Hey all fashion-lovers and side-eyers, we’re back from our long hibernation of finals, present wrapping, and a general lack of motivation to bring you new words of wisdom/sass. Ready? Let’s get started by a quick struggling-to-walk-this-long-in-heels stroll down memory lane…
2017 was quite a year to say the least from the good (Cardi B and offset’s engagement, Time naming the “silence breakers” person of the year, Slick Woods becoming a regular on my Instagram feed) to the bad (Puerto Rico STILL not having power, Azzedine Alaïa dying, Donald Trump and his entire administration existing) to the downright majestic (BEYONCE’S PREGNANCY ANNOUNCEMENT, ANYONE???).
It also had its fair share of sartorial successes and fashion flops (cough, cough, Balenciaga’s Spring 2018 collection). The new year is just days away, should, as the songs says, “old acquaintance be forgot?” Yes and no. Here are a few of the styles Comme Une Soleil wants to see more of in 2018 and what we think should be put out on the corner with our plastic champagne flutes when the clock strikes midnight.
Note: there are more positive trends than negative ones, because I love to see things half-full 😉
We want more: punchy, monochromatic tuxes and suits
Fashion bloggers worldwide have been featuring structured-yet-disheveled menswear in reds, pinks, yellows, and more into their wardrobe rotations (and “tiny” closets) and we are surely here for it! There’s something unapologetically cool and sexy about a woman who “tosses” on a suit, especially if it’s in a funky color or with an abstract neckline, like fashion blogger’s Camille Charriere’s red ensemble she wore to her best friend’s Paris wedding (notice the white suit instead of a wedding dress– tres chic). Pair with loafers or smoking slippers and some gaudy costume jewels to make a “can’t look away” impact in 2018.
We want less: unnecessary cutouts
Don’t get me wrong… posting this isn’t a veiled attempt to promote dressing more modestly. No one understands and appreciates a sexy flash of skin (big or small) like me, but there are better ways to accomplish it than with cutout sleeves and side slits that look like they were made with those Cricket stencil machines that our friends’ crafty moms used when we were nine. If you’re going for a disheveled “I don’t even know I’m half naked” look, make it seem effortless, with torn and worn looking fabric or just taking the plunge and actually go for plunging/rocking a thigh slit/backless dress/sleeveless top. Ditch the factory-fed scissor look, it’s tired.
We want more: up to *here* bodysuits
Speaking of modesty, I personally love the visible hip trend made popular by supermodels like Bella Hadid and the especially daring/body confident this year. Tom Ford made the scandalous look his own in his Spring 2018 collection, and although I might not be ready to see it on *everyone* (cough, myself), I am hoping to see more of it in the year(s) to come. Why? It’s interesting, retro, sort-of subtle, and especially sexy. Plus, a higher cut panty line is just more flattering than the noughties’ hip-hugger cuts, which also seem to be making some sort of comeback (not sure how I feel about it, TBH).
We want more: romantic sundresses
2017 saw a huge wave of laid-back French girl style (sunhats, culottes, paper-bag waist trousers, nips galore) across the pond and elsewhere, and Comme Une Soleil loved it all. However, our favorite femme-friendly trend of the year was all of the breezy, barely-there floral wrap dresses seen on French model, actress, and designer Jeanne Demas and a whole host of Instagram-popular “dream girls,” given the name by Australian brand and wrap dress pioneer Realisation. These robes come in all sorts of colors and cuts, but all share a few unifying themes: lightweight materials, delicate patterns, and an air of the wearer not trying at all while still looking effortlessly fab. The look is so timeless, we know it’ll stay popular well past 2018 (and if not, here’s to breaking the rules!).
We want less: deconstructed striped shirts
When it comes to high quality fast fashion and in-the-moment trends, there’s nothing quite like Zara. I personally rely on it a lot, for everything from basics to party dresses. However, Zara bugged the sh*t out of me this summer while I was in France, because 90% of their pieces were asymmetrical takes on a classic blue and white striped shirt (a piece that can do no wrong). Because of Zara’s knack for trendsetting, I started seeing mutton sleeved blouses, structured crop tops, and stiff-collared vests as streetwear: all with the same pattern, and all tackily unoriginal. Maybe it was cute for a week (like much of Zara’s offerings), but this Taylor Swift-reminiscent trend lasted all year. Let’s treat this trend like we did any lingering respect we had for T-Swift and leave it behind.
We want more: quirky furs
Saks Potts, a Copenhagen-based outerwear brand, has been picking up rapid speed in 2017, popping up on the back of pretty much every non-vegan “it-girl” of the fashion world. The quirky brand (started by a 23 and 24 year old!) specializes in luxe fur coats in punchy colors and prints with oversized collars and sleeves; a mix that both a flirty Mrs. Claus and Cruella De Vil would love. The downsides? The ethical considerations (they do use real furs) and the very steep price tag (again, they use real furs). However, since this look has become so popular among Instagram’s fashion elite, we’re thinking that less expensive, cruelty-free faux options will flood fashion blogs and our favorite retailers’ sites in 2018 (our consistently-cold fingers are crossed!).
We want more: Sci-fi inspired sunnies
A new frontier of eyewear has been on the horizon for sometime now, and Comme Une Soleil has a feeling 2018 will be the year we’ll all implement it as an accessory staple: futuristic-yet-retro, Matrix-style sunglasses. Shades seem to be getting smaller and smaller (unfortunate for Big Heads like me, but things could be worse) and more avant-garde and at looking like they could be at home in a Spy Kids movie every day. I personally can’t wait to get robotic and leave this questionable year behind.
Here’s to the future!