As the heat lingers well into September, New Orleans fashion lovers are struggling to keep their wardrobes trendy and practical in the unconventional New Orleans fall climate.
While most American fashionistas are unearthing their warm clothing from storage, New Orleans locals are attempting to smoothly transition their summer wardrobes into fit fall styles because here in Louisiana, it doesn’t feel like fall just yet.
For the Fall 2012 season, popular trends include color blocking, mixing and matching prints and bright hues.
According to the Manager of Swap Boutique, Caitlin Clifford, It’s actually pretty simple to keep up with fall trends while still being mindful of the hot weather. “What’s great about fashion is you can still stick with fall trends but not necessarily fall weight.”
Clifford gives options of easy ways to transform heavier fall clothing into outfits you can wear in the hot New Orleans weather.
“You don’t have to wear super heavy leathers or furs. You can if you want to, but you can translate it down. Instead of a fur jacket, you can wear a fur vest. You can still be wearing fur, which is really popular for fall right now, but you don’t have to be sweating to death,” Clifford said.
While transitioning summer pieces into fall must-wears may seem like a challenge, sometimes the answer is just as simple as adding a fall accessory to a summertime outfit.
“Throwing on a pair of subtly textured black tights under any pair of summer shorts is my favorite example of how to creatively transition your wardrobe from summer to fall,” economics senior, Mary Riordan said.
Psychology senior Ellie Horgan said that in New Orleans it is essential to keep these fashion tricks in mind in order to look in season while still feeling comfortable.
“I love fall fashion. My favorite aspect is how versatile each piece becomes when you accessorize with lots of fun, light layers. You can wear the same items yet layer them differently and look completely original,” Horgan said.
This year’s fall fashion has adopted an interesting twist on traditional colors as well.
Fall designers typically showcase darker colors such as blacks, browns and purples, but warm hues have taken a back seat to bright colors this fall. The runway has been flooded with electric oranges, pinks and the season’s most popular color, cobalt blue, Clifford said.
No one likes to wear dark colors underneath the beating hot sun, so this shift in trends has made being fashionable in the New Orleans climate much more comfortable.
It is easy to become discouraged about fall fashion when the September weather forecast predicts temperatures in the eighties, but with students adding in appropriate fall accessories, colors and trends, Loyola students can avoid traumatizing their professors by wearing what mass communication professor Cathy Rogers describes as, “skirts so short they look like scarves.”
Olivia Luckemeyer can be reached at [email protected]
Gae-tana’s Boutique on Maple Street displays their fall accessories. This season’s most popular colors include shades of blue and brown. (SHAMARA KING/ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR)
