Here we are, it’s 2012 and we’re got a clean slate for a whole bunch of new fashion trends to hit the runways, stores and our closets. Yet, I’d be remiss if I didn’t touch on some of the noteworthy trends of 2011. Some were fun, some were bizarre and some where downright ugly. Here is my top ten list of noteworthy trends for 2011, in no particular order.
1- Bright Color and Color Blocking
This was the year to get bold with your color and how you chose to combine it. For the first time, in a long time, we welcomed the idea that orange and purple could possibly be a good color combination and the debate between Amanda Jornov (head consultant of my company Bridgette Raes Style Group) raged on about whether or not purple and red work together as a combination. I said no, she sais yes. What do you say?
2- Boho Chic
Earlier this year, I addressed the topic of Boho Chic and if it was appropriate for you to incorporate the trend into your style. Not being a Boho gal myself, I felt sort of meh on the whole topic, yet I did find it a great new word to call what I considered a sloppy look. At least I could justify looking like a homeless woman by being able to call it trendy.
3- Pantyhose
All it took was for Duchess of Cambridge to wear pantyhose on her North American tour to have ever woman buzzing about whether or not to wear a pair of classic pantyhose again. In fact, the topic became so popular that I had a twitter argument with a guy who told me that a formal look just isn’t complete without pantyhose. When I disagreed with him (in 140 characters or less) we finally just agreed to disagree. I still don’t own pantyhose.
4- Feather Extensions
Okay, so they’re sort of fun and worked back well with the Boho trend. Hair ornaments, in general, were quite popular this year, and throwing a feather extension into your hair was a great way to add a little fun. Yet, a feather extension only worked when the whole look worked with it. Hence, when this trend finally hit the “frumpy soccer mom stage” it looked ridiculous. Sorry, but a snappy pair of capris, a mini-van and a traditional “mom haircut” don’t work well with a feather extension. Commit at 100% or leave it alone.
5- Weird Jeans Concoctions
The JorJegging
Let’s see, jeggings were so 2010, yet raged on for 2011 where we were also introduced to things like the Pajama Jean, the Jorjegging, and Diesel’s Jogg Jean, Sure I love my jeans— take my iPad, take my cats, you can even take my husband…but please don’t take my jeans. However, these jeans hybrids with the stupid names had to be the dumbest trend for 2011.
6- Pajamas on the Street
Wearing pajama looks on the street, I found out, is a trend that has been rocked in the suburbs for some time, yet, it seemed to hit a “fashion nightmare crescendo” in 2011 when people started to find it cool, not lazy, to run around in pajama bottoms. Have we really reached this level of sloth? Really people??? Really????
7- Jumpsuits and Rompers
My client rocking a romper
Honestly, I haven’t heard the word romper since I was five years-old, and that was also probably the last time I wore one. I don’t have the body shape for a romper, yet found them to work on some of my clients quite well. I just couldn’t believe how many clients I had to help step into the neck-hole a romper this year. And, jumpsuits? Well, again, this trend had to grow on me..not “on me” in the literal sense. I still haven’t given in to the romper or the jumpsuit mainly because I don’t like getting completely naked to pee. Just saying.
8- Fascinators
Show of hands: Before Kate Middleton got married who here knew what a fascinator hat was? Yet, the fascinators worn by the guests at William and Kate’s wedding all beyond mesmerized us. In fact, the fascinators (along Pippa Middleton’s ass) totally upstaged Kate’s simple understated wedding gown. And, let us not forget the fascinator of all fascinators: Princess Beatrice’s Philip Treacy fascinator that wound up being auctioned on Ebay for charity at over $130,000.
9- The Midi
<Sigh>, the midi skirt. This was the year that we stopped arguing whether or not it would be about short skirts or long skirts. In an attempt to compromise (in an atrocious manner) women prepared themselves to welcome the ugly middle child of the skirt world into their lives, the Midi Skirt. Ladies with large calves shrieked vowing to never wear a skirt where the hem finished off right at the widest part of their calves, short gals laughed realizing that, for them, a midi looked more like a prairie skirt and tall women, being one of the few women who could pull off this look, scooped them up. Nobody really knew what to do with, how to wear, or how to look attractive in a midi. Perhaps in 2012 we will find out, or it will get scrapped for another decade and a half.
10- Adults in Animal Hats
“Oh, where is your sense of whimsy, Bridgette!?” I’m sorry, but the idea of grown up adults putting critters in the form of animal hats on their head to keep warm just baffles me. Why, oh WHY was this a hot trend for 2011???
