It has been an interesting year for fashion: taste has become more refined as styles sailed away from once celebrated notions of excess. Bling is out, and lady like elegance is back in vogue. Séances of fashion spirits have taken place on both runways and in the workplace as Audrey Hepburn elegance and Jackie O. simplicity have been called forth. Thank God. It was getting slightly ridiculous. It is hard to predict how tastes will evolve and what trends will flourish or disappear throughout 2009, but there were indicators in 2008 that could guide such predictions. The recession is overshadowing haute couture and mainstream fashion as both the rich and the not-so-rich curb their spending enthusiasm. Fashion designers too are taking into account the need to produce collections that are not exaggerated in terms of price and style. In the 2008 American presidential campaign fashion enthusiasts had their eyes on a former pageant queen, a former White house first lady, and America's first potential African American first lady. The result? It was a mélange of tastes, labels and wild rumors. Sarah Palin's new $150,000 campaign wardrobe was met with anger; Hillary Clinton proved she is aging with grace and her usual pantsuit look was certainly nostalgic of her White House years; and now-First-Lady-elect Michelle Obama took center stage as the world watched how a lawyer mother could juggle it all with such panache. Michelle Obama, who is expected to be a major influence on 2009 fashion, did a brilliant job of presenting how fashionable one can be on a tight budget. Obama mixed labels of all sorts throughout the campaign, from designers Thakoon, Azzedine Alaia, and Narciso Rodriguez to H&M. She was astute in her choices according to the occasion and flattering always to her athletic figure. Wearing JCREW rather than couture when appearing on Jay Leno's The Tonight Show, Michelle Obama presented the average mother in top form: hip, refined and simple. The fact that she did it all whilst on a budget is most pertinent when considering how the current financial crisis would dictate our tastes and options in the coming future. In 2008, silhouettes have changed. Harem pants are in, skirts are back both A-line and pencil. There is an emphasis on moving away from Bohemian aesthetics of the slightly disheveled towards the more kept and prim. Case in point: even Sienna Miller has pulled herself together. Colors will stay bright in 2009. Fuscia, canary yellows and bottle green are dictating an explosion of color on the catwalks, and despite the sober mood of the world, color in one's outfit can brighten up the mood just a bit for everyone. It's time, however, to throw out your black leggings. Harem pants are here to stay for a while as people enjoy their baggy comfort and casual appeal. Mostly being offered by designers and stores in jersey and soft cottons, it's a great look for night while on holiday or whilst shopping in the morning around your neighborhood. Bandage dressing is hip for cocktail parties and night time affairs. Seen on shoes and dresses by Sergio Rossi and Herve Leger respectively, it's a revival of what was best about the 1980s; tight mini dresses intended to show off every single curve of a woman's body. Be careful not to teeter on the edge of bondage dressing which is a completely different story and thankfully, it hasn't been spotted on catwalks in years. Floral prints will continue as they become more stylized, and in both colorful prints and more subdued pastels. Granny florals, small tightly wound floral prints and large geometric floral patterns will reign supreme as women continue vying for elegant attire. Interestingly enough, there is a leaning towards manly blazers, the look suggests one borrows from a father or husband a jacket slightly too big and rolling up the sleeves. Disheveled perhaps, but is it interesting when paired with harem pants and a floral top underneath. The whole look would connote a modern day feminine take on the blazer but to avoid the costume-look, search for blazers that aren't printed and are darker in color. Avoid this look at a more formal affair, keep the blazer to early weekend morning brunches and casual gatherings. This isn't a look for the office. Animal prints may make a subtle comeback as Stella McCartney and Chloe incorporate zebra stripes and cheetah print into casual day wear in their Spring 09 collections. When considering that McCartney avoids using any leather whatsoever in any of her design wear, even shoes are made from more animal friendly materials, it should come as no surprise that McCartney has decided to celebrate the animal form in the new collection. An outfit without accessories is a crime. Belted dresses at the waist seem to stubbornly persist in cruise collections for the coming spring, and bags seem to remain somewhat on the larger side. Soft leather hobo looks seem to be doing a circuit with Miu Miu, Alexander McQueen and Chloe creating bags in varying shades of green. Celadon, apple and dark fir green are in, and should one invest in such a bag today, the bags could be carried throughout 2009. Despite the seriousness of contemporary social and global affairs, fashion can always be counted upon to be the least serious matter. Enjoy the coming year and remember, less is always more and classic styles are always full proof.
