Defeating the frustrations of fall fashion

Sometimes, transitions are difficult.  They are especially so when they involve relinquishing my sky-high floral platforms to a horrid Rubbermaid bin labeled “Fall,” and bringing out my now-foreign fur coats, studded leather boots, and cashmere sweaters. And it’s not that I don’t absolutely adore my fur and cashmere; it’s just that when it comes to dressing for winter, well, it’s a bit of a challenge to strike perfect sartorial harmony and emit my personal style while wearing puffy windbreakers and fuzzy socks, as I try to avoid developing frostbitten appendages.

But after experiencing this small initial bout of frustration at the onset of every winter, my wise voice of fashion logic swiftly resurrects from my sartorial subconscious.  I quickly conclude that all I really require is a bit of inspiration from Marant and McCartney to properly rebuild my sense of winter style.  After undergoing some retroactive interference this past week, in which I had hopelessly forgotten my favorite past winter collections due to a memory-blockage by those darling feathered Rochas flats and Alexander Wang pajama-inspired pieces this past season, I delved right back into my favorite past Autumn/Winter RTW fashion shows, and voilà.

I was rewarded with divine inspiration from the fashion gods, and was expeditiously reminded of my favorite recent AW RTW trends—properly equipping me with the enlightenment necessary to achieve a glorious winter wardrobe while keeping my toes intact.

These steps thankfully reminded me of the appeal that turtlenecks can have.  For one, Céline’s Fall 2012 RTW collection demonstrates that a slouchy white turtleneck goes absolutely perfectly with stark, boldly colored, boxy coats for a great clean, minimalist look.  Proenza Schouler’s Fall 2013 RTW collection, on the other hand, embraces the joys of layering: black turtlenecks were paired with white textured coats, with black and white tweed text jackets, and with funky printed short-sleeve dresses. The result: an absolutely stunning and original use of the black turtleneck to provide elegance and balance to both the austere cuts of structured jackets and to the instability of busy printed dresses. My neck will surely be grateful for this ingenuity this coming winter.

After the collections this past Fashion Week effectively forced full pleated skirts back into my heart, I was delighted to see its “winter adaptation” as I reviewed Acne’s Pre-AW 2013/14 RTW collection. My favorite look features a below-the-knee full pleated black leather skirt paired with a wool jacket complete with fur detailing, and with black patent leather cut-out boots. The combination of noir black leather, funky cut-out boots, and a pocketed long skirt gives the look, as a whole, an outrageously cool. laid-back vibe. Acne also featured another look worthy of praise: a stark white pocketed full pleated below-the-knee skirt worn underneath a long, white lacey tunic, complete with a white zip-up jacket. Needless to say, the full pleated skirt (preferably with pockets!) has extreme potential as a winter garment.

I was finally fortunate enough to have rediscovered the versatility of plain ol’ black tights. Amanda Wakeley’s AW 2013/14 collection reminds us that short skirts and dresses don’t necessarily have to be unjustly stored away during the winter:  black tights can virtually be paired underneath black booties, with bright orange chiffon dresses, crème A-line skirts, and boxy tent jackets.  At A Detacher AW 2013/14, black tights were featured underneath slouchy silk harem pants for a look that’s as understatedly chic as it is thermal.  And once again, the comforting idea that a winter wardrobe can surely accommodate spring and fall pieces was exercised by Bolzoni & Walsh, who paired black tights with gray jersey miniskirts and linen dresses.  Essentially, black tights can transform your favorite pieces—regardless of their seasonal styles, colors, or fabrics—into apparel perfectly suited for winter.

Luckily, I had my sartorial spiritual advisors by my side to provide me with sufficient divine inspiration to conceptualize a new approach to winter style that involves the reintroduction of a neutral turtleneck, the incorporation of the ultra-feminine full pleated skirt, and the strategic utilization of my good old black tights.

‘Tis the season to be jolly.