Designers waved away the intense, bright statement colors of spring, and experimented with a wide spectrum of moody gray hues for Fall 2010 instead.
Maybe the effects of a still unsteady economy has them sinking their teeth into a more realistic portrayal of fashion that’s less playful and more serious. Or maybe they just want to kick back and enjoy the simple things in life.
Whatever the case, this color digression is finally coming to the forefront, and it sure is turning heads.
Out of all of the Fall/Winter 2010 collections, Marc Jacobs made the sharpest turn in his design aesthetic. Usually known to whip his audience with wonderfully cartoonish designs, vivacious colors, and a whimsical theatrical flair, he sent model after model down the runway in refined ensembles, many of which had a purely gray color scheme.
Jacobs’ timeless and classic shapes in the monochromatic color
were a nostalgic vision of subtlety, grace, and practicality, maintaining an irresistible chic factor suited for the modern, fashion-forward girl.
That famous Marc Jacobs sparkle that we are all so fond of was not lost amongst this collection’s gloomy grays. He made up for his lack of extravagance and flash by being generous with small but eye-catching details, such as carefully rounded collars, crisscrossing necklines, exotic fur trimmings, low croc heels, knitted tweeds, and sparkling metallics.
The 3.1 Phillip Lim show also opened up with a selection of gray city girl looks which were lightened up with crisscross suspenders, slouchy tomboy sweaters, dainty tailored skirts, woolly schoolboy plaids, and raw suede. He literally made us believe that gray will never be boring again.
Even Chloé sent a head-to-toe gray blouse and trouser combination down the runway and topped it off with a striking black bowtie and skinny brown leather belt.
What would be an otherwise mundane ensemble all on its own is taken from frumpy to striking in an instant with just a few added accessories.
So don’t fill your mind with dim thoughts when you think of gray. It is not a loud color, but this may be exactly
why you should be wearing it this fall.
Unlike the overly studded, distressed, and amplified looks of past seasons that often take too much attention away from the girl in the clothes, gray forever stays understated and classic.
From an intricate shoulder detail to even the tiniest button placement, gray provides the most versatile backdrop for our personal fashion tastes to build upon. Even a head-to-toe gray outfit is far from shabby.
1. Kissan Pants from Theory – $255.00
2. Bop Basics Cashmere Stripe Button Back Sweater from Shopbop.com – $240.00
3. Jal_Jacko Glittered Oxfords from Forever 21 – $20.80
4. Pearl Collar from Forever 21 – $15.80
5. Well_endowed Ring from Forever 21 – $5.80
6. Eleanor Elastic Bracelet from Forever 21 – $9.80
