Summer’s gone, fall is in full swing, and – gasp – southern California even had a little thunderstorm yesterday. Clearly it’s time to start preparing for a winter wardrobe! While fall is my favorite season for its rich textures and earthy colors, winter requires some extra attention because of all the holiday festivities. Most of my fall clothes were about slouchy leather bags, fun leopard print accessories, breezy button-downs and tunics, leggings, etc. For winter, holiday parties and get-togethers require the perfect blend of festive, sophisticated, on-trend, and age-appropriate. It can be a tricky area to navigate.
Let’s start with some trends that are carrying over from fall, so that you can see what items in your wardrobe can hang out for a little while longer.
Max Mara F/W 2013-2014
The blackout trend is still going strong, so go right ahead and keep rocking the black-on-black-on-black look. Layering a variety of textures in a monochromatic scheme looks fantastic, but make sure to match your blacks.
Adeam RTW F/W 2013-2014
The all-black look has enjoyed varying degrees of popularity for… ever, really, and with good reason. This color can convey a sense of elegance, fun, chic, danger, playfulness, otherworldly, powerful, and many other messages depending on how you wear it. Don an austere military-inspired coat one day and a romantic cape in black the next to suit your flights of fancy while being at the forefront of fashion.
Maje F/W 2013-2014
Monochromatic is definitely a big trend this season, and works very well in black.
If you’re normally a fan of black but are thinking about incorporating a new color into your closet, consider navy. Navy is a strong color trend this season, and is showing up everywhere for a new play on the monochromatic look.
Jewel-toned green is also well-represented this season, and works well with the mix-and-match patterns that are huge as well.
For those of you who love draping yourself in color, burgundy and it’s cousins plum and pumpkin are other popular colors this winter. These colors are shown to their best advantage in the rich, buttery leather of satchel purses, motorcycle jackets, boots, and structured coats.
Finally, to round out your winter wardrobe, indulge in a fun accessory or pair of shoes. Ankle boots with stacked heels, kitty cat flats, or patterned tights can be a great addition. It’s all about being luxurious, practical, and not taking yourself too seriously this season.
As for me, the items I have on my must-purchase list for this winter are:
- a military-inspired wool coat in navy
- black leather ankle boots
- burgundy leather ankle boots with a stacked heel
- black leather gloves
- a vibrant forest-green scarf in a thick cable knit
- a plum leather handbag
Okay, so technically I have already ordered the plum leather handbag and am anxiously awaiting it’s arrival in the mail. (Which also explains why there are a lot of Minkoff bags in this post – I did a lot of research on the styles and colors and fell in love with all of them!)
My newest purchase, the Rebecca Minkoff Cupid Mini in Plum
Dilettante Deconstructed 
I loved your display of colorful images. They were able to capture and hold my attention.
Posted by Raymond Kolasa | December 29, 2013, 18:30