how do you say “have you any wool”?
Plenty of dubious trends do go from the catwalk to streets. But runway fashion can often feel like a foreign language; it’s mysterious and intriguing, yet tough to envision real world application. This autumn’s trends are no exception. Drawing on the notoriously nonchalant but don’t-call-it-lazy 1990’s era for inspiration, there is plenty of potentially heinous haberdashery, tacky trousers, and soul(sole?)-crushing shoes that designers have decided are the legacy looks for fall 2013. Will these styles become a part of every fashionista’s vernacular or get lost in translation?
It is easy to forget how many past must-haves went from far out to sold out, though. “Remember the first time you saw wedge sneakers? Or super skinny jeans? Or those pointy-toe pumps from the Manolo Blahnik era? You hated them right? Ok, now raise your hand if you have all 3 of those items in your closet. Exactly,” SheFinds scolds. Their list of “10 Fall Trends You Hate Now– But Will Be Wearing Next Month” sifted through the best of the worst and touted these ten as the top options that could break through. Their predictions?
Patchwork denim made the list thanks to designers like Phillip Lim and Junya Watanabe. Riding the wave of nineties-flavored fashion, Doc Martin-style lug sole shoes are marching back in. The chunky platforms have been dug up and revitalized by Stella McCartney, Vivienne Tam, Prada, and Mui Mui.
Training pants aren’t just for your toddler anymore.
Sock hop skirts in a retro bell shape are being called ahead of the curve for autumn. Thom Browne and Rochas’ take “cinches at the waist and bells out down to below the knee,” but calling the Happy Days skirt an update is a stretch.
Training pants aren’t just for your toddler anymore. No, thankfully the fashion world isn’t flaunting Dora the Explorer diapers, but these training pants are still kind of stinky. Courtesy of mega tastemakers like BCBG, DKNY, Acne, Jason Wu, and Vera Wang, training pants are a casual take on the wedding dress train, with flowing tendrils of fabric floating in their wake. These Gareth Pugh leather training pants [left] aren’t too terrible (though they will set you back over two grand), but can you imagine what they would look like in another type of fabric?
Speaking of fabric, leather everywhere is the big prediction for fall fashion. It sounds simple and timeless until SheFinds suggests upgrading your soft sweats for steamy leather jogging pants. But why not invest in sticky haute leather lounge pants, since oversized clothes are supposed to make a comeback too? “Menswear for women is having a big comeback this season and with the menswear trend comes oversized, well, everything. From jackets and shirts to pants and hats, a lot of the styles this season will be a bit baggy…” they explain.
The less offensive trends included slouchie beanies— which I thought already reigned over hipster heads nationwide, so no big there. Getting a luxe new makeover is the all-American baseball cap, made fall and winter ready in rich wool or plush velvet. Floral pants were also featured. But while SheFinds is calling them PJ pants, I don’t see a Victoria’s Secret Pink logo anywhere and those trousers seem too structured to be called loungewear. Ladies with a superhero complex can frolic on-trend in a warm and playful cape this fall. And while over-the-thigh boots don’t seem civilized, they aren’t too outlandish.
Which of these funky fall trends do you predict will stick? — Casandra Armour
