Jenna Lyons’ new venture, the theme for next year’s Met Gala, an H&M bra collection for breast cancer survivors, and other style news that made headlines in October.

• Stuart Weitzman is expanding its boot width sizes: Fall styles will be available in sizes 4–12 and in narrow, medium, and wide. 
• H&M launched a bra collection for breast cancer survivors.
• Next year’s Costume Institue exhibition and Met Gala will be framed around Susan Sontag’s seminal 1964 essay ‘Notes on ‘Camp’.
• Walmart has announced it will be acquiring plus-size brand Eloquii.
• Everlane is eliminating virgin plastic from its business, starting with a new outerwear collection.
• Here’s Alexander Wang’s intimates collection for Uniqlo.
• Coach is phasing out fur by their fall 2019 collection.
• Former executive creative director and president of J.Crew Jenna Lyons is partnering with Turner for a weekly unscripted television series that will bring together fashion, home, and lifestyle.
• J.Crew meanwhile is running its second annual coat drive (until 25 December). The gently used coats will go to people in need across the U.S. and in seven other countries.
• Gilberto Benetton, co-founder of the eponymous clothing brand, has died at the age of 77.
• The London Victoria & Albert Museum will be staging the UK’s largest ever Christian Dior exhibition.

Fun Fashion Fact

Did you know that sneaker brand Keds, founded in 1916, “was originally supposed to be called Peds, after the Latin word for feet. When they realised that word had already been trademarked, the company decided on the name Keds” instead. 

Today I’m going to talk about the way I use some common fashion terms here on YLF. The differences between some of the terms are subtle. And they are used differently by different fashion professionals. In those cases I’m not claiming my definition is better. It’s just mine. 

Trendy: An item is trendy when it’s on-trend. Trends typically last five to seven years, and sometimes even longer. Trends can be fringe or mainstream. Fring trends are those that are only adopted by a smallish subset of consumers. Some trends start out fringe and go mainstream later. Some go mainstream right away, and some stay fringe forever. Although trendy items are current, current is not a synonym for trendy. A look or item can be current, but not on-trend. For example, moto jackets are current, but not on-trend.

Current: Current means not dated. Items are current when they are not necessarily on-trend or fashionable, but they are in style. A pair of mid-rise skinny jeans or a simple knee-length pencil skirt are current items, but not trendy items. Modern classics are current. I put the word modern with the word classic because classics can date, needing a periodic refresh as the trends evolve.

Dated: Dated means not current. It applies when an item or look has passed its trendy and stylish expiry date. What is considered dated these days is as clear as mud because it’s extremely subjective and almost anything goes. With all sorts of silhouettes, looks and combinations coming back into fashion, items are less prone to looking dated, and that’s a good thing. It’s more of a personal question for the wearer because what looks dated to one person is not to another.

Fad: A fashion trend that is short-lived and over in one season or less. Fashion fads are rare these days, because trends last a lot longer than they used to. This is another great way in which fashion has evolved.

Modern Retro: Modern Retro means that you’re incorporating a style, trend or design from a bygone era AND adding a good dose of modern or current to the look. Retro items are new pieces, not vintage items that were actually made during those eras. Integrating a dose of a bygone fashion era into your look defies the trends and holds its own these days. That’s why I feel that the retro chunky white pearl necklaces that I wear daily and with anything defy the trends and don’t look dated.

Just to complicate matters, adding a dose of specific era into your look can be trendy if those fashion eras are on-trend at the moment. For example, it’s all about the ‘80s and ‘90s influences in fashion right now, so you’re on-trend wearing them.

Vintage: Wardrobe items that are older than twenty years. The risk of these items looking dated is high, but there is a hip factor associated with wearing them if you can make them look current — even on-trend — in an outfit. For example, high-rise classic jeans (aka Mom jeans) and high-rise straight jeans are vintage items you’ll find in a thrift store. You can make them look fashionably right when you combine them with a good dose of current.

Fashion-Forward: A look or item that is ahead of its time. Fashion-forward items and outfit combinations can become on-trend and completely mainstream at a later date. Think of how unfathomable it was to wear sneakers with dressier outfits a couple of decades ago. The juxtaposition was absurdly fashion-forward. Now sneakers look fine, even fabulous, with most outfits. The goalposts for what is regular fashion and fashion-forward keeps on shifting.

Avant-Garde: Unique, experimental, daring, dramatic, and somewhat architectural looks and wardrobe items that defy the trends. They are modern, current, and always in style. The most recognizable avant-garde retailer is Scandinavian COS.

Do your own definitions differ for any of these terms?

According to Fashionista, Modern Citizen is the Everlane of women’s professional clothing.

Refinery29 rounds up 5 plus-size-friendly workwear brands.

In this NYTimes piece three brands run by young women share their wisdom on workwear, and where it’s going next.

Fab Links from Our Members

Jessikams likes Universal Standard’s Transformers collection: “Super cool things you can add to your clothes to make them more interesting or fancy. Like Spanx ‘arm tights,’ but way more fun.”

She also thinks the video for Chaka Khan’s song Like Sugar is total fashion inspiration. She adds: “If you watch this one, and also Lizzo’s Good As Hell, while you get dressed, awesome outfits will result. Or at least you’ll have fun dancing around.”

UmmLila likes this ManRepeller/Leandra Medine piece on what maximalism means to her.

La Pedestrienne really enjoyed this New Yorker piece about the costumes and style on the ’90s sitcom The Nanny, starring Fran Drescher. “So many fond memories of that program from my childhood, and it is sooo fun to see the ’90s making a comeback. Talk about maximalism…”

Shevia directs us to this Vanessa Friedman piece in which she compares sneakers to Dutch tulips.

Jenni NZ thought people might like to read about Kelly Coe, designer of Augustine and other brands, whose collections are full of colour and sparkle.

And last but not least, Angie, Alyson from Wardrobe Oxygen, and Kat from Corporette, were interviewed for this New York Times article on what business casual really means.

Trends are not a one-season thing any more. They can last five years, and often even longer. A fringe trend is one that hasn’t quite gone mainstream. This season there is lots of trendy variety in silhouettes and washes for those who are bored with their denim looks. Extended sizes are available, but not as widespread as I’d like to see. 

I’ve narrowed down the trends to the five silhouettes that I believe are the easiest to fit, style and wear. The common design detail is a high or very high rise. The point is to showcase the length of the rise with a tucked or semi-tucked top, or shorter untucked top. Choose a shorter high rise if you’re short in the waist and rise. If you are long in the rise and torso, the rises won’t feel that high. Some of the styles have a button fly, and there’s lots of nodding back to the ‘80s and ‘90s.

1. High-Rise Straight Jeans

At the moment, a fringe trend and an acquired taste — give yourself time to get used to the look if it’s not instant affection. The silhouette is NOT tight or skinny in the slightest. The thigh and lower leg fit are fluid, and some styles are more fluid than others. Some styles have carpenter detailing. Hems are cropped or regular length to accommodate booties, oxfords, loafers, sneakers or shooties. You’ll probably need to roll the hems for high-shaft booties, or have them hemmed shorter. The Levi’s Wedgie is a good style to try, but note that the fits across the washes are different.

2. High-Rise Skinny Jeans

Think skinny jeans that are TIGHT to the ankle with a very high rise, and that’s the look. They’ve been on-trend for a while and are completely mainstream. The look is tailored or body-con, and there is no getting away from that. Lengths vary, but ankle length and cropped to a few inches above the ankle is common. They’re a good style to tuck into tall boots for rain, ice or snow. Personally, I prefer the silhouette with Summer shoes like loafers, ballet flats, oxfords and sandals because I like the skin exposure on the ankle with a very narrow hem, so I don’t wear these with booties. (I prefer booties with a roomier and straight hem). I’d wear the high-rise skinny with tall boots though, because that’s classic equestrian.

3. High-Rise Classic or Ankle Jeans

This is what the industry has called “Mom Jeans” and I cringe at the description. They’re a little roomier in the thighs than High-Rise Straight Jeans (#1), and more tapered on the lower leg. Full lengths are common, and a good item to find in a vintage consignment store. A fringe trend.

4. High-Rise Bootcut Jeans

These will take you back to the ‘70s because of the high rise. The versions in the late ’90s and  ‘00s were much lower in the rise, and to my eye look dated now unless you cover the rise and waist with an untucked top. Bootcuts are fitted on the hips and thighs, and flare out on the lower leg. They are a lot more tailored than wide legs. Some bootcut hems flare out more than others. They are FULL LENGTH, and completely mainstream. The trendy way to wear them is with sneakers and substantial flats. Of course, they look classically perfect and elegant with a pointy-toe heeled bootie or pump at the right length (almost skimming the surface of the ground).

5. High-Rise Wide Crops

These have been on-trend for a while, are a version of culottes, and completely mainstream. Fitted on the waist and hips, and wide through to the hem from the thighs down. If you style them similarly to the way you would a flared midi skirt, it’s an easy silhouette to wear. I prefer to wear these in the Summer months with warm-weather footwear, but they work well with booties, oxfords, tall boots and pumps too.

I’m into these silhouettes, and have all but the Mom Jeans and high-waisted bootcuts represented in my wardrobe. I’ve had the wide crops for years, but added the high-rise straights and high-rise skinnies this year. I’m leaving the high-rise bootcut jeans for Spring, although I recently bought high-rise chino bootcuts that I wear with chunky white sneakers and adore the vibe.

What do you think of the new silhouettes, and will you be refreshing your jeans capsule with any of them?