Everything you need to spell Style this fall
By Jeannette Cooperman, Emily Freeman, Matthew Halverson, Bryan A. Hollerbach, Christy Marshall, Stefene Russell, Katie Beth Ryan, Stephen Schenkenberg and Lisa Schultz
Photographs by Katherine Bish
ankle boots
In the Victorian Era, women rocked ankle boots for one simple reason: to be less rockin’. Modesty prevailed, and men roving in public were left to imagine the soft flesh that lay hidden beneath. This fall, modesty’s fate remains uncertain, but ankle boots are back in a big way. Couture brands like Christian Laboutin are available at Neiman Marcus, while Steve Madden and J. Lo offer the look without making you save—or rob—to get it. Regardless of what you pay, ankle boots work with two fellow fall trends: wide-leg pants and leggings.
audi S5
Attention, lowriders: Your Benz CLK got you down? Your BMW 6 Series feeling a little unoriginal? Your Bentley Continental GT breaking your budget? Meet the newest two-door performance coupe on the road: the ultrastylish Audi S5. This brand-new model made its international debut at the Geneva Motor Show in February, and it’ll roll into St. Louis this fall. (Its younger brother, the A5, won’t arrive until early 2008. Little sibs always straggle.) What the S5 is packing: 350-horsepower V8 engine. Quattro permanent four-wheel drive. Six-speed manual gearbox. Eighteen-inch sport wheels. Multi Media Interface operating system. Massaging “Sole-Saving” pedals. Okay, we made that last one up. But what we know is this: It’s one sexy beast, and it’s yours for about $50,000.
bridge jacket
Mark Shale co-president Scott Baskin phoned from his Chicago-area HQ to tout what he calls “a statement piece” in fall menswear: the bridge jacket. At the risk of a consonantal clash of titans here between the B’s and the V’s, the “bridge” in the jacket’s tag comes from its versatility; it seeks to fill the function of both a topcoat and what a topcoat traditionally tops—with no sacrifice of sartorial panache. “It’s constructed to look like a sport coat, with rich, tweedy fabric, but with a zip-out storm flap; it functions like an outerwear piece,” observes Baskin. “It works great with jeans and corduroys, but you can also dress it up with a suit and tie.” Bridge-wise, baby, that’s worthy of Brooklyn.
britt, tom
He was just 15 when he alerted his parents to his interest in interior design. While they were away for Thanksgiving, he redecorated their Kansas City home—right down to moving walls and adding pilasters. He now lives and works in NYC; his work has been splashed all over Architectural Digest, he’s won every design award out there, he’s a member of the Interior Design Hall of Fame. The bodacious Britt is now working here, too. He has redone the homes of Caryl Sunshine and of Evelyn and Eric Newman (and their son Andy) and, with associate Valentino Samsonadze, is currently at work on the home of DESCO Group’s Mark Schnuck (a manse previously owned by Jack Taylor of Enterprise Corp. fame). Britt’s style? Classic. Lavish. A bit fantastic. But he won’t be pinned down to a specific time or tendency. “My style is what is appropriate,” he told us, “and I believe completely in appropriateness, in what is timeless.”
craft mafia
In July, The New York Times published a piece called “The Knitting Circle Shows Its Chic,” showcasing indie designers like Mooka Kinney, a label that makes handmade, one-of-a-kind pieces that sell at Barneys and Satine. As the Times points out, serious fashion houses like Marc Jacobs and Fendi have taken notice of the indie trend, borrowing looks from tiny grass-roots designers. It’s about time: Stylish girls have long known about etsy.com and the Austin Craft Mafia, a collective of small designers who make everything from cheeky pirate cross-stitch kits to twill-and-satin Cossack skirts. Though the ACM has been around just four years, they’ve inspired an underground network of “craft mafias” in 40 different cities, including ours. If the word “crafts” makes your skin crawl—conjuring visions of pastel afghans and walnut bowls—be not afraid; today’s craftsy types combine high fashion with a punk DIY ethic, dispensing with the twee earnestness (and bad color choices) of the hippie-era crafts movement. Last month, the St. Louis Craft Mafia held their first trunk show, dubbed CraftaNostra, at CooperElla in Maplewood. Much more’s ahead. Stlouiscraftmafia.com will give you the skinny.
desperate housewives hair
Denise Edgar of D-Zine Hair & Art Studio has a message for those who think the always-manageable bob will continue to be always in style: “The bob is so dead, it’s not even funny.” Your laughter turn to sobs? Look to the ladies of Wisteria Lane for guidance. Their devil-may-care defiance of chin-length hair shatters the notion that women of a certain age can’t wear their hair long. The key is to be bold with color, whether you’re carrot-topped Bree or sly brunette Gabrielle. But blondes beware: Edgar warns that “if you’re going to do blonde, make it Hollywood blonde, not housewife blonde.”
embellishment
Nobody with sequined skirts and a Swedish-peasant embroidered jacket in her closet wants to think about embellishment anymore. But this season, it’s all grown up: subtle decorative notes on shoes and purses, stitching on coats, embellishments the same color as the fabric they adorn or so restrained no one could ever confuse these clothes with costumes. Shine is fine—but the gold or beading’s all over the garment, not in flashy hot spots. You’ll also see more beads and crystals on upholstery trims; unusual square or egg-shaped nailheads used in decorative double borders on leather. “Even a porcelain sink might have a painted floral finish,” says Todd Lannom, co-owner of edgy Centro Modern Furnishings, where until now such a notion would have been heresy, “and a coffee table won’t be plain wood; it will be carved”—with tribal motifs or a map of a European city. The folks at Niche are armed for the embellishment fight with pillows—embroidered, beaded—as well as a sconce draped with natural rose quartz. Overall, the new embellishment is a lovely paradox: restrained opulence, luxurious minimalism.
fitzgerald suit
We’re talking JFK, not F. Scott. Yes, the former president was a fan of Brooks Brothers, America’s oldest retailer, which frequently dressed the dapper world leader. (It’s been around since 1818—even dressed Lincoln.) Last year, Brooks Brothers made a small number of the two-button, trim-fitting Fitzgerald in one color—gray—modeling the shape of patterns used to cut Kennedy’s suits; they were sold out before they could even reach stores. This fall, the company is going bigger and bolder, bringing out a navy with a blue stripe, a navy with a chalk-colored stripe and a charcoal plaid with a rust deco stripe. Each will have a center vent, narrow lapels, Corozo buttons and double-besom flap pockets. Best of all, in the eyes of our pleat-phobic staff: The pants are flat-front.
gray
Neutrals are called just that for a reason—they’re basic colors that you can pair with most anything. For fall, the “it” neutral is gray. (Take, for example, Italo Zucchelli’s anticipated fall men’s line for Calvin Klein: basically a huge gray sky of different shades.) Men, you’ll want to be seen in gray suits with light patterning; add accents of lavender to step it up one more notch. Ladies should opt for the high-waisted, wide-leg trouser in charcoal gray for a sophisticated look. While perusing the shoe department, be sure to slip into some gunmetal gray flats or a muted dark silver high heel for an ultrahip look.
george, christy
Interior designer Christy George seems shy, as if she has all the right words but isn’t quite sure she wants to use them, and distracted, as if her mind is flitting in a number of different directions. None of it matters. Walk into a St. Louis house of exceptional Modernist design and you can put some serious money down on the bet that she, a.k.a. Christine George Interiors, did it. The art is always fabulous; the color palette always muted; the furniture always sleek and sophisticated. And the effect? Always divine. If you have any questions, just buzz architect Frank Gehry. She also designs for him.
high waists and wide legs
Fashion indeed goes in cycles. High waists and wide legs are no longer found exclusively in vintage shops; they’re back in the newest lines and the trendiest shops. “People are getting away from the super-straight leg,” says Jane Poss of Femme, where you’ll find a wide-leg charcoal pant—with pale pink pinstripe—from Free People. The update on the old look is that women’s pants look almost like men’s pants—Banana Republic actually calls its new line trousers. For work, BR has a contoured Jackson wool plaid wide-leg trouser; for play, the dark denim wide-leg.
high heels and flats ... and nothing in between
Those flip-flops with the 3-inch foam rubber sole might’ve been cool in ’05, but this fall try either a tailored flat in a funky pattern like snakeskin or an ultrahip flat in a metallic gunmetal or muted copper. Heels are also on the must-have list; although you can still look chic in the stiletto heel, local shoe stores like Wish and ShoeLadue are placing their fashion bets on a chunkier high heel. Try a pair of leather boots with a heel, or go for the dress shoe in a wine or plum. And toss those flip-flops out with your low-rise jeans.
illumination
Lighting pulls a room together, and this season’s lighting options pull the decades together. This Skygarden light fixture was the talk of the Milan shows last spring, and its light will reach us—Centro, specifically—this fall. Designed by Marcel Wanders for Flos, it takes the minimalist dome that’s already a contemporary classic, then applies a plaster relief inside that mimics the look of the plaster medallions on the ceilings of old homes. Skygarden’s a great example of the trend toward applied decoration that softens minimalism’s hard edge.
jeans
The denim trend to follow this fall is to find your own style. Over the skinny jean? Buy Palazzo. Want hips? Try the Joe’s Jeans Muse cut—high waist, wide leg—which Mezzanine Wearables can’t keep in stock. Have hips? Antik just expanded its women’s sizes up to 34, and The Little in the Middle brand sizes its jeans according to curves (and sells them here only through The Time). Still wrong for every body, every age, everywhere: the “mom jean.”
jewel tones
If you’re skeptical that jewel tones really will be some of this season’s most sought-after shades, just know you’ll find them everywhere—from home décor and personal accessories to footwear and ... trench coats? Indeed. Take this new line from bebe, which comes in a range of precious colors, including Copper Desire and Cerise. Slip one on and you’ll happily leave the rest of your body unadorned. Seems only appropriate.
kids’ fake fur coats
Raise your politically conscious princess by pointing out that the preferred fur does not come off the backs of endangered species, nor even those mammals crawling around like ants at a picnic. No, my darlings, clamor for that made by man. The hot outerwear item of the kids’ fashion season? The oversized fake fur coat in a looks-like-a-bear-to-me brown or the nothing’s-too-girly-for-me pink. Julie Oligschlaeger of Jillybean refers to it as “the big statement coat.” Some versions come with a hood—perfect to shut out the stares of those who have misjudged your child.
lacoste
According to Urban Dictionary gurus and The Preppy Handbook author Lisa Birnbach, real preps shop Lacoste. But then, so does everybody else. Yes, Buffy and Biff, that little green crocodile (nope, not alligator) with the ruby red tongue is back in fashion—Lacoste Effect or not—and is way more popular than it was in 1926 when tennis star René Lacoste debuted it as he won the U.S. Open. (Andy Roddick, wearing the same, is trying for his own run at this month’s tourney.) The polo shirt, with collar up or down, is mainstream today—and, along with all the other Lacoste garb, is so in the groove that the croc now has its own shop in the Saint Louis Galleria. Still need more? Splash is a few stores down.
lovebird jewelry
Feeling overwhelmed by the department store jewelry counter? Purchase some charm from a woman making her own line—called Lovebird—just down the road (sort of). Krystal Ahders, the woman behind the line, ships homemade jewelry from Kansas City at excitingly reasonable prices, and she’s starting to delight local shop owners—and their customers. Knowing what to order is made easy with pieces named “Date Night” and “Weekend in the Hamptons.” Ahders’ earrings, bracelets and necklaces have an earthy vibe and classy—not clunky—appearance.
metallic
Shine and shimmer make the jump from shoes and handbags to shirts and skirts, but cool down to more muted tones like gunmetal this season. For women, metallic dresses from the spring will carry over to the fall. While we don’t recommend mimicking street performers, men should look for metallic accents on dark suits or try a T-shirt with metallic print.
mirrors
Mirrors, mirrors, on the wall—and the floor, and the bed, and the tabletop. Jewelry for the Home, a furniture line from C.R. Currin, stunned Susan Block of The Designing Block. “Some of the pieces are almost sexy, with mirrors that add drama, soft curves and finishes so smooth you want to stroke the wood,” she says. “I’m seeing hints of that sexiness elsewhere, too.” She says she also discovered a contemporary take on a Venetian mirror; a decorative magnifying mirror that looks like a whimsical sculpture; and an oversize (3 by 5 feet) mirror that looks like traditional carved lacquered wood, but is actually made of lightweight resin—for a fourth of the price.
natural lips
This season it’s about playing up the eyes and—ergo—playing down the lips. Chuck the bright red lipstick and stock up on barely there shades of lip balms, sticks and glosses that will make your lips look full and luscious without overdoing it. Try 24.7 Lip Sheer by Tarte—available at Sephora in the Galleria—which includes vitamin E and SPF 15 with a tinge of mint flavor.
opulence
Ladies and gentlemen, break the piggy bank or max out your AMEX Platinum Card if you must, so as to wrap yourself in the most opulent fabrics around (and to avoid embarrassment at the company picnic). “Fabrics have become more luxurious. There’s lots of cashmere, there’s lots of very fine wools,” says Mark Shale’s Scott Baskin. Stop by and peruse the store’s selection of Robert Talbott Estate sport and dress shirts. Farther west, on Clayton, is Savile Row Custom Clothiers, where the staff can outfit you in a black, navy or red cashmere blazer. But if astronomical dry cleaning bills are not high on your wish list, fear not. Jennifer Gray of The Time says that silks will be heavily visible this fall and that “a lot of them are washable and easy to care for.”
patent leather
The patent-leather process may have been invented in New Jersey (we hear it inspired Springsteen’s “Blinded by the Light”), but this fall, it’s everywhere. Shoes and bags make the shiny stuff easy to wear, anywhere and anytime. Conquer the pavement in an up-to-the-knee black flat boot with stud detail rises by Just Cavalli at Nordstrom (don’t worry, this is not Julia Roberts–in–Pretty Woman style). Hit the dance floor in BCBGirls Vantage peep-toe pump with metallic heel available in dark blue or black at Dillard’s. For daytime, Tory Burch does this fall trend in big color: Score her tote in blue or red at Wish. For nighttime, hold onto Alfani’s Genova patent clutch at Macy’s. Last, look for an updated take on patent leather in multicolored watchbands as well as piping on coats and jackets and trim on shoes.
quilted purses
Coziness meets couture this fall, as designers everywhere put their mark on a look Chanel made famous more than 50 years ago. Prada’s bowling bag model makes it modern in patent leather (see “P”), available at Neiman Marcus. The Marc Jacobs Collection Quilted offers several options in a range of sizes. Among our favorites: the Quilted Classic Alyona, named after Jacobs model Alyona Osmanova. Carry this one around—available at Nordstrom—and you’ll look just like her. (She’s pretty.)
(red)
Consumerism and conscience can indeed coexist—at least according to the (RED) initiative. “It’s a different kind of fashion statement,” says its co-founder, shy and retiring rock-dude Bono. “If you buy a (RED) product from GAP, Motorola, Armani, Converse or Apple, they will give up to 50 percent of their profit to buy AIDS drugs for mothers and children in Africa.” Even to detractors of U2’s Flyguy—and we suspect he made American Express ... um ... see red by excluding the credit-card giant from his honor roll—the (RED) effort should seem an almost sublime conjunction of style and substance. Whether with a cellphone or a T-shirt or even a fragrance, therefore, could (RED) be the new black?
scooters
To music aficionados of a certain age, the burgeoning popularity of the scooter here must prompt a quick mental rummage through British classics of the ’70s. Was it the mods or the rockers who couriered their angst across London on those wonderfully science-fictional scooters in the Who’s landmark Quadrophenia? Someone ring Pete Townshend, for heaven’s sake! As the cost of gasoline spikes yet again toward $4 per gallon, stylin’ St. Louis commuters are leaving their Beamers garaged and tooling around town on, say, Vespa’s new GT60, made in a limited edition this year to celebrate the company’s 60th anniversary. Perhaps all the while they’re also hearing Roger Daltrey’s trademark growl: “Here by the sea and sand—”
sleeves
“Controlled volume and varied sleeve lengths are the hallmarks of this season’s fashion jacket,” says Ken Downing, Neiman Marcus fashion director. That selection this fall means finding bubble jackets with cropped sleeves next to classic tweed suit jackets with straight sleeves alongside that cape with no sleeves. Isaac Mizrahi for Target takes the jean jacket off the farm and into the city with a dark wash and suitlike cut. Downing suggests complementing a jacket with long gloves fresh off New York runways or the season’s hot jewelry accessory, the cuff. The key is having a polished look as the end product—the right jacket can really do the trick.
tungsten
As if the weeks and months of deciding on the engagement ring weren’t taxing enough, grooms-to-be now have one more decision to make. At least this time it’s for themselves. Tungsten is starting to replace titanium (which replaced gold) as a unique wedding-band alternative. Tungsten bands are scratch-resistant and hypoallergenic and could probably survive a trip or two through the dryer (not that we recommend you try it).
usability
There’s a reason why Apple’s iPhone and Nintendo’s Wii are still the must-have toys for both tech-heads and the tech-averse months after they hit the streets—and it isn’t their “cool factor.” (Of course, the cool factor doesn’t hurt.) It’s their usability. Now, thanks to intuitive interfaces, even the least gadget-savvy can pick one up and get started. But because it’s a trend that transcends simply working intuitively to also incorporate a slick look, the ease of use has yet to alienate the boys who love their toys. When it comes to gear these days, form and function are through fighting for prominence—they’re one and the same.
violet
Carol Snyder, senior interior designer at Edwin Pepper Interiors, sees deep royal lilac and Chinese violet dominating the coming year’s palette, surrounded by “a muddy bronze that’s almost sassafras and pairs beautifully with old rose.” Other neutrals to calm that violent violet? Silver puttied tones and black (enough of the chocolate brown already!). The high heels that enter these rooms will match: After black and dark brown come “shoes in wine-purple and plum,” says ShoeLadue owner Edward Curran. “That’s a third neutral that’s being talked about.”
www
We don’t recommend visiting these at work, but—oh, who are we kidding ... Log on tomorrow a.m. and tell the boss you’re making the whole company cooler. Joshspear.com covers all things trendy and hip, from art and design to fashion and foods. Thecoolhunter.net has a similar format, but caters less to hipsters and more to an enigmatic, universal cool. Trendwatching.com forecasts developments in everything imaginable, from shoe trends in Italy to organic food labeling. Blog.stylehive.com allows you to create your own “tagged” list of hot items, make wish lists and comment on or follow what fashion and accessory trends are shaping your world. If you’d like to get that chic boutique look but don’t have the foggiest clue where to find it, charlesandmarie.com can help; advocating the local over the mass-produced and the hip and unique over the hugely popular, the “lifestyle navigator” posts tips on shoes, jewelry and clothing. Want a little more bite? The wonderfully titled gofugyourself.com is probably the wittiest fashion blog out there. Celebrity photos + snarky commentary = great way to spend an hour. (Remember: You’re not laughing near them, you’re laughing at them.)
xenoscaping
Landscape designer Austin Tao liked green space long before the Green movement—but he’s tickled pink by the new xenoscaping trend, because it’s developing a new aesthetic. Instead of the formal clipped lawn and predictable petunias, homeowners are experimenting with the flora of the prairie: Indian paintbrush, purple coneflowers, rattlesnake master, black-eyed Susans, bluestem, staghorn and fragrant sumac (which have great fall colors), prairie dropseed and other native grasses. “This opens up a whole different palette, with different textures,” Tao says. “You don’t have to stick to a random, naturalistic style; you can make these plantings formal or mass them for a contemporary look.” Find your own favorites at Shaw Nature Reserve, which gathers and sells its seeds.
yawn ...
Some styles just weren’t meant to last ... and some fads were over before they began. Nicole Richie may be pregnant, but that doesn’t suddenly bring baby-doll dresses back into vogue. Likewise, there was once a place for ultralow-rise, peg-leg jeans—in the days before a woman was Speaker of the House. As for the guys, nothing screams 2003 like triple-pleated pants. And the autumn nights may be chilly, but that’s no reason to let those once-hip printed hoodies see the light of day.
zip lead leash
The first miracle was the Flexi Lead, which made even squirrel-lungers look obedient because that near-invisible cord kept them tethered to you. Granted, it felt like lugging an old eight-track player on your walk, and trying to keep the thick plastic casing under your foot at an outdoor café killed the cappuccino rush ... but it was still a miracle. Now, dog-spelled-backwards has worked another: Planet Dog’s little round Zip lead, which fits in the palm of your hand or slides into your pocket, and can be picked up at Lucky Dog in Webster. Forget that tennis-ball flinger; this is the new dog park must-have. And since dog parks are the new singles bars, you should be dressing—and accessorizing—accordingly.
