Fashion Week. Two words that give every fashionista a glistening twinkle in her eye. It’s no surprise that during this oh so righteous event the fashionista is constantly tuned in to live streamed runway shows on YouTube, or spending her 8:00AM Econ discussion rummaging through every online style magazine article and fashion relevant twitter post. Nonetheless, her excitement slowly dies as she realizes collegiate living is not exactly conducive to sequin covered evening gowns, head to toe polka dots, and enough fur to suggest questionable grizzly bear metamorphosis. And while she thinks she can at least salvage some of this for her next date function, she’s utterly broken by the thought of walking up the brick-lined hill of McCormick Road in stilt inspired pumps.
At the end of the day, it is impossible to exactly replicate runway in real life. But, what you can do is translate what are sometimes over the top looks into something wearable and fashion forward. Here are some hints to help you put a little runway into your look for fall.
Copy shapes and lengths
Garment structure is something that can potentially be quite difficult to replicate in an affordable and wearable look. Look for outfit characteristics, for example whether the lines are straight and clean, or tend have fuller pieces. Another simple tip is to be aware of lengths; in pants, skirts, dresses, jackets, everything. They tend to vary between seasons, and length is something really simple to duplicate.
For Fall: This season, oversized sweaters made their way atop everything from trousers to evening gowns. Trade in knee length for calf length skirts for class and take special note: look for shapes and angles within garments; geometry is not only used in the classroom this season.
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Steal colors and prints
Color and prints are something so simple to copy from the runway. Typically these kinds of things are repeated between designers, so find what’s popular for this season! Pick and choose how much of the prints and hues you incorporate into your outfit, to add a personal touch.
For Fall: Opt for brights and saturated hues in large pieces, like a pant or a solid dress. Crimson red and Yves royal blue are also hot this season, but stick to these tones for after hours and nighttime affairs. As for patterns, polka dots were popping up from head to toe all over the runway for fall.
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Express runway in a single piece
Just because Hermés flaunted head to toe leather on the runway, doesn’t necessarily mean you have to go to class looking like Lady Gaga. Choose one piece to show off your runway look, to create a dialed down look suitable for everyday life on grounds.
For Fall: Everything leather is here to stay this season. Choose a jacket, or if you’re feeling bold, a skirt or pant and pair with other popular colors this season. One way to show bright colors for fall is in a solid pant. Pair with a neutral on top for a fashion forward duo. To tone down the emerging tuxedo trend for fall, stick to straight lines and a tucked in tuxedo inspired shirt, or even better, opt for a tuxedo inspired jacket to pair over just about anything.
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Follow conserved trends
Like any fashion trend, one day it’s in and the next day, it’s out. So look to see which rules are acceptable to be broken each season.
For Fall: Matchy-matchy is no longer tacky-tacky. It’s okay to match larger elements of your wardrobe by color or print. Also, don’t shy away from whites just because Labor Day has passed. Whites are here to stay through winter. Don’t be too scared, these rule are meant to be broken this season.
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Be inspired by the same time periods
Every other season, if not your mother, it’s your grandmother saying “We wore Mary Janes just like that. Oh, I wish I saved them.” In the fashion world, the past repeats itself, but with a modern twist of course. Designers are often inspired by specific time frames from the past, so take a trip in the time machine and get inspired by similar elements.
For Fall: The royal Queen Victoria has inspired designers, but this season it’s a little bit sexier than in times past. Lace, high neck lines and half sleeves in pale palettes are juxtaposed with sultry eyes and sexier hair. Also on the radar this season, are 60’s inspired trends, so keep your eye out for mod silhouettes, jeweled necklines and bold prints.
Changing seasons is an exciting time for fashionistas, but don’t let it be stressful! Play a little and work some new trends into your own personal style. The most important thing is to find something on the runway that inspires you, and in the words of Tim Gunn, “Make it work!”