sponsored post: autumn trends

as we begin
to wrap up in as a result of no indian summer in the UK, let’s check out what you
should have or be getting in your wardrobe, according to the main fashion
houses.

one type of
dress that seems to be on the list of many designers is at the opposite end of
the scale from minimalist and tasteful restraint. we are talking
her excessively ornate, sumptuous fabrics and a large nod to the baroque
movement. we saw lavishness and detail on the ramps. imagine an impressive,
grandiose and opulent wrought iron gate outside of a gothic mansion in the
twilight. very baroque! so
we are looking for tapestry, gold leaf, embroidery and perhaps even some
quilting.

colour-wise, we are
looking at deep plum, chocolate brown, maroon, matched with light blues and
grey’s and cream. tie in the baroque with another nod (but not so obvious) to the gothic trend. we all know that heavy gothic is about black and black alone,
but that’s too boring. we want to mix in some surprising lightness, as an emphasising contrast to all the dark tones.

taking a cue from catwalks and popular culture, you should definitely think about investing in a cloak. not a
red-lined velvet affair straight out of a fancy dress shop, but a woolen  warm,
non-cape to wrap yourself up in. if you’ve never tried a cloak or a cape, don’t
be shy, give it a go. it does seem to give one an air of confidence as you swirl
about town!

shirt: topshop (here) / top: river island (here) / blazer: river island (here) / shoes: asos (here, here and here)

while it’s
been a long time since britney spears or christina aguilera did the school girl
thing, but the trend is still around if you think about it, especially tartan! school girl elements are definitely in the stores in terms of little collars, pleated skirts and fine knit jumpers. short tartan skirts are good,
maybe knee or thigh high socks, but don’t get too schoolyard! the catwalks also
saw some leather biker jackets… sort of ‘clueless’ meets ‘grease’!

just to
continue the trend for tartan and leather: leather skirts with daring and provocative
splits will be in. think out of the box – how about pencil straight skirts? or bouncy flared pleated skirts… of course in leather. as mentioned above, tartan reigns supreme as an A/W trend, and not just skirts but scarves and even capes.

it’s also thought that
the knee-high boot is going to come back big-time this winter – so make sure
you’ve got one in your collection.

now how
would one put all this together? hmmm, with a lot of thought i would say! you don’t want to look like a child in your school girl outfits, nor a teenage goth in all black. take small elements from a trend and work it into your current clothes, even if it’s just a top or a bag.