It’s all in the detail

Learn the do’s and don’ts of this season’s fashion, in time for the big sales.

By GREER FAY CASHMAN
Eliane Stolero (photo credit: Courtesy)
Eliane Stolero
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Unless there’s a drastic change in the weather, few of us will be wearing coats in the foreseeable future, which means that designers like the highly talented Eliane Stoleru will have to rely largely on exports. Actually, it’s not a happy time for people in the fashion industry. The calendar says winter, but the temperature says otherwise and winter fashion displays are not selling too well.
Because storekeepers are guided more by predetermined seasons than by actual climate, by the time winter actually rolled around, there was little choice but to start advertising end-of-season sales, and that’s great for us.
When people who know a thing or two about fashion tell you that it’s all in the detail, they want to alert you to what gives a garment its particular panache. This season was extremely detail-conscious. So when you hit the stores try to choose details that will keep for next year as well.
Take collars, for instance. They come in different shapes and sizes – cowl, rounded, pointed, mandarin, layered, frilled and then some. Or the scarf, the tasseled pashmina wrap and the shawl are major fashion accessories. The scarf in particular comes in new wrinkle and stretch fabrics and is often lined with a contrasting color or another shade of the same color. Twisted, knotted or simply draped, it adds to the sophistication of any outfit.
Knitwear is making a major impact on new collections (and will continue to do so). In addition to classic sweaters and cardigans, there are cardigan coats and sweater dresses, both body hugging and loose fitting. Vests came back and so did folklore-influenced knitted skirts, but beware, they may not still be with us next year.
Fashion designers try to outdo each other in asymmetric concepts. Some of them work very well, such as for instance Hagit Tassa’s cheeky, mini-length sweater dress worn with matching knee-high socks, while others are not as clued up on geometry, and include extras such as patch pockets, large buttons etc., not realizing that very often less is more.
Vintage and retro are significant influences this season, with inspirations coming from the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s and even the 1970s. Most of the vintage wear is very feminine and romantic, with various lace trims and insets. The little black dress, simple and classic, layered or featuring deliberately exaggerated details, made a grand comeback, most obviously on the cocktails circuit, but also in casual wear. The classic slim-fitting little black dress can be seen in the Renuar collection, but among the more sophisticated creations in black are those produced by Nitza Nofarber. Skirt lengths are totally eclectic from high on the thigh to ankle-grazing.
Many women who may have been hesitant about wearing miniskirts welcome the fact that they can now wear miniskirts and dresses over pants which are sometimes nothing more than leggings, but also come in various widths from stovepipe to pantaloon.