MICHAEL BRYANT / Staff Photographer
Sensibly Structured: Brooke in magenta dress, Magenta zippered dress, Marc Jacobs, $1,900, Saks Fifth Avenue; shoes, Christian Louboutin, $565, Joan Shepp; gold earrings, Gorjana, $65, Skirt. Location: Philadelphia Museum of Art, Resnick Rotunda, Annenberg Galleries
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Opposites: Attractive
Flowing or structural, shiny or earthy: Fall fashion rakes up the best of the '70s, '80s, '90s, from one extreme to another.
In seasons past, fashion's dictatorial tendencies allowed little tolerance for opposites. Dos and don'ts ruled. Extremes rarely met.
But they do this fall.
Electrifying teals are as fresh as silvery-blues and grays. Short silhouettes are as in as long, lean ones. Flowing kimono styles are as chic as structure.
"Everything in fashion is about opposites this fall," said Maureen Doron, owner of the Bryn Mawr boutique Skirt. "It's hard to pinpoint what the one big trend will be."
That doesn't mean fall fashion is without direction. The season's opposites are rooted in glam 1980s looks. Shoulder pads, neons, and studs are being balanced by graceful silhouettes, neutrals, and bows. It's as if designers heard us complaining I look pregnant in flowy tops. And they answered Then go for the sexy secretary look, my dear.
And while the '80s are at the core of the trends, looks spawned in the late '70s and early '90s are equally important.
"The designers are doing a retrospective," said January Bartle, owner of Old City boutique Third Street Habit. ". . . The big shoulders. The flowing looks. The bold colors. The minis. We are seeing the best of all the decades."
The artistic nature of the silhouettes is why we decided to shoot our fall fashion issue at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. What better way to tell the visual story of ready-to-wear's exaggerated shapes and bold colors than to use their aesthetic opposites as the backdrop?
But this tale has just as much to do with economics as it does with art.
Designers presented their fall 2009 collections in February, when we were smack-dab in the middle of a full-blown recession. Style may have been the crux of cocktail conversations, thanks to first lady Michelle Obama, but we weren't shopping. In order to get us excited about fashion, designers presented an array of looks, confident we'd find something to like.
Each designer reveled in extremes. Michael Kors surprised us with neons, while Jason Wu and Peter Som gave us feminine, waist-defining dresses in soft earth tones.
In his final collection for Nina Ricci, Olivier Theyskens focused on long silhouettes with sharp, exaggerated edges in jewel tones, while Marc Jacobs injected his tailored pieces with bursts of neons. Diane Von Furstenberg went really short and monochromatic, while Tracy Reese took her printed georgette dresses to the midcalf. Nanette Lepore presented bold leather jackets and short skirts, while Donna Karan gave us longer pencil skirts and soft sweaters.
At the same time designers have tried to second-guess what we wanted to wear, the economy has forced boutique owners to be more selective with their inventory.
Buyers are purchasing only those pieces they consider special - for Ellen Shepp of Joan Shepp that would be a Rick Owens leather jacket - rather than stocking up on the reasonable facsimile of what starlets are wearing on the covers of US Weekly. (How many Chanel-style tweed jackets does a fashionista need?) And because of the number of designers out there and the varying tastes among boutique owners, you end up with a plethora of trendy looks hitting all points on the fashion spectrum.
"What's in my store is much more of a personal decision," said Stefanie Lutzo, owner of Rittenhouse Square boutique Adresse. The store is carrying a wide selection of dresses reminiscent of the 1980s styles by Peter Som and Lanvin in quieter shades. "I chose what I knew we did best, as did the other boutiques."
"I was all about the shiny fabrics in slinky bright colors," said Leehe Fai, owner of women's-wear boutique Leehe Fai. "So we have Farrah Fawcett-style jumpsuits in silks that are both strapless and halter."
Opposites have no choice but to thrive this season. Now you just need to figure out how to make the styles work for 2010.
Don't assume you have to pick one look and stick to it all season. Rocker chic on Monday can easily be followed by earthy boho on Tuesday.
Opposites mix well within outfits, too. Doron of Skirt suggests pairing an ultra-mini Diane Von Furstenberg dress with a menswear blazer, or a 1970s-style top with a tweed trouser. A classic white shirt can work really well with hot-mama leather leggings.
And if our bodies aren't made for midthigh minis or my favorite - studded leggings (oh, how I pray one day those studs will make a straight line up the back of my leg) - we can at least all play with color.
This season, there is no such thing as being too loud. A cobalt-blue dress stands to look fabulous with Sunkist orange or canary yellow patent-leather accessories. Or are you feeling earthy? Don't feel pressure to add pop. Navy blue and black are very sophisticated this season, as are my favorites: silvery gray and camel. So classy.
"This year, more than ever, it's not just about how it looks on the runway," Doron said. "It's about how it looks on you. Flattery is key, and it's not so hard this season because there is so much to choose from."
Contact fashion writer Elizabeth Wellington at 215-854-2704 or ewellington@phillynews.com.
