I absolutely LOVE autumn. Always have done, always will do. What’s not to love? Brisk walks on a crisp morning with golden leaves rustling beneath your feet... how idyllic! Even more so are the fashions available... The season sees the return of the much-loved knitted sweaters, don’t-mess-with-me booties and as much layering as a body can carry. This year is no exception, and yet there is something ever so slightly different.
Where in the past, autumn/winter fashions have held a fashion genre of their own, often having beautiful pieces get lost in the mess of wool, cashmere and other thick fabrics often designed for comfort during the colder months rather than aesthetic pleasure, this year sees a character in the style. Following the success of The King’s Speech last year where Helena Bonham Carter portrayed one of the top British female icons of the century, Queen Elizabeth, 1940’s fashions have taken the catwalks by storm. Funnily enough, even the recession of the 40’s appears to have reared its ugly head once again, resulting in clothing of the era flying off the shelves in cheaper, high street stores.
However, don’t get me wrong, post-war slump this fashion revolution is not! Whilst the shapes are similar, the colours are more vibrant and the materials more lush. The midi-skirt for example is no longer seen as a dowdy form of concealment for a respectable woman’s knees. Oh no, amongst the most gorgeous options on the scene at the moment are designed almost as a mini-skirt but with an added sheath of sheer fabric positioned over the top, in vivid colours such as mustard, plum and deep turquoise allowing elegance and seduction to be created in harmony. See the tan colored one in the photo above to the left hand side, just £38 from Topshop. Lace-up brogues from last season are given a fresh spin with block heels frequenting the shelves at Topshop, River Island and Miss Selfridge, meaning that a shoe once considered ‘sensible’ or ‘functional’ is now ‘chic’.
One thing which has thankfully not changed (aside from the fact that these are now widely available to us mere mortals as opposed to solely the wealthy aristocrats of days gone by) is that the fur stole still evokes effortless glamour. Sure, ours are usually made of faux-fur rather than some poor animal executed in a barbaric manner, and yet even thrown over the simplest LBD, this accessory commands, ‘Look at me.’ Check out the one in my look-pic above which is only £22.50 from Forever21. The stole is in fact one of my favourite pieces of the season, as over the past few years I have tired of freezing cold nights out hopping from club to club with nothing but a body-con dress to keep me warm.
Once again, something else previously used purely out of necessity has been revolutionised: hosiery. Autumn/winter catwalks saw models strutting the runway with tights in all manner of colour, design and material, and heck, they actually looked good! My favourites by far are those designed to appear as 1940’s stockings complete with garters embroidered around the tops of the thighs. Plus, the ribbed-effect tights which have invaded the likes of Urban Outfitters (the grey ones in my look-pic from just £12) and Forever 21 this season just look so cushy and warm, I might even have to wang them on with my body-con dress on a night out too!
The jewellery and make-up looks are very similar to one another at the moment. Tarnished-antique-look vintage is probably the way I would word it, with some of the top-sellers being gold. Pieces such as this can be found all over the high street and I have already personally purchased two chunky rings and one heavy gothic cross necklace which I absolutely adore. Duo-chrome nail varnishes keep the look consistent and one in particular which I’m looking to invest in is Le Vernis Peridot by Chanel at www.chanel.com for $25. Similarly, Topshop’s new make-up look ‘Smoke and Mirrors’ will keep the look synchronised with bronzed, dewy cheeks, deep gold and dark neutral eyes and light rose lips.
Anyways, I really must stop ranting about how much I love autumn. I’ve already been epically spree-ing in Orlando and whilst all my friends were purchasing flip-flops and denim shorts, I had my eyes peeled for cuffed blazers, comfy heeled-brogues and floaty skirts in the new autumn colours... If you still have any concerns as to what these colours are, just check out my must-have of the month - Nails Inc’s new autumn collection which is £25 at www.nailsinc.com wear the colours separately, or all together; it all looks lush! The best part about this season is that your granny will probably have most of the items of the season in the back of her wardrobe, if not then rock up to your local charity shops... there’s nothing better than genuine vintage after all!
Please post pictures, links and comments about your autumn must-haves, I would love to live vicariously through you as I’m currently skint from my previous shopping black-out...
Happy shopping J
gabriellasofia
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