Fall Fashion Week 2012: Takeaway Trends

Sunday, February 19, 2012

By Anne L. Fritz

There was a lightness in the air this year at Lincoln Center as fall 2012 Fashion Week took center stage. From the soft colors of the clothes to the light touches of makeup, the overwhelming feeling was, in a word, hopeful. Here are a few of our favorite trends:

     

Hats are in -- in a big way. Models strode down the runways at both Michael Kors and Marc Jacobs wearing oversized Dr. Seuss-ish fur hats. At the Alice + Olivia presentation, some of the models sported berets, while others worked page-boy caps. The models for Tracy Reese topped their outfits with trucker-like wool caps.

Color is here to stay. While there was a predictable amount of black, gray and beige, many designers also included bold jewel tones, sparks of neon and even pastels. Diane von Furstenberg traded her signature prints for fiery red with hits of turquoise and lime green in her Parisian-inspired collection, and Oscar de la Renta kept things fresh by mixing in baby blue and powder pink.

Hair has movement. From the natural curls at Nicole Miller to the windswept updos at Vera Wang, hairstyles were less structured and had an easier feel to them than in seasons past.

Nails are your best accessory. Buh-bye boring nails! Models had black-and-white polka dots at Kate Spade, psychedelic swirls at Nicole Miller, and silver-tipped French manicures at Behnaz Sarafpour, just to name a few.

Red lips are softer. When you want to make a bold impression, red is a classic way to go. But for fall, we’re seeing more orange-y reds (like at Narciso Rodriguez) and tomato reds (seen at Thakoon) than traditional blue-red lips.

All Images: Getty Images

Anne L. Fritz is the former style director for Life & Style Weekly and has been on staff at Woman’s Day and Working Mother. She has contributed to Marie Claire, Glamour and Prevention, and she is the founder of The Jet Set Girls, a website about girls’ getaways.

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