Thoroughly Modern Milly

We are pleased to announce the launch of the 2009-10 Colonnade fashion column. Our promise is to provide you with a fresh and fabulous modern take on today’s wardrobe for both men and women. We will scour every runway, hunt for every trend and study every edition of Vogue to bring you the most current information in the world of fashion.

Choosing the name of the column was important to us, as it will be the direction for all the articles to come. Like the perfect pair of J. Brand jeans, only one name seemed to fit. Taken from the classic 1920s play “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” the phrase uses our town’s moniker and also harkens back that groundbreaking play filled with fashion-forward people who defied the expectations of everyone they knew.

So here’s to great style and to a great year, and to the most thoroughly modern campus of them all, Milly!

Lovely layers: How to look fierce when you’re freezing

By Joanna Sullivan

We all know that a great cardi and dark washed jeans paired with cozy boots are every girl’s best bet for looking pulled together when the weather gets chilly. But what happens when she goes out on the town? Our suggestion: spice things up with a pair of colored tights and a great winter coat.

The highly acclaimed man of fashion, Tim Gunn, said that he prefers colored tights because they are an inexpensive way to add an element of glam to any outfit and are much more fresh than sheer hosiery. One can wear tights under a dress, high-waisted wool dress-shorts, or whatever else strikes your fancy.

As far as outerwear is concerned, a boyfriend blazer or a classic trench coat are great options. The boyfriend blazer is slowly but surely becoming a primary staple in the modern wardrobe and is a great purchase to make with a future career in mind. The trench also has a certain timelessness that is great for the blustery cold or just a rainy, gloomy day.

Take inspiration from Blair Waldorf played by Leighton Meester in Gossip Girl who dons three of the five looks mentioned. Waldorf is the quintessential lover of tights and cashmere cardigans, but you can pull off an equally fabulous look without breaking the bank.

Mad for plaid: Think inside the box

By Danielle Paluga

With the coming of cooler weather I always look forward to wearing my favorite plaid scarf. My grandmother got it on her trip to Scotland so it’s about as real tartan as you can get. Plaid, with its many different styles, is always a staple for the fall and winter seasons.

Plaid is always present on the London Fashion Week runways and this year was no exception. The queen of plaid and punk Dame Vivienne Westwood and up-and-coming London designer Christopher Kane both featured darker tartans on their Fall/Winter 2009 runways. Lucky magazine also has an editorial on London style in this month’s issue that features some plaid pieces.

Londoners have some of the best street style ever. And the best way to emulate it is to add a plaid accent to your wardrobe. Whether your timid or bold there’s something for you.

Plaid shirts (think Kurt Cobain and lumberjacks) are very popular with celebs this year. These long-sleeved tees are comfortable, but cute enough to wear to class. They are a slightly smaller commitment than the pants. The dark plaid that Kane had on his models this season is a more formal choice. It would be great to have a skirt in that pattern to wear to a job interview.

After years of going to private schools and having to wear terrible plaid uniforms, it’s amazing that I love this pattern so much. But I guess since I can now choose to wear it when I want, it really is a versatile pattern that makes the winter a lot more colorful.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Nov 13 2009. Filed under Opinion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry