of the terrible purple and pink leggings my mom would force me, kicking and screaming, to wear as a young girl. Or the tapered jeans my brothers and I begged our mother not to wear for years. Needless to say I wasn't completely convinced that the leggings and the "skinny" jean were going to be mainstream this season.
But as anyone who pays the slightest attention to the fashion world knows, everything we thought was dead will eventually resurface. After a few weeks at work, seeing the new shapes and the way these pieces had been reinvented, I found myself sheepishly eyeing a pair of leggings to wear under my mini-skirts or a wrap dress. And I even bought a pair of skinny jeans, affirming to myself, "They aren't tapered, they're straight."
Straight-legged jeans are just one bold new silhouette to try for fall. Topped with a long tunic, a slouchy sweater, or my favorite, a shirt-dress, along with a pair of classic pumps or a sweet pair of ballet flats, and voila! Jeans just got dressy again. But remember, to keep them dressy go for the dark washes. The whole "I paid extra for jeans with holes in them" thing is on its way out.
If the idea of the skinny jean is still daunting to you, no worries; you can go in the exact opposite extreme: the wide-leg trouser is also making a comeback. Available in denim as well as more classic materials, this menswear-inspired shape can be just as chic when balanced with a fitted top and feminine heels.
Overall, the fashion trends for fall are extremely dressy. There is a large focus on making "formal" wearable. Fans of the casual dress, rejoice! It is here and taking on this fall and winter with a vengeance. Worn alone in early fall and in the cooler months with leggings, tights, high boots and even leg warmers, the casual dress will soon be a fashion staple for all seasons.
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