It is not without a little sadness that I begin my last Fashion Forward. Admittedly, I’m still mourning the end of fur season, but my grief is over the loss of something greater. It has been an honor and a privilege to live among such fascinating people as yourselves. Although I am sometimes frustrated with the North Faces, sweatpants, and high socks you insist on wearing, it is the same indulgent exasperation as a parent feels towards a child with jammy fingers. All right, enough with the sentimentality. Distilled here is the essence of regnant de rigueur.
For men, the somber tone of the winter season has been replaced with a lighter palate. However, unlike my previous years at Choate, we are spared being blinded by lurid pinks and greens on the path (they are cropping up on the P-cup field instead.) That being said, Lenny Futterman ’09 did wear an orange suit to a recent all school event-but that’s a minority. Also interesting is the recent tendency in menswear, particularly in the sophomore and junior classes, to go for a more fitted tee shirt. This could best be seen on Field Day: One dorm went all out and wore petite women’s shirts.
Girls seem to prefer pastels, or, most popular of all, white shifts. In crisp poplin or linen, best with geometric cutouts, these dresses look as refreshing as they feel. Caitlin Condon ’08 wears the perfect dress for transitioning to summer: a subtly shaded flower print, with the stone-embellished neckline of last season now re-imagined in opaque enamel. Yves Klein blue looks great on pale skin and tan skin alike. I’ve also been seeing a lot of light blue and emerald draped jersey tops, with cutouts and embroidery around the cowls and backs. Remember though, these tops are deceptively unforgiving-curves that look safely smoothed over when standing still in front of the mirror are revealed in clinging detail when the person is in motion.
A striking phenomenon this spring is something I term the skirt to short conversion. Where dozens of girls last year were wearing minis, now all that can be seen poking out from under tunics are the hems of short shorts. If you have the legs for it, this style lends great flexibility to outfit construction, as one white top can be combined with a variety of brightly colored shorts. If you are going to wear a skirt-take a note from Julia Nick ’08 and wear a high-waisted Ikat print number, (a dying technique native to India and southeast Asia, made popular in the couture world by the Spring ’08 shows) available from Prada resort wear, Anthropologie, Free People, and Mathew Williamson. Continue this ‘Boho House’ look with gladiator sandals, or be more adventurous and wear leather slides encrusted with seed beads (I’m lusting after a pair from Sigerson Morrison.)
Even more “out there” is the animal print trend in accessories- everything from cheetah to leopard normally makes a resurgence in the fall and winter, but I have never seen it offered in the warmer months. Zebra and giraffe print can be purchased on headscarves, tote bags, belts, and even cantering merrily about jump suits. Please don’t wear an animal print jumpsuit-instead, by a pair of Guess or Kenneth Jay Lane animal-print enameled hoops and call it a day.
Safely transferring from heavier fabrics to summer looks is the heavy striping introduced by fall’s navy-inspired shows. In style now is mixing stripes of different thicknesses, or going in different directions, worn in the same outfit (make sure the colors match at least!) I assure you, Kelly Costello ’10 endorses it. The six-time winner of best dressed was seen today in vertically striped shorts with a horizontally striped top. Indeed, the former fashion-suicide of slightly different prints is dernière mode, but only if done correctly. It’s been a pleasure. Be safe. Be stylish.
Girl’s best dressed: Isabel Aguirre ’08 is effortlessly sexy. Take a cue from Isabel and spotlight exotic features with a headband. No slave to trends, she rocks her own figure-flattering style with subtle jewelry.
Men’s best dressed: Peter Desrosier ’09 is a man never off duty. Even when the class day is long over, he may still be found in a half-zip, winning smile firmly in place. Spotted: Desrosier in a striped fitted crewneck sweater on a Friday night, walking with noted celeb Jen Bashian ’08.
