Fall 2010 Trend Reports

1.Fifties something

Cleavage made a, um, big comeback on the Fall runways, with hourglass silhouettes front and center. Nina Ricci's combo of bustier and curve-hugging, below-the-knee pencil skirt had a retro 1950's twist, as did the made-for-Christina Hendricks dresses at Louis Vuitton and Dolce & Gabbana. At Prada, meanwhile, Lara Stone and co. made the case that curvy catwalkers should be more than just a novelty.

2.Fur Real (faux too)

The Fall runway shows wrapped up without a single documented PETA-sponsored prank. Ironic, considering how many pelts decorated the catwalks. They came patchworked at Fendi and Acne, positively ferocious at Lanvin, and in the form of an ultra-plush peacoat at Burberry Prorsum. But leave it to Karl Lagerfeld to have the last laugh. At Chanel, everything from the house's classic tweeds and quilted, chain-strap bags to yeti boots was trimmed in fur—faux fur, that is.

3.hue NEW

The way to wear color this fall: head to toe, believe it or not. Tomas Maier sleekly paired a rosy blouse with red leather trousers, while Tory Burch showed an orange sweater and skirt with matching lipstick and leggings. On the cooler end: Oscar de la Renta's blue tweed suit with coordinating checkered tights, and a bodacious, bright purple frock and leggings combo at Mark Fast. Turns out "matchy-matchy" is now a compliment.

4.man UP

There's a running joke that people join the fashion industry because they can't cope with corporate dress codes. Well, the laugh is on us this season. Menswear-inspired suiting and outerwear are key looks—and the smartest way to carry the minimalist trend forward. Celine's Phoebe Philo made a convincing argument for cropped, ankle-flaring trousers, and even Alexander Wang did a tailored wool jacket, albeit with an exposed midriff that might get you canned on Wall Street.

5.the GOLD economy

It wasn't all beige, beige, beige on the season's runways. Diane von Furstenberg and Dries Van Noten turned out gold lamé frocks, Jason Wu and Peter Som added flourishes of metallic foil printing to their dresses, and Marco Zanini went for head-to-toe brocade shimmer at Rochas. Balmain's Christophe Decarnin, for his part, combined all of the above into his most decadent collection yet. Ah, decadence. How we've missed you.

6.the LONG view

It's time to retire your micro-minis and sky-high heels. No, really. Designers have gone long for both day and night, turning out demure yet dramatic skirts that skim the upper shins (Marc Jacobs at both his own label and Louis Vuitton), graze the ankles (Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren), or fall gracefully somewhere in between. The most comforting part of this story: The new lengths look smashing with easy-on-the-feet kitten heels and flat-soled boots.

7.Under Wraps

The minimalist resurgence may be continuing apace, but that didn't stop some designers from taking a more-is-more approach. J.Crew's Jenna Lyons covered her models in a mix of sequins, shearling, cashmere, and denim, and there were upward of eight garments in a single outfit at Rag & Bone. Elsewhere, the layered look took on a chic-nomad feel: Wrap sweaters and skirts resembled handwoven blankets at Rodarte, and striped shawls were worn with cozy suede boots at Kenzo. Whatever else, you won't go cold this winter.

xoxo fashion geek