Autumn Winter Fashion Trends 2008

This fall or autumn, there are so many different styles, with so many different designers and collections. Clothes are in many different colours, including lots of rich deep autumnal tones and the staple for this season, black is just about every where. There are also, all sorts of historical references. But what are the key trends for autumn and how can you adapt these trends to suit your wardrobe?

Grunge

Grunge was a trend originally started in the nineties by Marc Jacobs and this autumn, it is back. A really easy trend to wear taking inspiration from catwalk shows of Burberry Prorsum and Alexander Wang amongst others. To get this look layer fine knits in dark colours add fingerless gloves, slouchy boots or beanie hats. This season grunge is more glossy and glam than first time around so look for luxurious fabrics and slouchy relaxed cut clothes for a comfortable and laidback feel.

Gothic / dark romance

At the autumn shows, it was hard to get away from the Gothic and dark romance references. With Alexander Mcqueen high necked black lace inspired by Elizabethan costume, Luella's witch like outfits, black lace dresses and long crimped hair, Yves St Laurent's identical black haired, black polo neck clad models and Derek Lams black lace veil. Black lace is probably the most popular version of this trend, try wearing it with dark eye make up and red lips or dark red or black nail polish.

Folk

The folk trend was seen at Dolce and Gabbana, Hermes, Gucci and DKNY. It definitely had a feel of seventies bohemian about it. This is a great trend for autumn as it combines rich autumnal colours with black in paisley, ethnic or tartan prints. Short dresses are teamed with black or coloured opaque tights and flared trousers teamed with tunic tops, the look was completed with scarves, fringed accessories and faux fur trims.

Structured

Tailoring for this season is all about structure with collars and shoulders making a big statement. The structure on the top half was balanced with simple and streamlined bottom halves. Trousers were slim legged and cropped and skirts straight and knee length. Structured tailoring was particularly seen at Jil Sander, Balenciaga, Calvin Klein and Marc Jacobs with angular shoulders and upstanding collars that looked as if they may have been constructed by a structural engineer but feminine with it. Look out for exaggerated and rounded shoulders on suits and dresses and big shawl style collars.

Punk

Rodarte led this way at the autumn shows with punk styling including cobweb tights and ripped dresses. Marc Jacobs autumn winter had a strong punk theme but this time with a much prettier edge. The main features of this trend are ripped and slashed clothes, fishnets, checks, plaids and mini skirts.

Military Style

Military style is big news this season with double breasted and closely tailored suits and coats, epaulettes, gold and brass details and buttons and military badges. Alexander McQueen contrasted Navy blue military tailoring with cold trim with a chiffon skirt and gold sparkling leggings. At Temperley, there were white, fitted military style jackets and at Ralph Lauren, red military style blazers and berets. This trend has emerged on the high street as differing styles of military coats and jackets.

Couture details

The autumn 08 catwalk shoes have seen a trend for all sorts of lavish couture like details adorning clothes including beading, embroidery, pleating, folding, bows and ruffles. This trend translates very well to the high street for Christmas evening wear. There will be all sorts of elaborate dresses and minimalism will certainly not be something associated with evening dresses this winter.

This article was written by Ceri Heathcote for Designerhighstreet.com. For all the latest fashions including military style winter coats and tall sheepskin boots.

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Natures Abundant Inspiration in Clothing Design

Inspiration can come from anywhere at any time so say artists and designers. Keep one eye on English weather for it too can change at any time. It, nature has been the subject matter of many period artists the world over, through to the famous Bloomsbury Group of London; even in modern times, fashion designers draw from archived or active inspiration from nature.

The hills and valleys become a collage of colours as the sun stoops through the clouds at timely intervals, intervened by even more timely rain.

A very famous depiction of nature at its best, the Willow pattern, no doubt the most copied crockery style in history. Thus avoids any illusion of the contribution Britain has made to everlasting styles, albeit, seemingly borrowed from the orient.

India and the orient have never been to far from our English shores, brought even closer through the advent of internet, shedding light expressly on foreign cultures' natures' influences now seen in clothing and accessories.

As far drawn as the Polynesian isles, Hibiscus flower were ferried to fashion houses. More recently straight off the catwalk men's floral suits, again using Hibiscus ready to be watered down for high street store conservatism. Keep one eye on the weather it can change at any time, perhaps a return of dandyism is immanent.

Now for a change in tone, but the subject matter still follows a thread. To properly construct a rock and Roll song you need verses, dynamic lifts (a change of chord placement at certain intervals) a chorus, bridge interlude (instrumental solo) quite simple.

But the success of a rock and roll song, amongst many other things, depends greatly on its chorus to achieve top ten status. Bruce Springstein hit number one with "Born To Run", listen closely to the song.

There is no actual chorus, but dynamic lifts are myriad. He was one of a kind and wisely drew from his own natural environment to produce art, not flowers and rolling hills, but from Asbury Park New Jersey, from its multi cultural inhabitants on the streets. A song is a culmination of many different artistic talents.

Similarly, individual artistry on canvas is transformed through complex intervention. Dyes, computerized looms are weaving silks around the clock around the world. Nature a culmination of many things becomes a prime subject of inspiration for fashion designers. The finished product in it self a true depiction of artist's vintage and contemporary.

The silk tie an ideal medium to reflect natures' brilliance, a subtle rendition by Vivienne Westwood is a favourite of dedicated followers of fashion.

The Point Sienna petal is a perfect scaled replication of the actual flower in full bloom. The realism captured and repeated in colours beyond natures' scope makes it a true designer tie in essence.

And miniature cufflinks fashioned from gold, silver, enamel and crystal are blooming. In fact clothing and accessories in general are treading a trendy path into hills and valleys, where blankets of flower petals beckon inspiration. What is true of nature is mimicked in fashion, both constantly changing. Keep one eye on the weather it can change any time.

To close this article appropriately here is a poem by William Wordsworth, inspired by nature.

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:

I gazed - and gazed - but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

If you would like to learn some interesting historic anecdotes about the evolution of style and fashion follow this link http://patrickmcmurraysfashionaccessories.blogspot.com if you would like to see some stunning silk ties, cufflinks, belts and wallets, follow this link http://www.patrickmcmurray.com

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