Oakridge Style

You want it. We’ve got it. Below, find our carefully researched, painstakingly sought out Five Big Trends for Fall–for men and women. It was a tough job, but someone’s got to do it.

5 Big Trends for Fall

1. Unisex leather bomber jackets
Bombers, like the eighties, keep coming ’round. Fall 09 saw many designers riffing off the female flying ace, and leather bombers, lucky for us, are a happy end result.

2. Lumberjack plaids
Milan-based Canadian designers DSquared2 may get the credit for the fashion world’s fandom of the maple leaf and knitted sweaters; they may have even sparked the initial interest in lumberjack plaids. Either way, we’re happy to see what otherwise might have remained a tacky stereotype translated into chic.

3. Embellished tights
They’re not going away. Tights, no matter how many seasons they’ve been spot-on for, continue to stay a hit trend. This season, getting them glam, with all sorts of insignia, patterns or accessories, is haute. At least pantslessness seems to be waning.

4. Eighties looks  
From oversized shoulders to shorn denim, the 80s continue to reign.

5. Mohawks
Men, and certain women, too, we’re sure, can happily return to their rocker roots.

Get the Look
Get an updated ‘hawk from Hennessey Salon + Spa or Botticelli for Hair. Look for your leather bomber at Sequin, lumberjack plaid-lined bomber at Aritzia, and find tights at The Bay.

LET’S HEAR IT
Would you rock a ‘hawk?

Where there’s fashion, there’s passion, and we’re loving these looks from Fall 2009 RTW.

TOMORROW: RUNWAY TO REALWAY
You’re Invited! To Oakridge Centre’s Fall Fashion Affair. See fall’s hottest trends, on the runway. Read more, from Style Agent Ana Serrano.

Tuleh
We’re big fans of Bryan Bradley’s loose Winter-white pants, menswear touches and lively fabrication additions: sequins, and casual pieces, like hoodies, done in luxurious jacquard. His roomy, puff-sleeved blousons are also big on our list.

Alexander Wang
This CFDA/Vogue fashion fund winner has been thinking about how his clients are growing up. A slightly more sophisticated collection featured tailoring, luxury, and slightly more edgy pieces: very coordinated ensembles including matching bags, belts and shoes, jacket sleeves with cubed metal rivets, and foxtail-fringed leather.

Zac Posen
Zac Posen riffed off the ’40s and the Victorian era for Fall 2009 because these decades are known for “sculpting clothing”-his passion, of course. As hoped for, Posen showed mostly dresses, but also ventured into other pieces in varied fabrics: gingersnap plaid, violet moiré silk, and metallic jacquards. Despite mixed reviews, mostly panning Posen’s departure from attainable red carpet glam, we liked the collection.

Thakoon
Thakoon Panichgul’s Fall collection can be summed up as a more safe, retail-friendly foray (come to think of it, Wang’s was, too). It featured elements of his past work, and bowed to his passion for hints of surreal. We’ve added his cascading ruffle-patterned gown and built-in bows to our must-have list.

Temperley London
Alice Temperley ventured onto the Silk Route-and detoured into Japan-for Fall 2009. We adore the origami detailing, high-waisted genie pants, and jeweled necklines tunics balanced by sharp tailoring, and gold-studded leather jackets and coats-all catering to Fall’s edgier, stronger woman.

Get the Look
Find your own roomy blouses–in Fall’s classic colour: white–at the Gap. Look for tailored, Posen-ish dresses at Femme de Carriere, Banana Republic, and Edward Chapman Ladies Shop.

LET’S HEAR IT
What’s your fave from the list?

This fall, feel free to go easy on the accessories-in terms of colours and shades, we mean. Runways showed bags, boots, and belts crafted from leather in a colour some designers call “sand”. It’s a natural, raw-dune tone, often seen in 70s-riffing, earthy leathers.

RUNWAY TO REALWAY
You’re Invited! To Oakridge Centre’s Fall Fashion Affair. See fall’s hottest trends, including accessories, on the runway. Read more, from Style Agent Ana Serrano.  

Top Accessory Picks: Au Naturel

1. Balenciaga’s tapered heel mid-calve camel boot.
2. Mulberry’s knee-high buckled Bayswater boot.
3. Frye’s double-buckled ankle boot (we can’t help it; fall enhances out our footwear fetish).
4. Belts at Maison Martin Margiela.
5. Hobo bags from anywhere.

Get The Look
Find your own sand-hued accessories at Aritzia, Coach, Aldo, Browns Shoes, J2, or Nine West.

LET’S HEAR IT
Pale leather: perfect or plain?

We’ve picked, we’ve panned, and we’ve chosen more of our faves from Fall 2009 RTW.

RUNWAY TO REALWAY
You’re Invited! To Oakridge Centre’s Fall Fashion Affair.  See fall’s hottest trends, on the runway. Read more, from Style Agent Ana Serrano.

Louis Vuitton 
We heart Marc Jacobs’ delectable take on the late ’80s. Translation: ruffles, ruches, and poufs. Jacobs said that he was thinking of the great French muses of late eighties, citing French fashion mistress Inès de la Fressange, Victoire de Castellane for Chanel, and Marie Seznec for Lacroix.

Miu Miu
We love Paris. Therefore, we love Miuccia Prada’s Fall 2009 collection for Miu Miu. A truly Parisian affair, featuring half-unbuttoned coat-dresses, sleeveless shells and skirts in silk crepe embroidered with large, bright gems and skirts and dresses from upholstery fabric. Best in show: the great-looking coats.

RM by Roland Mouret
Edging away from perfectly executed dresses designed to catch a man’s eye, Roland Mouret showed more day clothes. His first foray into knitwear left us in love with his sleek legs, tops and jackets.

Chloe
Since Phoebe Philo left, our obsession with this house has been waning. Enter Hannah McGibbon and her second collection for the line: a gentle version of the early ’80s, including wrapped belts, big blanket coats and high-wasted, nearly baggy pants.

Hermés
Talk about power women. Style.com called them “female flying aces.” We call them inspiring, and have just two words for you: Bomber jackets.

Read on, for more of our top picks from Fall 2009.  

Get The Look
Find your own flying ace bomber jacket or classy coat at The Bay, Aritzia, Edward Chapman Ladies Shop, Olsen Europe, or Wear Else.

 LET’S HEAR IT
Which look do you love/loathe?

NEWS FLASH  
You’re Invited! To Oakridge Centre’s Fall Fashion Affair. Read more, from Style Agent Ana Serrano.

Two of the fashion world’s top designers are going small. Cynthia Rowley and Jean Paul Gaultier are designing kids’ clothing.

Known best for her frocks and separates, and bestselling Swell book series, The Cynthia Rowley Collection already includes womenswear, accessories, beauty, bicycles, active-wear, home sewing patterns and tools. And now the mom of two kids, who designed her first dress at age 7, is expanding into tiny, stylin’ clothes for tots. The collection, called “Hooray by Cynthia Rowley” is available in a major baby store chain, and includes layette and playwear pieces, bibs, diaper bags and blankets.

Meanwhile, former fashion bad boy Jean Paul Gaultier has, apparently, been working with Zannier Group-parent company to kids’ lines Little Marc Jacobs and Kenzo-on a line of over 120 items for kids aged 2 to 14. Known for his reaction-inducing skirts for men and conical bras for Madonna, JPG pushes the boundaries. He got his first fashion gig, at Pierre Cardin, as an 18-year-old with no formal training. Since then, his work has shocked and inspired. Translation: kids in clothes their grandparents would definitely not approve of.

Get the Look
Find high fashion kids clothing at Gap Kids, Please Mum, Gymboree, Hugo Boss Orange, or the Bay.

LET’S HEAR IT
Where do you draw the line on how fashionable kids should dress?