TREND: MILITARY CHIC

Sharp tailoring with a strong menswear influence leavened with body conscious lines found their way into collections from Dior to Alberta Ferretti.

Jil Sander kicked it off last season in her S/S 2010 collection with a pale, curvy suit featuring oversized patch pockets on jacket and skirt. A slim belt over the jacket foreshadowed a look featured in many of the pre-fall collections.



Yves Saint Laurent carried the trend forward with a cap sleeved dress cut close to the body, a row of buttons marching from shoulder to waist.

Alberta Ferretti’s long sweater with built up shoulders over a straight leather skirt is a softer take, and one that can easily be worn by women with a fuller figure.

Christian Dior takes it back to WWII with a short trench style jacket belted tightly over a poufy lace skirt. Model Heloise Guerin looks like a little french waif adopted by the troops. The thigh high stockings are a bit much, but love the brown leather booties.

Burberry Prorsum’s standout navy coat with black epaulets and buttons is also shown tightly belted, over cropped grey trousers.

The outerwear gets a bit softer at Stella McCartney with a camel colored example that references military in the softest way. It’s on point but not overly dramatic, and the sweet ¾ bell sleeves make this one of the most feminine examples of the trend.

Viktor & Rolf bring a sort of ninja parachutist vibe to their voluminous black coat with vestigial sleeves. It's a melding of anorak and flack jacket, with a soft rolled neck and two rows of survivalist pockets on the front.

This Balenciaga shoe isn’t strictly on trend, but the colors of the open toed ankle boot bring to mind desert camouflage. Pair it with something sweet like the McCartney coat with black tights for fall, and it’s perfectly martial. 
 


Images courtesy of the Fashion Spot forums.