Runway trends come and go depending on the season, there's no denying this. While some runway looks are simply timeless, most of them definitely have an expiration date when it comes to how long the trend will last. Why is this? Well, to put simply, some runway looks are just so unattainable and unwearable. You're probably familiar with this phenomenon of runway looks just not making sense. Couture looks of “high fashion” are constant reminders that they don’t know how to communicate with consumers who are actually buying the clothes.
That being said, we can't forget that fashion is art and creativity at its finest — the so-called 'unwearable', abstract pieces prove just that. The fashion world takes fashion month to put on the biggest creative spectacles they can think of, but what does that mean for us who make up the majority of the market?
It can seem tough to make such an abstract look come to life for an everyday, 20-something girl. However, taking inspiration from the runway for your everyday wear — whether it's class, work, or your next G.N.O. — can actually be done. Yup, you heard us right. As a self-proclaimed street style and runway fan, I decided to take this exact challenge on myself. I'm going to encourage everyday women just like me to add a little bit of runway inspo into their lives to see if this "unwearable" trend is actually worth it.
So first, let’s get down to the challenge inspiration. New York’s set of fashion shows were the first to show us the newest string of colors to watch out for and they all proved to just be updated versions of this autumn season’s colors: red, bright blue, yellow, orange, and metallics. The one that stood out the most and continued more frequently into Milan, Paris, and London was red. I loved this dark, muted red from the No.21 show and also this bright pop of red from the Gucci show.
To put it to this trend to the test, I asked Felicity (HC's Style Editor) Gina (HC's Beauty Editor) and Edel (HC's Video Content Creator) from Her Campus Media to take on the challenge and try out one of this season’s top trending colors. Is this a trend that actually works in an office setting?
Dabbling in red
Gina took a fun beginner level approach to the trend. If you’re not looking to go all out, just accessorize! Accessories are the easiest ways to make runway trends more attainable in day to day life because of how simple and easy they are to pair with basically anything. The layered black turtleneck and denim dress are just neutral enough to not take away attention from the gorgeous red earrings and scrunchie she decided to sport.
She said, “This is what I chose to wear for just seeping into wearing red a little bit more. I accessorized with a bright red scrunchie and some red earrings. It’s super easy to add a small pop of color without wearing a full red outfit.”
Shades of red
The muted red and the bright red are great on their own, but together? Showstopping! Felicity kept it simple with a basic tucked in dark red sweater, black jeans, and black booties. To add a little flair, she mixed it with a bright red crossbody bag. The two tones of red really add dimension to the look when paired together and it’s a good way to be a little more advanced in trying out the trend. Also, must note that she topped off the whole look with a leopard print scrunchie, another HUGE trend right now!
“I decided to pick my favorite maroon sweater, I love it so much and it really pairs well with everything. I definitely wanted to give it a pop of color as well, so I pulled this bright red purse that I had,” she said. “I really like mixing and matching different shades of the same color I think it just gives it a little bit more depth to the outfit.”
Never enough red
Edel definitely took the most daring approach to this challenge, incorporating everything she could find in her closet that was red and mixing in some statement pieces and other trends as well! The patent leather skirt is super on trend right now and goes really well with the black and white basics she paired them with. The touch of the bright red purse and red scrunchie takes the look to the next level; don’t be afraid to mix in a bold red lip to tie it all together!
She said, “To be really daring, I basically took every red thing in my closet and just threw it on me. So I have this really edgy patent leather red skirt that’s a more deeper tone and then I have this more bright red purse just to add a little pop of color and to match my lipstick.”
Overall, red can be a liiiittle bit of a tricky color to wear without feeling like you’re going too over the top. Runway trends may seem impossible to wear, due to their over the top high fashion stereotype, but we're here to help. There are tons of way to do it without feeling too overwhelmed and several different levels of bold you can go to depending on your comfort zone. There's always an option to just dabble in red with your accessories, mix and match different shades, or go all out and just wear whatever you can find in your closet pertaining to that trend. Whatever you decide, rock it, The most fashionable thing about wearing runway trends in feeling confident in how you style it.