This season’s trends are easy to love: bringing comfort and classic lines with fun and interesting details. There are lots of mix and match separates, layers, textures and accent details to give everyone plenty of options to customize wardrobes to be both flattering to body proportions and lifestyles. Create fashionable flair with playful trend details, by layering textures with classic lines.

Choose asymmetrical lines, cowl and shawl collars, boat and draped necklines in a variety of style lengths and voilà, a fabulous look in fall trends!

Working with layers is the key for fall 2010.

This season, the primary neutrals for key wardrobe pieces are black, grey and denim, teamed with shades of teal, purple and plum.

Fall weather also inspires a secondary colour palette of rich browns, beige, olive greens, creams and reds.

Women’s Must Have Fall Trends:

• Denim jeans (dark denim wash)
• Blazer / Crop jackets
• Sweater coats
• Vests
• Slim cut pant
• Ruffles
• Texture and patterns – tweeds, herringbone, corduroy or plaids
• Accessories - scarves and belts
• Boots

Tips on how to best wear these looks:

DENIM JEANS - the No. 1 Essential Piece
Great to wear dressed up with heeled boots and crop blazer layers or dressed down with draped sweater layers. Choose dark wash denim for increased versatility. Stretch is the best choice for styles that flatter body proportions.

Blazer / Crop jackets / Boyfriend blazers / Leather bomber jackets / Military inspired jackets / Tweed blazers / Crop waist-length jackets / Plaid wool blazers
Choose textured or patterned jackets that have fun accent detailing and in various style lengths to suit body type. Mix and match dressy with casual: for example, jeans with a boyfriend blazer or a pencil skirt with military jacket.

Sweater coats / Sweater vests / Cardigans
These vary from waist crop to car coat lengths.

Long drape collars / Flared hemlines / Shawl collars / Scarf drape collars
Carefully consider the best length and weight of knit to best suit body proportions. For example, petites best suit waist crop to thigh length in light to medium weight knits. Many of the drape collar sweaters are designed to wear in multiple ways: tunics, wrapped, twisted, belted or one side drawn across to shoulder like a scarf. Some longer styled sweaters are also worn as tunics or dresses with leggings and boots or slim-cut pants.

Vests - Tuxedo / Quilted / Knit
Sleeveless or short-sleeve styles - all create excellent layering looks. Fitted knit or tuxedo styles should be in darker neutral colours. Quilted or corduroy vests can be neutral or accent colours.

Slim cut pants (in black)
No. 1 priority is choosing a style best for body type. Leggings, skinny or tapered leg styles DO NOT suit everyone! Slim cut, stovepipe or straight cut styles are more flattering and give the same fashion look. Stretch fabric is the best choice.

Ruffles - add a little or a lot.
Try a ruffled scarf, ruffled collar details on sweaters and jackets or pintuck ruffled tops and camisoles.

Texture and patterns – tweeds, herringbone, corduroy or plaids
The key is to mix and match. Take casual chunky textured knits or rough wool blends and mix them with smooth silks and cottons. Accents of suede, leather or faux fur are just as popular as ruffles and pleats detailing.

Accessories
Pull it all together with great layers of accent details!

Scarves - multi-coloured, ruffles, floral, plaid.

Belts - choose thin belts in same or blended colour tones (wide belts are best on very petite waists).

Boots - tall or short, heeled or flat, black or brown; this season, consumers can’t go wrong. Wear them with everything - the sky’s the limit!

Necklaces - bold and chunky - collarbone or longer pendant lengths.

Men’s Must Have Fall Trends:

• Denim jeans (dark denim wash)
• Blazer / Crop jackets
• Zip track jackets
• Plaid shirts (layer with plain coloured T-shirts)
• Vests (knit or suit styled - black or dark grey)
• Slim cut pant (black or dark grey)
• Texture and patterns – tweeds, corduroy or plaids
• Button-up shirts in purple, teal or plum
• Selection of plaid or patterned ties, plus a great belt and pair of boots

For everyone, layering and mixing it all together is truly the secret to this season’s fashion looks.

Choose a few good quality and well-fitted essential pieces in classic lines and neutral colours. Add layered pieces that are fun and trendy by choosing a variety of tops, shirts and turtlenecks in colours, neutrals, patterns and textures.

Above all, have fun playing with fall fashions!

OCTOBER 2010 SENIOR LIVING MAGAZINE VANCOUVER ISLAND