It’s time for some new trends! See what to follow here…

It’s mid-August.

It’s time for us to start thinking about our autumn/winter wardrobe.

That, of course, means thinking about the season’s new trends.

Indeed, if you open a glossy magazine you will be bombarded with ‘new’ trends because magazines are, these days, there primarily to ‘sell’ us stuff. The glossies are crammed with ads and editorials – those are the bits between the ads – intended to make us want to buy, buy, buy.

If you don’t believe us, read what Vogue’s former fashion director Lucinda Chambers said. Fashion director for 25 years, Chambers left in May. The precise circumstances of her departure are disputed but she subsequently unleashed her fury in an online interview that was removed then reinstated with amendments. The former fashion director’s tirade doesn’t inspire confidence in Vogue “…I haven’t read Vogue in years.” Apparently this was because the clothes were “just irrelevant for most people, so ridiculously expensive.”

It was “a shame” that magazines had “lost the authority” they’d once had. “They’ve stopped being useful,” she said, adding that glossy mags were…always trying “to bully, cajole or encourage” people to “buy something they don’t need…”

Hmmm… Now, we also suggest you buy new stuff. But at SoSensational we take a more considered view of fashion. We show you trends, but we talk to you about making key purchases that will genuinely update your wardrobe (and we also show you styling that is relevant to you). Because even though we largely agree with Lucinda Chambers, we also know that you, like us, want to continue to look fabulous and not be left behind fashion-wise.

For those reasons, we review the trends to tell you about the directions and moods that are important and worth buying into. And we make a distinction between those and the trends which will be forgotten by breakfast-time tomorrow…

On Planet Fashion, they also want you to be looking at the next trend, but we remember that trends need to ‘bed in’ and evolve into directions, so these are the New Season guidelines to trust…

Major Directions and Moods

The major directions relate to volume, length and play into all clothing, including tailoring. The ‘moods’ in fashion are still ‘clean’ and ‘ladylike.’ Ladylike is why there’s continuing ascendancy of print, colour, embellishment and luxe fabrics, such as lace and satin, while ‘clean’ (or uncluttered) plays into tailoring and volume and is the antithesis of ladylike. Unsurprisingly, this paradox would baffle anyone outside of Planet Fashion who would, at this point, throw up their hands…

Most of the above are a reworking of what has been happening in fashion for the last few seasons. But, there are some new rules and new ways to style and wear to look directional…

VOLUME

Volume is signalled by oversize pieces and creates a key silhouettes for A/W. The important factors involve deciding where to wear volume, and ensuring the oversized piece fits you in a way that makes it clear you are working the ‘volume’ trend and haven’t just bought something too big.

For us, and we suspect for you, the big question is whether to wear volume on your top half or bottom half. Fashion offers the option of either, so we think it should be determined by what best suits our body.

LENGTH

The other important factor in getting dressed for A/W17 relates to Length. The key length for skirts and dresses is midi, while for trousers it’s ankle-grazing…

TAILORING

We’re borrowing from the boys again this season in Tailoring, which is staying notably masculine and mannish. The Trouser Suit, which has been hovering on the sidelines, moves to centre-stage, while military details and winter’s favourite oversized jackets and coats and its favourite wool cloth and Prince-of-Wales checks, all play into this Masculine-Tailoring trend.

Tailoring plus Volume signals a change in proportions: you could pair an oversized blazer with overlong, slouchy trousers OR you could pair an oversized slouchy blazer with slim, ankle-grazer trousers OR you could team a short, fitted blazer with flared ankle-grazer trousers OR you could team a looser, longer blazer with wide-leg ankle-grazer trousers. Wear the combination and proportions that suit you best.

Other Trends to Watch

Expect to see these ‘trends’ appearing across the new season. Some are new.  Some are reworked versions of current favourites.  But most will surface at some point: Metallics, Luxe fabrics, Jumpsuits, Bomber Jackets, Trenchcoats, Duster Jackets, Tailored Denim, Interesting Sleeves, Embroidery, Cold Shoulders, Asymmetry, Slouchy Knits, Wide-leg trousers, skinny trousers, ankle boots, knee-high boots, over-the-knee boots, big bags, mini bags, oversized coats..

It’s in the Detail

We also want to flag up some of the vital details, such as ‘Princess’ shoes (i.e. shoes with crystals or a big bow), Top-handle bags, big earrings, belts, brooches (2 or more worn together) and berets (all berets, but especially leather berets, as worn at Dior) Because these finishing touches are how you ensure your new pieces, or the pieces you already own, are totally right for right now…

What do you think of these latest trends? Which ones will you be trying out, and which ones will you be avoiding?