When I hear the word velvet I think of three things- red velvet cake, the
'90s and
Stevie Nicks (not necessarily in that order!). Lately though it seems that velvet has entered my fashion vocabulary in a way that isn't making me cringe -- it's fashion forward, colorful, and surprisingly cool. This fall, the fuzzy fabric goes way beyond the basic little velvet blazer or velveteen rabbit bow headband.
Marc Jacobs origami-folded bright yellow velvet into '80s space-age bustiers and dresses.
Ralph Lauren gave us neutral toned draped jodhpur pants and Miuccia Prada incorporated hints of velvet into tweed skirts and jackets. If you must go the blazer route, try a different shape like
Surface to Air's 'Bleys' jacket or go for a slouchy version like
Gryphon's smoking jacket. Alexander Wang peppered his runway show with black velvet, in a super rock and roll way; try the cool oversized vest for a totally unexpected velvet touch. Still scared of all the heavy fabric and shine? You can still stick to a touch of velvet with a cute pair of ballet flats. For more ideas for wearing velvet, check out the slideshow.
