Forties and Eighties Retro Trends for Fall 2009

Dynasty Meets Disco Styles & Elegant Pre-War '40s Cuts

Aug 5, 2009

There is more than a touch of nostalgia in the new Fall Winter 2009 collections with fashion flashbacks to the fabulous '40s, and '80's disco divas and Dynasty dames.

Whether it’s ‘80s disco, Dynasty-inspired power dressing or the Bougeois styling of the pre-war ‘40s, this season it’s impossible to ignore the dramatic cuts and glamour and glitter of these bygone decades.

Eighties Revisited – Dynasty Meets Disco

Dynasty dame or disco diva, this fall's key ’80s trend offers sophisticated glamour and plenty of bling.

Think Kylie, Grace Jones and early Madonna. Lashings of lycra and lamé, gorgeous glitter and shimmering sequins embody the revisited disco diva trend. Add some Nightclub nostalgia with metallic leather and sequined jackets, colorful one-shouldered lamé dresses, crystal-studded mini dresses and loud leggings (led by Marc Jacobs).

Fun and funky this trend may be but women the wrong side of 30 should be mindful to avoid a mutton-dressed-as-lamb moment. According to Vogue magazine’s "Ultimate Catwalk Report Autumn/Winter 2009", these hot disco looks are “best suited to those women who were too young to remember them the first time round."

Dynasty-dame cuts however, fit nicely into this season’s sophisticated structured trend, with Krystle Carrington and Alexis-style cocktail dresses and slashed-at-the-knee skirts. On the Fall 2009 designer runways, Marc Jacobs, Dolce & Gabbana, Zac Posen, Louis Vuitton embrace the ‘80s vibe with big shoulders, peplum waists and bold animal prints. Razor-sharp shoulders are a focal point this fall, with architecture of amazing proportions, providing the ultimate in power dressing.

Still in ‘80s mode, the unmistakable boot of the season is the over-the-knee. This flirty footwear of thigh-high proportions channels Pretty Woman (Julia Roberts - Touchstone Pictures 1990) and a touch of Puss-in-Boots. Tone down their sex appeal with flat or chunky heels rather than stilettos, and team them with pretty prints or soft fabric pants.

Fabulous ‘40s Trend

Feminine fitted skirts suits of the pre-war forties with elegant necklines, just-below-the-knee hemlines, sleek pencil skirts and belted or peplum waists provide a welcome return to elegance, offering up some Bourgeois chic. From Lanvin to Bottega Veneta, the‘40s styles of the Joan Crawford era add some instant glamour and femininity to any woman’s wardrobe.

A skirt suit is a smart investment and one of the best catwalk-inspired (Lanvin) high street designs is a sexy-yet-sophisticated red skirt suit from Per Una at Marks & Spencer, available in stores from October 2009.

Elbow-length gloves and a new-season thin belt are two of Fall 2009's must have accessories. Take a tip from the Lanvin runway and add a feathered headpiece to a nipped-in waist skirt suit for a chic top-to-toe 1940s look.

From sophisticated suits and elegant belted coats of a pre-war era to '80s-inspired sequined disco dresses and power-dressing jackets of the Dynasty days, the forthcoming season's trends offer plenty of desirable designs which are both feminine and fun.

The copyright of the article Forties and Eighties Retro Trends for Fall 2009 in Women’s Fashion is owned by Gill Hart. Permission to republish Forties and Eighties Retro Trends for Fall 2009 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.