Classic Must-Have Fashions
Classic fashions are worthwhile investments that continue to look current season after season. They are the element in your wardrobe that allows you to try new and different styles without looking too trendy. However, look for slight re-interpretations as they continue to appear in updated versions.
For fall/winter, Jose Parron, director of The Image Studio at Barneys New York, suggests the following wardrobe classics. They will help anchor your look and always be in style.
The following are the looks featured on The Early Show.
Look No.1
Accessories:
The white blouse is something that is shown each season, regardless of the time of year. It is crisp and elegant no matter what you wear with it. Fashion designer Carolina Herrera has made the white blouse her signature look, almost always wearing this classic. Although the white blouse comes in a variety of fabrics, including cotton, the one featured on the show is a dressier wrap version in taffeta.
The denim jean, originally a work pant, became super fashionable when designer Gloria Vanderbilt introduced the designer jean in the 1970s. They are now a mainstay in any wardrobe. Updated versions of the traditional denim jeans are dressier with more detailing, and can often be paired with a sexy top for the evening. The one featured is a black jean with velvet for a dressier jean look.
The patent leather handbag popularized in the 1950s, re-surfaced in the 1980s, and is back again.
Metallic pumps, around for the last several seasons, including this fall and into spring, are now becoming a classic.
Look No. 2
Accessories:
The camel coat, another classic, is a nice way to lighten a heavier, darker fall wardrobe. Plus, it looks great with just about every kind of skin complexion.
The A-line skirt is one of the most flattering skirt shapes, especially if you tend to be larger around the hips and thighs. It also moves well and can be worn with anything, pumps or boots.
Boots return every fall. Although styles change, they can be worn with skirts, slacks, etc. Whether flat or with a heel, choose a style that works for you.
Animal print handbags. Exotic animal prints have been fashionable for decades, and are always a fun way to accessorize a neutral palette. The one featured is a giraffe print, but handbags come in all kinds of prints such as leopard, zebra, etc.
Click on page 2 for looks 3-5.
Look No. 3
Accessories:
The pantsuit is truly a classic investment piece that can take you through almost any occasion. Wear it to church, court, a job interview or even a funeral.
A scarf can add a little snap and style with a minimal investment. Jazz up any structured suit by wearing a scarf with a fun color, print or texture, either around your neck, tied to a bag, or rolled up and worn as a belt. Fashion icon Katherine Hepburn made wearing scarves, as well as trousers, a fashion staple.
Gold, of course, is constantly in fashion. Gold accessories, like jewelry, are a perfect fashion investment since it holds its own, both style-wise and financially.
Look No. 4
Accessories:
The pea coat, a heavy wool double breasted hip-length jacket, was first worn by sailors during World War I & II. After the War, they appeared in Army-Navy stores. Since then, they have had periodic revivals, including a period in the 1960s when they were worn by hippies. Pea Coats resurfaced yet again in the winter of 1994, and have continued to be fashionable. This season they are more embellished, but the one featured is a more subtle classic version.
Full-leg trousers, or men's styled pants, emerged from sportswear to high fashion in the 1930s when film stars like Marlene Dietrich and Katherine Hepburn flouted fashion rules and wore slacks both on and off screen. Actress Diane Keaton popularized the pant look again in her "Annie Hall" days, adapting them into her own style. The classic full-leg pant is particularly flattering for women with fuller thighs and wider hips. And, although they are by origin a masculine style, they can be very feminine.
Spectators, or two-toned men's inspired shoes, have reappeared continuously since the 1930s. The sporty yet sophisticated footwear comes in various styles — oxfords, pumps, slingbacks — and color combinations.
Look No. 5
Accessories:
The little black dress is every woman's go-to frock. It's simple, slimming, and can be worn day to evening. Although Coco Chanel was the first to introduce the black shift dress in 1926, it was Audrey Hepburn's version designed by Hubert de Givenchy and worn in the 1954 movie "Sabrina" (and then again in 1961's "Breakfast at Tiffany's") that instantly made the little black dress a must-have.
The one featured is an updated version with a nude upper portion covered in tulle. Paired with the dress are a mix of classic pearls and faux pearls covered with tulle for a modern twist. Fashion icon Coco Chanel made pearls a must in every woman's wardrobe, while first ladies such as Jacqueline Kennedy and Barbara Bush have made the pearl a traditional statement.