A Grace Coddington biopic, the theme for next year’s Met Gala, Kate Spade New York’s athleisure collection, and more fashion news that made headlines this week.

• Target is partnering with Who What Wear for a full-fledged clothing and accessories line.
• Nordstrom Rack continues to expand, and plans to have 300 locations open by 2020.
• & Other Stories and Rodarte are teaming up for a Spring 2016 capsule collection.
• A Grace Coddington biopic is in the works.
• The 2016 Met Gala Theme has been announced: Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology.
• Here’s a first look at Kate Spade New York’s athleisure capsule collection in collaboration with Beyond Yoga.
• Subscription box service Birchbox has developed its own in-house makeup line.

Fun Fashion Fact

Did you know that in 1890 Louis Vuitton patented the tumbler lock, a new kind of lock, invented by Louis’s son, Georges Vuitton, that was said to be unpickable. It is said that father and son were so sure of their lock that they challenged Harry Houdini to a public escape. Houdini’s response is not known.

This ensemble was inspired by a casual uniform that has become a favourite with some of my clients because it’s an alternative to denim. It’s also cozy, comfy and texture-rich. It combines a pair of skinny corduroy pants with a layering top, poncho or vest, and boots. 

The corduroy skinnies from KUT from the Kloth are a repeat style and all-round winners with clients. Great fit, warm and affordable. Ponchos, in all sorts of styles and colours, have been a hit too. 

Choose any colour palette across patterns and solids. I’ve chosen a very bold super hero palette in red and orange on the left, and a calm rendition in shades of brown on the right. Here are the components of the formula:

Corduroy Skinnies: Choose a pair of skinny or straight leg corduroy pants in a colour that tickles your fancy. 

Layering Top: Choose a layering top in a pattern or solid like a long-sleeved T-shirt, turtleneck, blouse, shirt or knitted top. Wear it over the cords. 

Poncho or Vest: Choose a poncho or tunic sweater vest in a cozy knit that works with the rest of the outfit. Pop it over the top for a layered look. 

Footwear: Mid-calf boots, knee-high boots, and over-the-knee boots tend to look best with skinny cords, but ankle boots are an easy alternative. Choose a casual style that works with the proportions and colours of the outfit. 

Accessories: A scarf is an optional extra for the version with the tunic sweater vest. Choose a satchel or clutch for the poncho option because shoulder bags don’t work with ponchos. Choose any casual bag for the tunic sweater vest option. Finish off the outfit with jewellery, watch, eyewear and headgear as desired.

Bridal Fashion Week took place in NYC last week, so here’s a short roundup of some of the Fall/Winter 2016 trends coming down the runway:

• From flutter sleeves and 3-D floral embellishments to gowns with detachable skirts, The Knot brings us the top wedding dress trends for 2016.
• More browsing fun with these 48 jaw-dropping dresses selected by Racked.
• Claire Pettibone’s gowns take us back to the Gilded Age. While Reem Acra sent his models down the runway carrying wedding-themed selfie sticks and sporting tiara headphones.
• If you’re looking for hairdo inspiration for your big day, then these 6 unexpected wedding hairstyles might come in handy.
• It’s not often that you see brides wearing a watch. That’s why I loved reading why this author will be sporting an inherited Chopard Happy Diamonds watch on her wedding day.

Fab Links from Our Members

Isabel’s heart almost stopped when she saw this article about how jeans are in danger of extinction. She adds: “I have noticed for a couple of years now that kids in school rarely wear jeans. The girls wear black tights or leggings and the boys mostly wear sports pants.”

Angie really liked Sally’s post on Style as Self-Care. As Sally puts it: “tending to my style feels both pleasurable and rewarding.” And Angie couldn’t agree more.

JAileen noticed that in her promo picture, Svetlana Alexievich, the 2015 winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, was wearing mustard. Angie had just done a post on wearing mustard, and here was this writer from Belarus looking great in a mustard suede jacket.

Carole appreciated Bridgette’s post about transitioning your wardrobe from Summer to Fall.

Has anyone played around with Style Suduko? Desmo April used it to create a travel capsule to upstate New York in November. The visuals help her keep track of the outfits.

Robin loves that the Bold Beauty Project exhibition celebrates physical beauty not in spite of, but because of the women’s physical differences and disabilities, “that beauty isn’t all or nothing, that their canes, wheelchairs, etc. are just part of their photos, not played up for effect or erased to make a more ‘perfect’ picture.”

The article above reminded BridgetteRaes of IZ Adaptive, a company that makes stylish and functional clothing for men and women in wheelchairs.

Vildy thinks Robin Givhan, the Washington Post’s fashion critic, is brilliant at discussing attitude and values. She enjoyed how this entire piece is filled with pithy distillations about what is confidence, narcissism, powerlessness, suffering, undress, adulthood versus the quest for youthfulness.

Over-the-knee boots are a fringe trend most seasons and this year is no different. The top of the boot covers the knees, and in some instances reaches to mid-thigh. The effect is dramatic and quite equestrian. 

Here are four easy ways to wear over-the-knee boots in outfits. 

Low Contrast Over Skinnies

The easiest way to wear over-the-knee boots is to pop them over skinny jeans or pants. Create a low contrast between the jeans and boots for extra vertical integrity and to eliminate horizontal lines on the leg. This combination also reduces the drama of the boots because they don’t stand out as much. Finish off the outfit with cozy layers. Wearing a long topper over the outfits as seen in these examples below goes a long way to grounding the drama.

High Contrast Over Skinnies 

By all means combine over-the-knee boots with skinny jeans and pants that create a high contrast with the boots as seen in these examples. The boots stand out more, creating extra drama. The horizontal line created by the high contrast top of the boots is offset by the length of the boots, which lengthens the leg upward from the calves. Finish off the outfit with cozy layers. And again, wearing a long topper over the outfits as seen in these pics goes a long way to grounding the drama of the boots. It is not essential though.

With Short Skirts & Dresses 

I like over-the-knee boots with shorter skirts and dresses that create an exposed area of skin between the top of the boots and the hem of the skirt or dress. That way you showcase the style of the boots. The concept works equally well with shorts. By all means wear hosiery for insulation. Create a low or high contrast between the hosiery and the boots.

With Longer Skirts & Dresses

This is my least favourite pairing, but over-the-knee boots can also be worn with longer skirts and dresses. The visual effect is much like wearing knee-high boots because you cover the part of the boots that makes them special. But wearing them this way does make them more versatile.

You CAN wear over-the-knee boots when you’re petite so please don’t think that you can’t. A few of my clients in the 5 to 5 foot 2 range wear low-heeled over-the-knee boots with panache. They make sure that those shafts aren’t quite as long though. 

Feel free to ask further questions on how to wear over-the-knee boots if you’re stuck.