Predictions

Hi Pres,

There's lots of coverage in the news of the runway fashions. What's your opinion on what will make the cut and appear in our "real life" stores for next year? And, more importantly, how can these sometimes outrageous looks work in real life?
gelinda

I'm not great at predicting what's coming up for the next season. And, this is good for me, because I advise buying clothes when they are already in season and wearing them right away. They're usually on sale then, too. Things just don't look right to me until I can see them in the proper light, and I make mistakes when I plan too far ahead. Will it be a warm Spring or a rainy one? Who can say?

About adapting outrageous looks for real life, I do have some tips. Pick the style that suits you best, and honor it. Skip anything, far out, or near in, if it doesn't sing on you. Sometimes, you have to sit out a season by sticking with classics, but that's rare, because the variety out there is plentiful. I have a few go-to designers (like Ralph and Carolina) that I can count on to show something fresh but wearable. I usually take note of a color that's "in" (for this Spring, there are super saturated light colors, like orange sorbet) and I find an accessory in that color, like a clutch or a scarf, to throw into the mix.

The most important part about watching the runway is never shutting out new ideas, and then finding them when they are adapted for ready-to-wear.