Fall fashion – A look at cool-weather trends

Goodbye summer, hello fall.

That welcome may be a little early, but after months of shorts and sandals, most of us are eager to see what the new season offers – from a fashion point of view, that is.

Cindi Shelby, owner of R Meyers in Nichols Hills Plaza, and Rita Manzelmann-Browne, senior buyer for Miss Jackson’s in Tulsa, shared what they think women will want to reach for when temperatures cool.

“The pantsuit is back, but it has been reinvented, redefined,” Shelby said.

It’s no longer the sexless, mannish suit of the past. Now it might be feminine and fluid or just a simple top and pant of the same fabric. In either variation, it looks fresh and new, she said.

So does active wear, thanks to a few details that add sophistication. Jog pants and slouchy sweaters appear in soft but dressy fabrics such as silk, lace and charmeuse, said Manzelmann-Browne.

It’s a look that’s familiar but at the same time unexpected. A sweatshirt, for example, accented with sequins, beads or elaborate embroidery suddenly becomes a top for evening, Shelby said.

And if you thought fur, both real and faux, was big last fall, get ready to see it fly everywhere in a few months. “It’s on everything from sweatshirts to pants to evening gowns,” Shelby said. It’s a strong trend, and designers seem to enjoy mixing it up in bold and interesting fashion.

And while coats are a given in winter, this season’s take is a bit different. Toppers and outerwear are no longer just for keeping warm. These statement-makers become “outfit completers,” Shelby said.

Many of these toppers have an architectural feel in keeping with the trend toward long and lean vests and pencil skirts that hit just below the knee.

No fashion season is complete without a few animal prints. Along with cheetah and leopard, now considered classic prints, reptile really stands out, especially on shoes.

Speaking of shoes, fall footwear is dressed up with herringbone and tweed, perforated details, embellishments and quilting, Manzelmann-Browne said. The bootie is still strong and sneakers were all over the runways.

Other trends include knit dressing, a return to the 1960s, menswear-inspired plaids, shearling, hairy fabrics and over-the-top turtlenecks.

And what about color? While women in Oklahoma tend to love bright colors, the palette falls on the darker side with emerald and forest green, eggplant, mustard yellow, orchid, red, deep berry, persimmon, royal blue and cobalt, as well as camel, gray, navy, brown and black.

Shelby said she likes citron yellow as a go-to color to brighten many pieces for the upcoming season. “Looks utterly chic in a color-block dress focused on clean, simple lines,” she said.

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