Page 13 - Real Style Winter 2016 / 2017

CÉline
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Whereas the runways for last spring and summer were dominated by ’90s-inspired minimalist looks, the pendulum swung back around with a cacophony of bold and sometimes downright riotous fashion. It makes perfect sense, not only because fashion is reacting to itself, but because it is also reacting to the world at large. It is common for designers to react ostentatiously when current events and politics have stress levels at a high. Our feelings of anxiety can be calmed or at least distracted
by the creativity and artistry on the runway. Also, dressing audaciously or piling it on (as some designers are suggesting we do) can be akin to donning armour in an uncertain time. And what better season to indulge in these sartorial fantasies than winter, when we need to dress for warmth anyway?
This season’s boldness knows no bounds, and there are many options for supreme expression. From big sleeves, exaggerated shoulders and tons of sparkle to electric hues and oversized silhouettes, the message
is clear: You can stand out however you choose, but please do it with abandon! In fashion circles we have a term for this type of eclectically dressed lady: the magpie. As the story goes, magpies like to line their nests with shiny objects, therefore a fashion magpie is quite at home
in seemingly mismatched attire and usually the more accessories the better! If you need an example, look to Sarah Jessica Parker’s Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City, and the way that character awlessly pulled off out ts that were unconventional yet utterly chic.
he fashion pendulum is always in motion, and in most instances, it swings from
one extreme to the other. Even in the world of high fashion and the trends that it creates, Newton’s third law rings true:
for every action there is an equal and op- posite reaction. That opposite reaction is quite palpable for this winter.
nina riCCi
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Photos, startraks