Autumn- Winter 2008 Trends

So what is new and what is fresh as of late?
Strong shoulders. 1940's, Joan Crawford meets Claude Montana/ Dynasty 80's hardcore, high-shouldered silhouettes. For the fall, the hoochie California teen look is bulldozed by a comme- il- faut, powerful and proper lady.

Bakelite and plastic accessories are definite statements that reinforce the 1940's restrained, yet architectural feel, and pin-up girl shoes are added for a hint of cheeky sexiness in what is a refreshingly sober season.

The colour statement of autumn/winter 2007 is , with certainty, black. There is a preponderance of dark shades, but jewel tones like lapis, fushia, peridot and purple are adding a welcome splash of colour against an almost monochromatic background. A little bit of Joan Miro in a very Rembrant canvas.

These trends are very simple and easy to interpret and adopt for women of all sizes.
A strong shoulder balances out wider hips, and a cinched, confident waist, helps create beautiful hourglass shapes that have been absent from the fashion horizon for almost 2 full decades and are reminiscent of Dior’s New Look.

Make-up trends are classic. Strong, defined brows which are softened to make them modern, more Katherine Hepburn, Ingrid Bergman and Lauren Bacall than Joan Crawford or Bette Davis.

The look is sophisticated, and a little retro but still somewhat dewy and natural.
I love right now what I am baptizing as the "Snow White" lip. Luscious, sheer, juicy and red, but still inviting and carnal. Almost like you licked your lips after eating a raspberry popsicle. I achieve this look with MAC's cranapple lipliner, Benefit's Benetint lip stain and DuWop's Second Sin Lip Venom, layered in that order.
This lip is the perfect compliment to a polished face, with an emphasis on strong, yet clear eyes and perfectly arched brows.

The micro-mini of past seasons gives way to a classic, below- the-knee hemline that is flattering on just about everyone, interpreted in either a slight A-line or a sexy "wiggle" pencil skirt.

Trousers finally take a more wearable shape and have a more voluminous drape after the tyranny of almost 3 years of unforgiving, drainpipe styles.

These lines are almost universally flattering to a variety of body shapes and sizes.
This should be a season full of choices to compliment women with all types of figures, and a definite return to a chic and ladylike look inspired in equal parts by the leading ladies of Hollywood's Golden Age , the “power-women” of the 1980's , Patrick Nagel illustrations and the video vamps of the Robert Palmer videos.