Go figure for fashion

Sep 6 2007 by Emma Johnson, Liverpool Daily Post

Floaty makes way for a more body-conscious look this new season. Emma Johnson reports on the latest trends

AFTER one of the wettest summers on record, autumn is finally here and I bet you are secretly glad.

I know I am. I have spent the last three months looking longingly at bum-skimming floaty frocks that had no chance against the monsoon rain and gladiator sandals that are not exactly the best things for splashing in four-foot deep puddlies, and am quite frankly happy to see clothes in the shops which actually suit the weather.

And, while we may see little difference in the weather, you are sure to notice planet fashion’s change in direction for the new season.

Gone are the girly looks of summer that had us all lounging about in waistless smocks and ballet pumps and in comes a new femininity with the focus firmly on looking like a lady and showing off your figure.

It is bye-bye to shapeless shifts and hello to body-conscious dressing and hourglass shapes.

“It is all about women’s figures,” says Lorraine McCulloch, Liverpool’s leading celebrity stylist. “We are celebrating the female figure, so fashion is going all ladylike with belted dresses, waists nipped in and suiting silhouettes.

“If you are wearing trousers, then they have to be cigarette pant thin or very wide, there are a lot of extremes about this season.”

When it comes to colours, then you might be surprised to hear that brights are back for autumn and winter.

“We are expecting colours to be strong,” says Lorraine. “Purple and orange feature a lot in the collections, but grey is also back.

“Grey is the new black this season.”

On the accessories front, big bags are here to stay and Chloe leads the field once more when it comes to “It” bag status.

“At Cricket, we have just got the patent Chloe Bay bag which is really popular as patent is a big story again.”

Balenciaga also looks set to have a hit on its hands in the bag stakes, the circular-shaped Sphere bag (£900 and just in store at Cricket) is a new take on the ever-popular Lariat and Motorcycle bags, as toted by Nicole Richie and Sienna Miller is already must-have arm candy in celebrity circles.

At Flannels designer boutique, in Liverpool’s Metquarter, the ladylike look is also expected to dominate womenswear this season.

The boutique’s womenswear buyer Philip Jones predicts three key trends for the new season.

He says: “Overall next season promises to be glossy and graphic – blacks, whites mixed with bright colours and metallics, giving a nostalgic 1960s feel.”

Metallics, says Philip, will be a big story all season with gold, pewter and silver important colours in both clothing and accessories as seen particularly in Dolce & Gabanna’s leather jackets.

Like Lorraine, Philip also expects us to see lots of patent this season particularly in bags and shoes.

Patent featured heavily in the runway shows for designers like Gucci, Prada and Dolce & Gabanna and Fendi’s new patent B-Bag (£965, from Flannels) is sure to be a star of the season.

Philip also emphasises the seismic shift in dress designs from those we saw in summer with high waisted empire-silhouette dresses, like the knitted versions as seen at Miu Miu, one of his key picks from the new collections.

emmajohnson@dailypost.co.uk