Every spring and fall, the fashion industry holds a week dedicated to highlighting collections from couture designers to showcase which trends are going to be occurring in the upcoming season.
The spring fashion week forecasts fall and winter trends while the fall fashion week presents the spring and summer fads. New York, London, Milan and Paris are the epicenters of the fashion world, but Fresno seems to be keeping up in its own way.
It’s clear that Fresno isn’t the most fashion-conscious city. Whether that is attributed to its blazing temperatures, lack of top brand stores or the indifference that some possess toward their appearance is of no consequence; however, that doesn’t deter some of the students at Fresno City College from keeping up with the latest fall styles.
“Sometimes I shop at thrift stores like Amvets to see what they have,” said student Sterling Griffin. “Mostly I just go on Tumblr and walk into stores to see what’s the latest.”
As per usual, this fall welcomes in the season of sweaters and layers. This season, graphics and prints on knits are the focus as opposed to classic patterns. The print trend also encompasses skirts, denim and silk trousers. Accents range from bedazzled collars, fedoras and leather skirts to reflect an edgier fashion-forward aspect.
With the pea coat being the new parka, key pieces in common collections include army jackets, bomber jackets and tuxedo blazers. Each piece has a level of versatility that allows them to be layered to create various looks when paired elegantly with cropped black trousers or skinny, mid-rise denim.
This fall’s essentials in shoes continue to focus on chelsea boots and ankle boots; however, knee-high boots and pointed pumps have been steadily making a comeback. If cost is an issue, then a pair of ballet flats can complement multiple looks. Avoid wearing the pumps with wide leg jeans though. The peplum trend in dresses and tops from the spring remains a dominating presence in the fall as well.
Accessories for women are going to infuse a bit of power into the wardrobe with menswear watches combined with chunky chain bracelets and statement earrings, as evidenced by Dolce & Gabbana. This season, oversized clutches and brightly colored bags are pivotal accessories.
Men have something to look forward to as well. Those who believe that scarves are too feminine are mistaken incorrect since a simple knotted scarf in either neutral or deep tones can dress up an outfit as well as bring more attention to the face. The minimalistic look has replaced the edgier cuts with simpler textures and easier shapes in the inky tone of blue and black.
Natural textures are the new vogue presented in a range of collections from Versace to Galliano and consist of shearling and fur fabric accents on coats and jackets. Additionally, leather accents and accessories have been prominent, adding flair to an outfit along with minor metal detailing in shoes.
Color choices reflect neutral and vibrant pops to create a balanced palette. The wildly popular blue and black has proven to be the color of the season. The neutral shades of titanium, rose smoke, and French roast are meant to compliment the bold choices of rhapsody purple, ultramarine green, tangerine tango, pink flambé, honey gold and chartreuse to create a cohesive color story.
In the Central Valley, there are still a few anchor stores that allow those who live here to have a better grasp on the latest happenings in the industry.
“I love shopping at stores like Forever 21, Love Culture, Styles For Less and Charming Charlie,” said student Domanique Hester. “I usually look at magazines and social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook to keep up.”
To pick up the current trends, students can frequent stores like Foreign Exchange, TJ Maxx, Ross, Sears, Express and Target to stay affordably fashionable.
