Tag Archives: plaid

Amping Up Your Plaid

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39Button up plaid shirts were a huge trend last fall and winter, so you probably purchased one – at least I hope you did.  This season, manufacturers have re-invented the plaid shirt by adding new details such as a contrasting back, like the one in the picture.  This one from Tribal Sportswear has a pretty floral print, capitalizing on two trends for the season – florals and plaids.  I also have plaid shirts in the store with solid backs as well as blouse tunic plaid styles with uneven hemlines.  If you didn’t get into the plaid trend last season, jump in now!

So what do you do to amp up your plaid shirt from last year that doesn’t have all these fun details?  I love adding a vest over a plaid shirt.  A basic button down blouse works great with any kind of vest, and plaid will coordinate with many fabrics including fur, leather and down.  The key to combining a vest over a blouse is to choose a complimentary color to your plaid.  A tan fur vest, for example, will work beautifully over an olive green, red, burgundy, or brown based plaid.  A silver grey puffy vest would be great over any plaid that has white in it.  I paired a vintage black leather and fur vest today over my olive green and rust plaid shirt as an example.  22281821_10154937840438085_4171428333840452733_nYou can even choose a vest with a little embroidery.  Keep in mind the rule for combining prints – both prints need to have the same colors.  If they do, you can get crazy and put a paisley printed vest over a plaid shirt.  The Tribal plaid is a great example of how to do this.  Get courageous and have some fun with your clothing!

Rock A Vest This Fall

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Of all the trends for winter 2016, the one that is best suited for fall is the vest.  It is a perfect alternative to a coat on a cool fall day, and it looks so stylish with skinny jeans and boots.  Don a hat and gloves, and you have a rockin’ fall style.

With so many vest styles to choose from this season, you can really have some fun with this look.  (These three styles from She + Sky should be on our online store  by the end of the week so you can even shop from your couch!  Find them in store as well at Fashion Crossroads).  So let’s take a look at the styles that are popular right now.

I’ve already talked about how big of a trend plaid is this season.  It is showing up everywhere from blouses to handbags to leggings.  If you can’t see yourself wearing a plaid top or bottom, why not choose a plaid vest, like the one pictured on the left.  The unstructured styling of this vest makes it seem like you just threw it on, giving any pair of jeans a casual and easy feel.  The faux shearling lining makes it seem cozy for a cool fall day.  Because of the loose styling, this vest pairs best with slim or skinny jeans and boots, either short or tall.

Like a little fur?  Shaggy vests, like the one pictured in the center, are also popular this season and go from relatively tame shagginess to something that looks like you are wearing an unsheared sheep – smile.    I like this soft ivory style from She + Sky because it is tunic length, making it workable for leggings as well as jeans and even slacks.   It is also very soft, so it feels great on.  Ivory looks really nice paired with jeans that have vintage acid washes for an alternative to dark denim.  Wear some nude colored shoe boots, and you’ll have a great fall look.

Or maybe fringe is your thing.  The vest pictured on the right brings the fringe trend front and center with its fun trim.  With a suede look and feel, this vest is soft to the touch and has a rich texture.  Again you can see the unstructured styling that seems to be the dominate body shape for vests this season.  This one is less bulky than the plaid, however, making it a fun option to wear inside as well as outside.

Vests are great trend that any age can wear.  They are a fun accessory that you can pair with what you already have in your closet, so they are a practical addition to your fall and winter wardrobe.  Why not give one a try this season?

Key Trends for Fall 2016

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Of the many trends I noticed dominating styles at market this fall, the most consistent were fringe, suede, southwestern motifs, military jackets, plaid shirts and the color merlot.  You can see all of these trends reflected in the picture above and the way you can combine them for smart fall style this season.  The key accessory is the floppy hat and beanie.  

1. Suede and Fringe

Suede and (faux suede) was everywhere at market.  Often combined with fringe, suede and the seventies are a strong influence in fall fashion for 2016.  Look for suede especially in vests, dresses and on handbags.  I saw everything from saddle brown and light tan classic suede colors to blush pinks and merlots.  Embrace this trend as a child of the seventies by combining fringe and denim, headbands and bohemian tops and dresses.  Wear a floppy leather look or sueded hat with these styles for a modern version of this seventie look.  Avoid head to toe fringe to keep the look fresh.  Pair fringe with other sueded pieces but restrict the fring to one clothing item or accessory.  

2.  Southwestern Motifs

Southwestern prints are still dominating fall like they did for spring.  Find them combined with fringe, in sweaters and on tops, and, of course, on handbags.  Take this sweater as an example.   With its southwestern diamond print in merlot and grey and its fringe bottom, it combines several key tends in one style.  

 Look for grey to be the new neutral for fall and give black a run for its money as the go to basic.  Additionally, grey looks amazing paired with melot which is the color of the year from Pantone.  

Military Jackets:

Seperating itself distinctly from the previous two trends, military is the utilitarian trend of the season and is expressed in one key piece – the military jacket.  I saw some companies combining southwest motifs with miliary which was a unique twist, but military jackets are a key piece that you will want to have in your wardrobe.  Don’t feel you must have the trend represented by a army green jacket.  I saw very cute styles in black, grey and tan as well.  A great military jacket paired with a beat up boyfriend jean and lace up boots is a killer look for a casual outfit.       
Plaid Shirts:

Plaid is officially a key trend.  You will need to buy yourself a cute plaid shirt to pair with boyfriend jeans this season.  Wear a benie and puffy vest with this look for a fun casual look for a cold day.  The strongest plaid trends is reds or burhandy plaids, but I also saw lots of black and white versions as well.  Keep it cool by wearing your plaid shirt tied around your waist for a fall day when its not too cold.  Again, wear this look with lace up shoe boots.