2011 Fall Trends: Victorian Style to Rainbow Furs

The fall 2011 Fashion Week runways exuded some exciting choices for the new season's trends. Each design house created ensembles that single handedly geared certain trends to be the hottest item on department store racks. There were understated styles, as well as, bright, boisterous pieces that made a real distinction from the others.

Philosophy's Furs

Design house Philosophy had a selection of fur coats that were far from being your traditional brown fur. The colors were exotically vibrant. Philosophy's canary yellow three-quarter length, collarless jacket was more than a walking coat. The coat was layered with tufted fur to create a striped pattern. The jacket stood out against the contrasting colors of the other furs in the collection, which were created in soft pink, lavender and blue.

Where to find similar pieces

Check your high end stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue or Nordstrom's, which carries bold fur vests and coats. If the price is not in your budget, opt for accessories lined in fur such as shoes or handbags, or purchase faux fur versions.

Victorian Era

There were several design houses such as Marchesa, Marc Jacobs and Jason Wu, whose lines resembled those of the Victorian era. Pieces offered puffed shoulder caps and antique lace throughout. In some cases, the lace ran from neckline to hemline and was completed with demure tights. High necklines were adorned with ruffles and ribbon, producing the Victorian school marm style that was polished off with granny boots or pumps.

Where to find similar pieces

Many retailers have picked up on this trend already. Jackets, dresses and blouses are hanging on department store racks and are available in multi-style retailers like Target.

Red Hot

The red dress was red hot on the fall fashion runway. Several designers created pieces that were unbelievably bold. Victoria Beckam's long red, sleeveless sheath had an unusually loose mock neck and a floor sweeping hemline. Costello Tagliapietra's red hot dress was also a floor length creation with a boat neck, and sleeves that hung just over the wrist. This knit sweater dress had a split that ran over the knee.

Where to find similar pieces

Unless you plan to purchase the exact style, you can find shorter designs besides the floor length option. Retailers such as Victoria's Secret, who is known for its selection of dresses, offer several red hot dresses.

Source: Elle