At the beginning of every fall and spring season, style watchers and fashion lovers prepare to see all their favorite designers show their new collections at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York. For one week in February, the days are filled from morning until night with fashion shows at which designers show what they have created for the next fall/winter season. For people who do not take much of an interest in clothes, this event simply means a lot of very thin girls and boys wear ridiculous clothes that no one else can ever wear.
For someone like me, the best part about this week is catching new trends and figuring out how I can recreate them at an affordable price. There will never be a time in my life when I will have the urge or the money to spend $4,000 on a coat. I will never be the owner of a $2,000 purse. However, I can figure out what it is that makes them so special, whether it is the pattern or the fabric, and find it from a different store at a much cheaper price. This year, there were several trends on the runways that will be very wearable during the next fall/winter season.
The first major trend that we can look forward to is velvet. Velvet is currently one of my favorite fabrics, and I’ve been known to wear it up to three times in one week. This is the most playful and adventurous trend of the season. Designer Jason Wu included velvet in several dresses to create a very elegant evening look. Charlotte Ronson put a different spin on it by creating a pair of velvet red pants along with several black and red velvet printed tops. My favorite velvet item in my closet is a deep-blue blazer that can be paired with graphic tees or button-ups to create several different looks.
The second major trend that was seen at fashion week was the color white. While initially this might not seem that odd, it is actually very different from the regular color palette that winter seems to bring. Many people like to stick to black and brown when colder weather comes around. This year, we can look forward to breaking the rules and wearing the color white long past Labor Day. Ralph Lauren’s collection covered the runway in white. Several complete outfits were made head-to-toe in the color, including sweaters, coats, pants, shoes and even hats and handbags. The designers behind the label Ruffian matched an all-white ‘70s-inspired dress with brightly colored tights to add even more color to the winter outfit.
The last trend from 2014 Fashion Week that we can look forward to wearing next season is fur. Although fur has always been a part of fashion and always will be, this year it played a much larger role in many people’s collections. It was used on coats, dresses and even hats to add a playful element to several looks. Designer Lie Sang Bong included a nude colored fur coat that was very subtle, while still making the outfit less serious and more fun. Designer Badgley Mischka took a different approach by including several fur accessories in her new line. Many of the outfits that she showed on the runway were accessorized by oversized fur hats and scarves.
While it may typically be difficult to take the clothes at Fashion Week and turn them into regular everyday outfits, the trends from this year will be very easy to wear and will make this coming fall/winter season one to look forward to.
