How to Wear the Winter Fashion Trend
Incorporate Fur, Feather, Flowers & Foliage Into Your Wardrobe
Feb 6, 2009
With the exception of a beautiful late-bloom floral or foliage printed dress or blouse, less is most definitely more when it comes to taking a page from the dominant wildlife in the Winter Garden. In the city – and out of their natural habitat – fur (or faux fur if you prefer), feathers, plumage and petal-inspired textures, and garland-like details pack the most tasteful, stylish punch when used both singly and sparingly.
Fur Fashions: Where the Wild Things Are
Use a fur stole as a glamour-adding accessory to an otherwise unassuming outfit, or indulge in the warmth of a jacket or coat with a lush fur collar or fur trim. And if you’re so inclined to wear a fur coat or jacket, remember that nothing looks worse than a cheaply made fur garment (whether genuine or faux), so invest accordingly.
Plumed Fashions: Birds of a Feather Flock in Style
Designers are exercising their innovation muscles with the use of feathers beyond they expected feather-in-cap act, so go ahead and have fun with the rest of the flock. From hats and handbags to gloves, you’ll be able to find all sorts of accessories trimmed with plumage this season. As with fur, a feathered accessory, downy scarf or feather-collared jacket or coat is a fantastic way to invest in this trend without the risk of looking too bold or breaking the bank.
To truly give the feather trend wings, you can drop a bit more coin on a feather-sheathed skirt, dress, gown, or coat. These big-ticket items are show-stoppers, though, and not for the fashionably faint-of-heart. You might also want to reserve these fully plumed garments for special occasions and evening attire, as they’re typically a bit too avant-garde for most workplaces.
Flowers in the Winter Garden
Late blooming flowers are making Winter statements in both large and small prints, but the petal itself also inspired texture and trim in the cooler seasons’ fashions. Layers of light, fluttering fabrics in ominous shades like pewter, charcoal and black help to counterbalance the Spring appeal that typically goes with flowers.
Textile fabrics are being formed into ruffles and frills that borrow from the bird’s regal plumage; look for these treatments as neck-pieces, skirts, and even entire dresses. To make sure your florals don’t look out-of-season, choose prints or treatments in dark, more saturated hues of purple, deep blues, reds and burnt orange, just like the latest-blooming flowers.
Fun with Foliage
Designers’ penchant for green extended to the use of leaves in prints and as unexpected details like black garlands of trim and laser-cut leaf collars. Leaf elements are a fresh, more masculine alternative to flowers, so feel free to play with foliage prints and especially accessories that adopt the foliate form.
