Creating The Fall 2007 Fashion Story

By: Barbara Borchert

The runways are now quiet as the major fashion shows for Fall 2007 have concluded. Fashion buyers and stylists from around the country are busy analyzing the presentations; looking for overall trends, color stories, saleable looks, and hot new items. While each designer presents his or her own version of the fall story; there are always looks unique to each collection, but there also are many looks which appear in some form in several collections. These common elements create the Fall 2007 story!

The item predicted to be the dominate fashion focus of the Spring-Summer 2007 season was the dress. It has definitely morphed into an important look rather than just a trend. Transitioning into the fall season, the dress remains an important, although less dominate look. However, one specific color, gray, has made the dress a stand-out and a focal point showing up repeatedly in collections for fall. Silhouettes are somewhat slimmer for the fall season, with the voluminous styling from spring far less evident. But dresses are very much a part of the fall story.

Another trend showing up in many collections is the concept of seasonless clothing. This means fabrics that can cross seasons, and colors that look right in any season. This is an idea that really seems to fit our mobile life styles and the way we travel as well.

While dresses are very important for fall, they are not the only option for the season. The new look in pants is the trouser! Slouchy, menswear trousers showed up repeatedly in fall collections. Give them a high-waist, make them slouchy and they become very chic for fall. Show them off with lace-up boots, a subtle platform shoe, or as some designers did, show them with spats! This menswear look has almost a retro feel to it! Add a hat to your ensemble, and you are truly looking 2007!

And if you need to dress-up for a special event, keep in mind that evening wear is definitely glamorous. Watch for metallic looks, sequins, fur, and feathers on gowns creating the femme-fatale look! Usually jewelry is an important part of any evening look, but for 2007, the jewelry look is minimal. A big cocktail ring, a bold bangle bracelet, and a slimmer chandelier style earring are the popular jewelry looks that accent the glamorous evening wear.

One of the most important aspects of Fall 2007 is the use of color, lots of rich color! The Pantone Fashion Color Report for Fall 2007 describes the fall palette as nuanced colors with subtle undertones enhancing ever-present neutrals and allowing for clever and extraordinary color combinations. Although black is always the strong neutral, Carafe (espresso brown) becomes a new alternative; while gray, which has been strong the past two seasons, now becomes Dusk, which has a violet undertone. Combining it with the spicy Chili Pepper (red), Lemon Curry (mustard), or Purple Wine (blend of purple and wine) will enliven any wardrobe. Nature tones of Shale Green (blue gray tone), Moss Green (yellow tone) and Burnt Ochre (autumn's orange) bring a level of sophistication to these earthy tones. Accents such as Cashmere Rose (soft medium rose) or Stargazer (deep turquoise) become the perfect complements to most fall colors. Show your creativity by finding fun color combinations! And don't be afraid to try something new!

Fall 2007 is showing promise as a season of comfortable looks, with just a touch of new styling and new, rich colors. There are plenty of style and color options for everyone to find new favorite looks!

About the author:

Barbara Borchert is Sales and Marketing Manager for Jewels by Park Lane, a direct sales company selling high quality fashion jewelry since 1955. She has a MBA in Marketing Management from DePaul University and has an extensive background in retail buying and field sales. http://jewelsbyparklane.com