Coats come out across campus as the weather rapidly cools down to a bitter chill. Coats are necessary for protecting oneself from the elements but also are essential wardrobe pieces. The coats featured below, from runway to your way, are versatile pieces, both functional and fabulous.
yohji yamamoto
In his fall 2009 RTW line, designer Yohji Yamamoto reinvents the classic peacoat by giving it new dimensions. Taking a classic black, relatively shapeless peacoat, Yamamoto uses different methods of draping in order to give each model, most donned in all black, a striking and unique silhouette. Playing with cut and proportions, Yamamoto uses the coat to give an array of contradictory looks - (picture; Left) the first a look that depicts both urban professional and suburban mall rat - professional attire paired with an attitude and posture that is specifically grunge; (picture; Right) and the second a look rife with both classical elegance and the hodgepodge of neoGoth and modernity that is heroin-chic. It’s fascinating what Yamamoto can do with an otherwise simple, colorless garment.

jil sander
Jil Sander also does her take on the peacoat, with a focus on neutral colors and functionality. Jil Sanders also uses another classic - the trenchcoat - and reinvents it by playing with proportions, but in a less dramatic way than Yamamoto, honing in on sparsity and the simplicity of beige. Instead of a loud and deliberate break from tradition, the trenchcoat is turned into clay, sculpted into a modern silhouette with a focus on minute details. This coat is a work of architectural postmodernism - functional yet surreal.

moschino cheap & chic
I really enjoyed the flirty playfulness of the rtw fall 09 Moschino Cheap & Chic collection. The name alone has a playful ring to it (along with a certain irony in depicting runway as “cheap”), and the show exudes an aura of quirky femininity. The coats pictured have Victorian accents of ruffled collars paired with the playfully obtuse silhouettes of the bubble dress. The colors are bright yet subdued, resulting in a matte quality that can clash in a funky, kitsch way, or provide the perfect accent to an otherwise drab outfit.

Get these wearablesilhouettes
for under $100;
for the Yamamoto look I chose this Calvin Klein Faux Silk Topper (picture1); for the jil sander look I chose this double-breasted trenchcoat from Kristen Blake (picture 2); for the Moschino look, i chose this Guess coat (picture 3);

While surfing the interweb for halloween costume ideas a la Lady Gaga, I came across a lot of “haute couture” inspired outfits worn by lady gaga and a lot of lady gaga inspired outfits designed for haute couture.
This got me thinking about the notion of “haute couture”. Most of it isn’t wearable. By anyone. (Except Lady Gaga, of course) What is wearable is usually featured in a separate RTW (Ready To Wear) collection. No one wears “haute couture”, to operate in the “real world”, its more of an art form. Of course, it’s been tried a la Carrie Bradshaw. Successfully …and…many times…unsuccessfully:

“Fashionologists” have been trying to figure out how to wear haute couture since it was somehow? invented. I think Lady Gaga, in all of her ridiculousness, does it right - that is for her profession and for what she is. However, we can’t all afford to sit around in leotards all day, drinking tea on our private jets with out hair bows in place, so we have to find a way to indulge in these little pieces of couture in the “real world”. Most of these, I would DIY, but also check out thrift stores and retail stores like forever 21, bebe (yikes! but they do have a lot of sparkly, furry things that are couture-esque), H&M, etc. Work with what you have an accessorize, or pair the mismatched. Think extremes, think over-the-top, but think functionality.

This is what wearable couture is to me:

Round sunglasses are very in this season, you can buy them almost anywhere, along with straw hats. Just don’t be afraid to pair the two and to go for bold, loud colors, or mismatched earth tones for a kitsch look.

Just please, remember to wear pants.

The only thing i like about the cold weather, other than that it offers an excuse to sleep for hours upon end, to take a little break from society for a while, are BOOTS! (and no, I’m not talking about UGGS, keep those bad boys in your closets, sorority chicks)

When boot shopping in these cold months, keep one thing in mind – length. This season, concentrate on the too extremes - go for either really high boots or the ankle boot.
Knee-high boots are making a name for themselves this season. And by knee-boots, I mean boots that substantially cover the knee, rather than just hitting it. They come in all different colors and materials, the most popular, of course, being suede and leather. For a classic look, go with the high black boots, for a more hippie-chic look, go with suede.

Not only do tall boots look super-chic, but they provide warmth and create a perfect silhouette, flattering on every figure. Some of my favorite fashion icons are seen wearing them, well by some, I mean just Kate Moss (and Michelle Williams?):

You can buy these new boots basically anywhere. I’ve seen a lot at Urban, but I’d also try Nordstroms,Von Maur, anywhere a lot of shoes are sold.

At the other end of the boot spectrum, there’s always the ever stylish ankle boot, or bootie. Reminiscent of the early 60’s mod look, booties always make a statement. Sexy yet classy, classic and chic. They offer the elegance of the boot without the added length.

These beauties are Louboutins, which, obviously, no one can afford, but fear not - there are a ton of other options out there.
For some more affordable booties, check out Aldo’s similar pair:

These are as classic as the Louboutins, a simple, sleek elegance. They can be paired with virtually anything and the shape is very bell-bottoms hippie chic.
Pair those with a flirty skirt and a mismatched top, and you should be set for the retro-mod-kitsch dressed up/casual look this fall. I’m especially a fan of loud, printed skirts and bright tights. That’s a lot of adjectives to take in, and you can guarantee that your outfit will be too.

When it comes to fashion this season, stick to layering basic neutral preppy pieces with kitsch, earthy accents, and you should be set to face fall head on into the blustery winds and shorter daylight hours.
With browns and blacks, grays and mustard yellows, a vast array of stormy hues and earthy colors hitting the shelves this fall, it’s time to add a little drab to your wardrobe.
If you want ideas for what colors to wear this fall, then go outside. Pick up a rake and get to it. There’s your fall palette. I also like looking to street style blogs and Nylon, Paper, and Vogue for fashion trends. Except always remember not to copy too closely or try too hard– poser! Happy fall fashion!

DIY
It’s runway…your way.

Dressed up Drab
Think a lot of layered grays and blacks, preppy sweaters and tights complete with bubble skirt and heels, with a hint of mustard yellow or a kitsch flowered skirt.
RUNWAY
Marc Jacobs ©style.com

COLLEGE
Buy this flowered skirt from Urban Outfitters (yes, it may be $48 now, but wait a week or two and it’ll be on the sale rack for 30) that everyone seems to have:
©Urbanoutfitters.com
pair it with some black tights, some black/ gray heels or boots (your on your own for these) and…

Gap’s new “boyfriend sweater” which I’m personally a big fan of considering that it looks like something one of my “boyfriends” (albeit slightly afeminine) would wear, I don’t know about yours.
©gap.com. Classics never go out of style. Now it’s up to you to construct the rest of your outfit. Although on-campus shopping options seem limited, I’d try a bright scarf, perhaps from the Circles boutique downtown Champaign, great money saver as well. Or pick up a big, brightly colored bag from forever21, loud and inexpensive, because that’s how we all like our fun.

Brown & Black, Casual & Formal
Remember those fashion no-no’s you learned growing up? Never wear white after Labor Day, always wear flats with shorts, blah blah blah? Well, recent innovations in the style sphere have told us to take what we know and turn it on its head. The same goes for brown and black – once fashion foes, now they’re the perfect pair in a look that is perfectly dressed up and down.
RUNWAY - Max Mara Fall 2009 RTW

STREET STYLE - weardrobe.com

COLLEGE
The wrap skirt is an essential here. If you really want to get crafty, buy some fabric (some beige silk perhaps) and DIY all night long, but here’s an easier option:
©express.com
This classical piece is from Express, and I understand the eye-rolling that might ensue upon reading those words, but it’s affordable (Express Student Credit Card account anyone?) and a classical piece that works for this look.

To complete this look you’ll need some more brown and some more black. Don’t think drab, think classical. Think Katherine Hepburn, think the early 60’s.
Shop on! Remember to shop smart and always be original. Authenticity can be duplicated but never taken.

That’s all for the first looks of fall, remember to always be creative and innovative, and to check back next week for our next fall look runway - your way.