Georgetown is perhaps one of the most beautiful places to experience the dawn of fall. The crushed leaves on the brick sidewalks match the colors of the sweaters, coats and scarves that begin to appear on passersby. The crisp morning air and smell of drying leaves reminds you that we are only a step away from that inherently preppy fashion season characterized by tweed, no matter what year.
If you’re like us here at the Voice, you’ve spent sleepless nights wondering how you are going to make the fashion transition from summer to fall as smooth and stylish as possible. The look to go for this season, like every other fall season, is sophistiqu?. However, this time it is has a retro twist.
As the summer season comes to a close, the untamed looks and trends that warm weather affords should hibernate and let the tailored looks of fall run wild-with the exception of “gaucho pants,” one of this summer’s biggest hits. But while the summer line of these pants sported a light jersey knit, the fall to winter version will morph with the use of heavier wool blends. For this much needed change, sport the gauchos, which are flattering to almost every size and shape, with a pair of tights and any variation of the slouchy boot.
As your summer tans fade, the imperfections that pale skin can illuminate will bare their ugly heads. Cover it up with boots, tights or both, and keep yourself warm at the same time.
Opaque tights, especially if they are dark in color, have a slimming effect and can pull together any ensemble. We recommend black, various shades of brown or any other dark shade. White tights remain questionable, but we think if you’re feeling quirky, go for it, so long as you wear them with confidence and a sense of humor.
Stiletto boots, not only uncomfortable but too suggestive for class, don’t go with this season’s return to simplicity. Knee high and calf-high boots are great, but the lower the heel the better. Toe shapes are at a transitional period. We recommend going with either of the two poles, round or pointed. Mediocrity does not make a statement.
Waistlines are historically a swinging pendulum between Shakira-level lows and the breast-skiming high waists most recently seen in the seventies. Crack kills, and we at the Voice are glad that this fall, high-waists are back with a vengeance. This trend is hard to pull off well, maybe because we associate it with tight high-waisted pants or skirts. But tight is not necessarily integral to this style.
The key to this look is its emphasis of your natural waist, which is a very feminine and underexposed part of the female form. With the high waist pants, tucking in your shirt is necessary in order to show off the slim, high waist that we so often hide. Skeptics may want to try belting an oversized shirt, sweater or blazer right beneath the breasts for an easy transition into the full-blown high waist look. But wearing your pants somewhere in the middle is a sign of fashion self-consciousness and is looked down upon by us at the Voice.
The important thing to remember this season, whether you follow these trend guidelines or not, is to look pulled together. Think the 60s era when women would don hats and heels for globe-trotting excursions and dress up for everyday outings. Lose the jeans, whose creative variations have been exhausted and that dress down every outfit. However, pants don’t need to be retired all together. Sticking to the corduroy or tweed pant can be feminine and fancy with the right shoes and top.
One of the most important ways to make yourself stand out this season, for both men and women, is to bring back the hat for all occasions. A good hat can make a plain outfit seem spunky or fancy, depending on the hat that you choose. In fact, the hat you wear can be the focal point of your entire ensemble. Fedoras, berets or messenger hats can be worn by both men and women with a variety of looks.
The same polished principle holds true for men’s fashion this season. Put away your baggy jeans and cargo pants and look into a new trend this season-the shorter, slimmer pant. These can be worn casually or to formal occasions, depending on the fabric. They are a great substitute for jeans anytime, anywhere. Thick wale corduroy pants in a neutral color like brown or grey go with pretty much everything, and they are comfortable enough to wear all day.
The skinny, shorter length pant, which falls just a little higher up around your ankle, looks great in dark-colored wool fabrics. Pairing these with a nice skinny tie or a knit, square-tipped tie is an easy way to achieve a more polished look for work or leisure. Think of Sean Connery as James Bond. He sported the tighter fitting short pant, which accentuated his God-given “ass-ets.”
Another good reference is the film The Endless Summer, a 60s era surf documentary about two Californian surfers who fly around the world looking for the perfect wave. The image of them stepping off a plane, wearing short, skinny suits, with long-boards in hand, is a nice visual interpretation of this look in a casual atmosphere. Here we see people dressing up for their travels, which today, in the era of the random pat-down search, we tend to dress down for. That is the idea this season. Every chance you get to dress up, go for it.
An unavoidable effect of the shorter pants on men is unwanted sock exposure. It may feel funny to have so much sock showing when you sit down, but this is a great incentive to invest in some patterned socks. Use socks as a way to express your character, whether it’s a pair of rainbow stripes or the traditional argyle pattern for days when you’re feeling like a man.
The coordinating force of fashion is many times in the small details that add flair to any basic combination. Accessories are the easiest and most fun way to personalize an outfit, especially if the accessory holds a meaning for you personally. Angelina accessorizes with adopted babies, but we recommend accessories that involve a lot less responsibility like scarves, jewelry and bags. These items are ideally timeless items that maybe have been passed down to you from relatives or unique finds from vintage shops or flea markets. They can be colorful, funky or plain, but they must be a reflection of your personal style. Accessories from elegant brooches to bohemian scarves, or a pair of earrings that you consider a signature item, are all advisable.
In our search for the key to this season’s fashion, we found five fashion-forward students on campus. These five people stood out in our minds as having a great sense of personal style. Though they all dress with different looks in mind, their styles all reflect an individuality and confidence that sets them apart.
See “Fashion” on p. 14
Thank you for taking the time.
Best regards,
Demir Henneberg