It’s French Chic from the runway to the real way! This is your ULTIMATE PARIS LOOK BOOK TREND REPORT:
Paris closed the season with an extension of key style notes best executed there than anywhere else. Rich, dense textures have been on many Fall runways, and so have big coats and the quiet decadence of the 40’s & 50’s. But in Paris, those ideas really came to light and pushed the envelope. Lots to take note of here folks….
>> MORE: FASHION SHOWS, RUNWAY REVIEWS, and FASHION WEEK STREET STYLE
Seen at: Rochas, Miu Miu, Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Prada
>> LOOK SEE: Have you been following our Paris Fashion Week street style reports on how to get the look?
The 40’s and mid-century sartorial highlights made a big impact in Milan and with the seasons overall somber feel, the trend is set to amp up many a wardrobe with ultra-femme, retro sex appeal. At Prada, the era was mined and juxtaposed with contrasting fabrications and an artfully off-kilter loucheness. While heady boudoir references at Louis Vuitton and homages to Andy Warhol at Christian Dior worked to diversify takes on the moment
- Keep in mind to look for modern updates and unexpected elements
- Wear the look from head to toe, but throw it off with a chunky shoe for fun
- Hair and makeup should be far from precious, in fact, the more unkept, the better
Crystal Necklaces-
Seen at: Dries Van Noten, Rochas, Lanvin
Crystal and paste gemstones seem to have come back at full circle for Fall. At both Dries and Rochas, the offerings were stark and naively simple. Gone were past seasons trendy mixes of media, and now dated neon elements. And for topping off a crisp white shirt, a simple oversized sparkler begs for a test spin.
- Simple, simple, simple
- Look for medium-sized gems, the idea here is quiet decadence
- One piece at a time will do, no layering necessary
Statement Shoulders-
Seen at: Balmain, Veronique Leroy, Miu Miu, Acne, Carven
This season like spring, sees jackets, parkas and coats strike it big with bold, rounded or squared shoulders, and voluminous sleeves. Often decorated with an extra detail, say a pleat, or a contrasting cuff. They made for a big impact with the many skirt suit options and extra roomy coats that called for grown-up, yet attainable elegance. At Miu Miu’s remarkable show, pleated shoulders gave off a seductive, vaguely 40’s drama while Acne’s cropped moto inspired jackets were punctuated with serious, square shoulders.
- Body-con with padded shoulders are still no-no’s!
- Think wasp-waisted elegance, think big…
- Carrot legs and fitted skirts make for the right mates for combinations
Seen at: Celine, Stella McCartney, Carven, Celine, Giambattista Valli, Rochas
Big and belted, by now we’ve seen every iteration on runways over the past month. In Paris, winners featured pastels at Rochas, clever prints lifted from iconic laundry bag motifs at Celine and OTT decoration at Giambattista Valli. In fact, Valli’s range was so beautiful it made it easy to imagine never wanting to take off. The message these options delivered was go all the way in proportion and run with distinctive ideas.
- Natural materials are best
- A solid or tonal option should be priority and will get the most mileage
- The shorter you are, the shorter your coat should be -big & maxi will take you straight back to the 80’s
Princess Dressing-
Seen at: Rochas, Giambattista Valli, Valentino
Genius embellished turtlenecks at Giambattista Valli to another sublime outing from Rochas and Valentino signaled quirky takes on elusive daytime glamor. The rigorous perfection we saw on said runways is was intoxicating, idyllic and extraordinary. So much so that it makes one think these are clothes regal yet enviable; that they are indeed ready for royalty. What worked was a balance of restrained ornamentation and print, silver screen daywear shapes with voluminous proportions and pretty pastel hues. Go for fuss and froth free though, and think of a jarring, modern shoe like the lug soled vintage inspired shoes at Rochas and Prada.
- Try your best to not let it get too precious looking
- Finer fabrications are a must for this trend
- Work with simple hair and minimal makeup, no need to age yourself by going too far
Seen at: Sacai, Junya Watanabe, Acne, Prada
From some of the city’s most forward thinking sportswear designers came ingenious takes on collage dressing that saw a beautifully incongruous mix of elements come to life. Take Sacai’s peplum offering above as a note of exceptional execution. It takes a designer with a tasteful eye to blend a flight jacket with natty tartan without looking like too much. And most excitingly, here a ladylike silhouette pops with subversive armor, giving off a carefully balanced elegance to a tried & true avant-garde approach to design.
- Stick with those ladylike shapes
- Look for elements that eliminate an over designed feel
- Classic fabrications and ideas work best
>> Discover more Fall 2013 Top Trends from Fashion Weeks & Street Style…
RUNWAY-
- Don’t Miss The TOP 7 New York Fashion Week Trends From Fall 2013 To Wear NOW… with lot’s of photos!
- New York Red Carpet Trends
- Don’t Miss The TOP 5 London Fashion Week Trends From Fall 2013 To Wear NOW
- TOP 5 Milan Fashion Week Trends From Fall 2013 To Wear Now
- TOP 6 Paris Fashion Weeks Trends from Fall 2013 to Wear Now
REAL WAY-
- Fashion Week Street Style to get the look NOW– NY, London & Paris