To Northerners, a Floridian winter is a good joke. Autumn is unheard of. And yet, the seasonal styles of the year are often dictated by the fashion world, rather than the natural.
Come Labor Day, the fashion conscious don their jewel-tones and riding boots in exchange with the whites and straw hats of summer.
Unfortunately, as inhabitants of the Sunshine State, seasonal climate change from August to October is minimal, forcing the fashion elite to reinterpret the prevailing styles of our Northern compatriots in a more practical, but no less classy, approach.
Drawing inspiration from the likes of Sarah Burton’s primordial Ice Queens to the apocalyptic ensembles of Chanel, fall 2011 ready to wear is agog with cultural references spanning the generations.
Smart A- line skirts reminiscent of the 20’s are just as relevant as the 70’s maxi skirt.
Neon skinny jeans a la the 80’s find their compliment in the demure neutrals of the 50’s. Rather than mimicking a generation completely, which would look stuffy and outdated, one is encouraged to playfully pick and chose from each era to suit one’s own sense of style in the present.
But one must observe the fall fashions of New York goers with a Floridian’s eye. A maxi skirt accompanied with a chunky knit sounds romantic –until a torrential down pour of sweat starts raining from your forehead.
Skinny jeans are great for chilly classrooms and offices, not scorching sidewalks and bus-stops. To avoid sweating (a cardinal fashion sin), pair neon skinnies with a lacy tank and a fedora for that Parisian Je Nais Se Quoi that we Americans envy so much.
Crop tops are also a hipster option to upper-body ventilation this fall. Perhaps, we will find that the secret to beating the heat this fall is to dress a little cooler.
Katelyn Edwards can be reached at
katelyn.edwards@spartans.ut.edu.