Grey Days

Jul 24 2008 by Hilarie Stelfox, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

THE weather this summer appears to be taking us seamlessly from spring into autumn.

So perhaps it’s no surprise that fashion stores are currently stocking up with the new season’s clothes and once the sales are over by the end of the month autumn will be well on its way.

So, after one of the most disappointing summers on record, what do we have to look forward to?

Collections for the months ahead have a distinctly frilly feel about them.

Blouses and tops have lots of bows, pin tucks and detailed trim and appear in luxury fabrics such as chiffon, satin and lace.

To cover up there are shrugs and crossover cardigans, long knits and wraparounds. Top coats are mostly short, in either smart military and trench styles or swing and A-line.

Skirts range from the dressy tulip pencil shape to a new take on the ruffle skirt, with cascading layers in soft fabrics.

Colours are muted; black, greys, soft tartan combinations, deep plums and the darkest of purples. Think Biba and the sort of grey skies we’ve had all summer.

And to go with this look there are Seventies-inspired platform-soled court shoes and Eighties-style high-heeled grandma lace-ups in plum, black and metallic finishes.

In fact, autumn 2008 is about mixing and matching styles from just about every decade from the last 60 years.

But choose your pieces wisely because a 1940s floral chiffon tea dress can look awfully frumpy – or young and pretty – depending upon who is wearing it and how.

There are also a lot of short skirts around, which is good news for those with good legs and sufficient years under 50 to avoid the ‘mutton dressed as tart’ look. But a short tartan or tiered skirt with thick tights, boots and a short leather jacket is a great look and easy to put together.

Smart, tailored office wear is a major look for autumn and there is nothing simpler to wear than a sharp suit with a softly-frilled feminine blouse. Look for suits with nipped in waists and thin belts, waistcoats and turn-up trousers.

Make-up, too, will have a distinctly dark and smokey feel. Yves Saint Laurent, one of the couture beauty brands, has just launched an autumn and winter collection of muted colours with a strong monochrome feel.

Eyes are lined with black and shaded with grey, which allows lips to carry a stronger red or brilliant pink.

Max Factor, whose creative design director Pat McGrath creates catwalk looks for the major directional shows, agrees that black is back around the eyes but is using neutral lipsticks or just a slick of gloss over foundation for lips.

The choice, of course, is yours, but women of a certain age might feel like compromising and opting for a little colour AND gloss.