A Realistic Guide to Embracing Fall Fashion Trends | Artful Living Magazine

It was the peak of fall/winter 2024 London Fashion Weekand the Burberry Fashion Show was, as the kids say, making a splash. Catwalk legends like Naomi Campbell And Karen Elson stormed the grass-covered track. Vogue Editor in Chief Anna Wintour discussed with Oscar-winner Olivia Colman in the first row. The clicks The paparazzi cameras buzzed like cicadas in the photo pit. But despite the fabulous setting and the absolute certainty that Burberry is one of the best brands in fashion, something was off. These looks were… well… weird.

Take the babushkas. I come from a family of Soviet immigrants. My grandmother may have worn one in the rain—or to pretend her hair didn’t smell like Marlboro smoke when we visited—but why were they wrapped tightly around the models’ heads like they were shrink-wrapped? Even Elson’s envious mass of fiery hair was wrapped in an old-fashioned olive shroud. And then there were the scarves and skirts, which trailed a good three inches on the sodden floor, even though the show crew was uniformly 5’9” and taller. For short people like me, this would have been a mud bath waiting to happen. Don’t get me started on the zippered pants, which let the fabric escape from the bare knees while threatening to scrape them with metal teeth. And the way some of the nightgown-like evening dresses were thrown over giant cardigans—no bra underneath? My nipples froze in sympathy.

The funny thing is, Burberry is known as a “wearable” brand, the kind of brand that might invite shoppers to translate its coveted coats and sweaters directly “from the runway to real life.” Victoria Beckham used the brand to ease the transition from spray tanning Y2K goddess to the legitimate fashion player. Emma Watson She wore trench coats to show that she was no longer a child star but a sophisticated city girl. Runway shows and advertising campaigns invited “real” women to do the same with leather pencil skirts and shearling coats that were both timeless and modern.

But fashion executives are smart. They know that “going viral” is cheaper than going global with an expensive advertising campaign. Tik TokBurberry’s show reward algorithm is more excited about spectacle than about simple, quality clothes. As a result, Burberry’s shows, once showcases of a take-home dream wardrobe, have become spectacles for bored children instead of genuine suggestions for busy women. Fun? Sure. Captivating? Sometimes. But still, if you’re a realist rather than a video game fan, you probably watch the shows and think, “Cool. What does this have to do with me?”

I was so frustrated trying to answer this question that I even asked ChatGPT. The AI ​​assistant was a bit of a sphinx. “The journey from the runway to real life begins with understanding the essence of a trend,” she said. “Fashion is a form of self-expression, and the most stylish people are the ones who wear their clothes with confidence and poise.”

Oh okay.

Maybe I was still mad at the babushkas. Maybe I was just annoyed that even a data-ingesting computer robot believes the tired lie that “attitude” is all it takes to be stylish. Either way, I told the robot to go fuck itself.

Then I called up the most stylish people I know and asked them how, exactly, to wear this season’s top runway trends in the real world, as real people who aren’t models or machines.

Here’s what they said.

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The giant scarf

“Don’t let your scarf drag on the floor!” exclaimed Zanna Roberts Rassi at a recent party. Being both British and responsible for covering the biggest red carpets for Hey!she knows winter accessories and incredibly cool ways to wear clothes. But although Burberry, Balenciaga And Stella McCartney all featured Lenny Kravitz-level scarves on their models, Rassi insists that the right way to wear one is like her London-based friends at ME + EMthe women’s clothing brand adored by Kate Middletonto do: “Gently thrown around the neck, like a hug.” Giving the scarf a looser drape allows its pattern and color to be fully visible, a boon for styles like Acne Studios rainbow plaid scarf and ME + EM’s cashmere shawls, both of which transform ordinary navy or black coats into canvases for an easy shock of color. Plus, by gently draping a long scarf from one shoulder to the other, you can quickly pull it over your ears in case of a gust of icy wind. Love the look of a scarf but can’t stand the idea of ​​fabric origami? Designers love Brandon Maxwell offer scarf dresses that turn an accessory into a complete look that’s both casual and practical. “Throw it on with some knee-high boots,” Maxwell said backstage, “and you’re good to go.”

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Skinny jeans

Just like the tales of Snapchatthe decline and Shia LaBeoufSince the campaign’s cancellation, rumors of the death of the skinny jean have been greatly exaggerated. Despite TikTok rants that the tapered pant is “over,” trusted denim brands like Polo Ralph Lauren, Levi’s And Good American have never stopped making fashion a must-have. In the meantime, the empress of all trends — Miuccia Pradathe creative director of Prada And Miu Miu — put skinny jeans at the forefront of its fall 2024 shows. Skinny jeans were also spotted Gucci, Proenza Schouler, Louis Vuitton, Helmut Lang and (in the pre-fall collections of) Balmain And Alberta Ferrerti. Like many style professionals, fashion writer and vintage collector Liana Satenstein has “never stopped” wearing his black skinny jeans Calvin Klein jeans with heels and oversized pea coats. But Samantha Touseythe women’s purchasing director at Martin Patrick 3 in Minneapolis, understands that not everyone wants to go back to their super skinny jeans, especially if they’ve adopted baggy jeans as their daily uniform. To try the skinny silhouette without the denim, she recommends Totem‘s Buckled slouch pantswhich they look thin but not like they were slaughtered Ozempic.

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A touch of red

The pop-of-red trend seen on the fall runways for Prabal Gurung, Sportmax And Valentino is probably the easiest to do without making any purchases.“I think the easiest way to incorporate pops of red is to layer red accessories,” Tousey says. Think shoes or a handbag, like these from converterthe independent Dutch brand that often crafts its bold shapes in cherry leather. A scarlet turtleneck or a pair of ruby ​​red stilettos from Toteme can accentuate an otherwise “normal” work outfit. Or, Tousey says, “if you’re feeling really bold, you can wear a statement red dress.” She recommends The DoubleJthe independent women-led Milanese brand for maximum colour saturation; all of its textiles are made in historic European fabric mills. But not All should be maximal: Keep makeup minimal and hair pulled back to convey a powerful vibe that’s also super practical. (No blow-dry needed? Amazing.)

Platform loafers

THE Sex and the City continuation And just like that may be famous, in part, for his lavish street photography of jewelry Manolo Blahnik stiletto heels, but in real life one of the stars of the show, Sarita Choudhuryadmires a completely different shoe. “I love slip-on loafers,” she said during the Photographic opening of the gallery for the photographer Vivian MaierStella McCartney and Saint Laurent have recently offered chunky options with two- to three-inch wedges. Blumarine And Ferragamo The Fall 2024 runway versions have also been made, but this versatile style can also be purchased at fast-fashion chains. Fashion Photographer Sophie Elgort she got hers at Zara; at a recent dinner, she paired them with a black puff-sleeved dress from the Tokyo-based brand Adem“If you’re on your feet all day, like me, they add height without the discomfort of a heel,” she says. “Plus, if you wear them with a pair of classic jeans, they make you look like you’re really trying.”

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The brown lip

If you grew up loving behind-the-scenes makeup tutorials in glossy magazines, you already know Romy SoleimaniThe cosmetic artist created iconic fashion looks for Linda Evangelist And Reese Witherspoonas well as campaigns for Kate Spade And David Yurman. But it was his master class for Brighter‘s G combination A cream lipstick that brought out a runway staple, the dark brown lip, in real life. “The secret to a lip like this is to blend it out,” Soleimani explained, noting that instead of letting the pigment sit on top of your lips, you need to gently pressing Apply it to your lips with a clean brush for a worn-in effect that also helps the color last longer. As seen at Balenciaga and Louis Vuitton, a dark lipstick can make evening looks cooler and dress up sweaters or even hoodies for a casual brunch where you still want to look put-together. And since the lipstick is already dabbed, it won’t show up on your mimosa glass, either.

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All in leopard print

“Leopard print is neutral,” the celebrity stylist said bluntly. J. Errico during a fashion shoot in London. He wrapped the actress Sienna Miller for an upcoming cover story in THANKS, the British fashion bible and — thanks to a slew of animal print shows this season — her options were limitless. Michael Kors put jungle spots on an evening jacket, Alexander McQueen wove them into sweaters and knitted dresses, and Happy Put the feline motif on silk devoré skirts, dresses and blouses. Jennifer Lawrencea loyal fan of straight-leg jeans and ultra-normal crewneck sweaters, wore a fluffy leopard-print coat to a Dior fashion show in June. To follow her lead, Errico advised starting with a casual look: an animal-print jacket over jeans and a tee is “a statement in itself.” Want to bring a little feline power—but not too much—to an evening look? Instead of head-to-toe polka dots, opt for a leopard-print handbag from Ferragamo or Jacquemus, which can liven up a little black dress…and won’t leave stains if you spill wine on the front during a girls’ night out.

Read this article as it appears in the magazine.