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Coming this fall

Laura A. Ball

New York’s fashion week is a rite of passage for American style – and a bittersweet one at that.Twice a year top designers come together under large white tents in New York City’s Bryant Park to set the stage for upcoming seasons and essentially tell you what to keep, what to throw out and what to dig out of your own fashion archives.The real thing you must decipher about the latest trends is what modifications you must make to your personal style to attempt the modern, possibly the future.I tracked down New York clothing stylist Christy Rilling who dressed models for too many shows to count. Still high on caffeine from the week’s frenzy, she let me in on what she witnessed under the streaming white houses of fashion.Still en vogueThe sweet, feminine sophistication is still in style for fall, so don’t pack away those silk chiffon blouses. Fluttery tops in beautiful soft fabrics floated down runway after runway.

Bohemian, ethnic and Mediterranean patterns forged dresses and blouses from velvet, lace, silk chiffon, effeminate prints and draped the models, consistent with their own beauty.The clothes hung so that the woman’s silhouette is apparent, not tight.Found: waistlineSince the early ’90s the waistline has been dropping lower and lower until the Britney Spears’ thong phenomenon surfaced.A big shocker, however long overdue, the high waistline returns.Across the board, trousers hit just above the belly button. Rilling said she’s already seen stores such as Club Monaco toting the pant, which requires slightly more fabric. On the soft flowy dresses, the waistline hit somewhere between the true waist and the empire. Rilling said this look flatters a woman’s figure naturally, as it is the smallest point on the mid-body.

Buried treasureOnce again we learn the value of hoarding garments from seasons past just hoping they’ll come back in style.If you kept your bell bottoms and super tall wedge espadrille platforms, you’re in luck. Fall fashions are heavily influenced by disco-era duds.Even the blazers are ’70s with thicker lapels, Rilling said, from John Varvatos to Kenneth Cole. Crocheted knits were in the mix, too, a lot of really gorgeous knits. Catherine Malandrino threw them over a pretty dress to make the look casual. Rilling noticed a lot of leather and fur strutting past her, tooAlso, dug up from the past – belts. And I mean up, worn on the waist as opposed to the hips.



Throw on a snug sweater or a tank with a skirt hitting just below the calf and wrap a belt around your waist.Belts from the ’70s, ’80, even the ’20s were found for fall.Models accessorized with chunky ethnic jewelry and charm-necklace inspired metal.Even the shoes were rounded off in ’70s style. The boots were very high, and a lot of them laced up. The very pointy-toed shoe was nowhere to be found, but the sexy kitten heel was.Falling like leavesThe colors resembled fall: browns, teal, kelly green, creme, gold burnt orange, purplen.Gold is the new silver, Rilling said, and orangey-red is the new red, although wine is still involved.

As the seasons change, rummage around in your past as you will, hang on to those pretty tops, buy something new, be you.Staff Writer Laura A. Ball can be reached at 949-0555, ext. 619, or laball@vaildaily.com.Vail, Colorado


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