Fall 2008 Fashion Trends for women over 35

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Fall 2008 Fashion Trends for women over 35

September 25, 2008

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Fall 2008 is a season of contrasts in fashion. The spectrum ranges from the return of the silk and chiffon ruffled white blouse … to the country chic look … to the 60s look that is prevalent in the new smash series “Mad Men” … … to a dark gothic influence … to the return of leather and fur.

You can either adopt a softer, more romantic look or you can opt for an edgier look.

This is a season where almost anything goes because there is not one specific strong trend that dominates. That said, if I had to pinpoint a few trends that stand out from this kaleidoscope of style, I’d say that the following trends from the runway will dominate the streets:

1. Purple: You cannot go wrong with purple “anything” this season. From shirts to skirts, purple is a strong colour and it also comes in a variety of shades. Purple is such a great colour for cashmere and you’ll notice a lot of beautiful sweaters and scarves for the new season. If you tend to gravitate towards black (something women over 35 should try to avoid), you might want to consider adding purple with a silk scarf or simply buy a beautiful purple handbag and you’ll be set for fall!

2. Floral prints: Floral prints are back in fashion. You’ll see them on skirts, dresses, sweaters, blouses coats and even shoes. You can easily pair a floral print blouse with a solid colour or a tweed skirt or pants. When it comes to floral, you don’t want to make the mistake of wearing it from head to toe because that’s just overkill.

3. Ruffled silk blouse: The silk white ruffle blouse is an important piece for fall 2008 because it’s a great item to soften some of the more masculine looks you’ll see this fall. Remember that if you are sporting a white ruffled silk blouse, you’ll want to make sure that it’s always very white and perfectly pressed.

4. Yellow: The brightest colour in the colour wheel will continue being a strong trend for fall 2008. You’ll find yellow sweaters, blouses, coats and even shoes for fall. Yellow will go nicely with any solid colour in your wardrobe, but it will also be a perfect colour to brighten up your tweed pieces. If you are really daring you might even consider pairing a yellow top with a floral skirt.

5. Lace: Do you remember what Gwyneth Paltrow (35, born in 1972) wore during her London promotional tour for Iron Man? The blond beauty wore a jaws dropping black sequined Balmain über mini dress. She combined the softness of the lace mini with a masculine tuxedo jacket (I did say it was a season of contrasts). She finished the look with a pair of Alexander McQueen square-toe mega-heels for an elegant … yet killer look.

If you’ve always liked lace, you’ll be thrilled with the return of this more feminine look you might want to consider these quick tips to wearing lace for fall 2008:

* Do mind the quality of the lace you buy. Lower-end designs will look horribly tacky.

* Don’t be afraid to layer black lace over colour … it looks quite striking.

* Although black lace looks amazing, don’t be afraid to play with colour. You’ll win at choosing lace outfits in shades of gold, nude and plum.

* If you are unsure of the lace trend, you should go at it carefully and choose to focus on just one lace item. You really don’t need to match everything for it to look stylish.

mad_men_fashion 6. Retro “Mad Men” fashion: If you’ve been following the fuss over Carla Bruni (France’s first lady who just married the recently divorce President Nicolas Sarkozy), you’ll notice how this former Italian model has been sporting a very retro 60s look. She always looks very chic and very poised. I personally think that the fashion featured in “Mad Men” is so much more flattering to most women’s bodies because most women have curves that you won’t see on super-skinny supermodels. What I like about designers like Oscar de la Renta, Vera Wang, Peter Som and Michael Kors is that they have taken inspiration from 60s fashion and have added a touch of modern to create very attractive vintage inspired fashion for the fall.

7. Country chic: The equestrian look is back. Even if you don’t have a domain in the Hamptons, you can still wear the country chic couture. The look is a bit more conservative and doesn’t reveal as much skin as other looks might and I suspect that a lot of women in their 50s, 60s and 70s will feel quite comfortable with this look. Although there is not as much skin as other looks, you can still add a touch of glam to the country chic look by pairing a plaid jacket with a pair of coloured heels. Most designers will have a few country chic inspired items for fall 2008, but obviously, Ralph Lauren, the godfather of country chic, will have a lot of to choose from.

8. Hemlines: This season there is no rule when it comes to your hemline. You can either stick to the knee length skirt or go longer or shorter. When it comes to choosing a skirt hemline over 35, remember that a skirt that hits you just above the knee will always be more flattering. You’ll also want to remember that skirts that hit you between the knee and the ankle can age you and make you look matronly … even if they are in fashion. For the mini or the short-short skirt, if you are thin and comfortable revealing your legs … you can get away with it. When I had met Candace Bushnell (49, she’ll be 50 in December) a few months ago she was wearing a very short skirt from Marc Jacob, but she has the legs to pull it off and it looked quite tasteful and sophisticated. Another trick to wearing short skirts for women over 35 is to pair the short skirt with a pair of opaque thighs. This will make it look much more fashionable and stylish.

Photo by LeeLeeLu

Photo of Mad Men Fashion from Mad Men

Posted by Beauty Match on September 25, 2008 | Permalink

Topics: Fashion Trends, Runway Fashion, Style over 35 |