Fall in Atlanta brings leaves spilled onto streets, a dip in temperatures and an opportunity for fashionistas to experiment with new layers and textures. As Fall officially arrived this past weekend, the Wheel looked to early 2018’s fall/winter season at New York, Paris and London Fashion Weeks for stylish ways to bundle up. Both trends and political statements sizzled on the runway, creating conversation around feminism and gender fluidity.
Conservative and Covered Up
Low hemlines and high necklines appeared on the runway this year, sparking dialogue around female sexuality. Conservative designs reflected male gaze-avoidant sentiments in the Time’s Up and #MeToo era. Prim menswear and stockings covered models’ silhouettes, as seen in Erdem and Valentino’s business-casual spin on evening wear. Balenciaga interpreted the trend more whimsically, pairing a giant, blue ballooned windbreaker with a fuschia feather boa in one look. And that three-piece suit your mother bought you might come in handy for more than just Alpha Kappa Psi rush and the career fair. Consider donning it the next time you visit your favorite local bar in Toco Hills for a trendy night out.
Wild, Wild West
Yee-haw! There’s a new sheriff in town, which means cowboy and cowgirl looks are back. Isabel Marant showcased prairie dresses, tartan and cowboy boots on models who strutted to “Jolene” by Dolly Parton, while Calvin Klein featured a futuristic, all-white take on the Western theme, akin to something out of “Westworld.” This semester, take inspiration from “The Searchers,” a classic Western film, and dig out your old cowboy boots from last year’s Halloween costume. Ted Mosby can finally rock his famous red version of the kicks in public while actually being fashion-forward.
Gender Benders
This past summer, Jonathan Van Ness and Tan France of hit Netflix makeover show “Queer Eye” declared that if you can’t find clothes you’re looking for in one gendered section of a store, you should check out the other gendered section. This year’s fashion weeks clearly demonstrated that the fashion industry wants a piece of gender fluidity. The runway materialized the wise words of the Fab Five, slaying gender norms across the board. While dressing women in menswear — from boho-chic Annie Hall to Yves Saint Laurent tuxedo suits — has been popular for several years, dressing men in womenswear is a newer fad. Designer Alejandro Gomez Palomo of Palomo Spain, a brand that encourages men to wear dresses if they choose to do so, displayed glossy, high-shine fabrics and velveteen robes on men, while Calvin Klein closed out New York Fashion Week with a co-ed show. If you’re a man feeling experimental, toss your toxic masculinity out and sport some velvet fabrics or floral prints, or participate in the Emory Pride Drag Show.
Conclusion
The past year’s turbulent political climate was evident in high fashion’s willingness to tackle gender issues. For Emory students, clothing offers another medium for expression and conversation surrounding topics pertinent to campus life. But also, cowboy boots are finally back in style, so let’s keep it classy, folks.
Janvi Pamnani (19B, 19C) is studying Finance and Comparative Literature. Her writing interests include alumni features and campus event coverage, and she is the Chief Development Officer of the Emory Impact Investing Group and an Orientation Student Coordinator.
