Sweater weather: Time to cozy up to fall
Special to The Washington Post.
NEW YORK — It's one of those fashion conundrums that when it's 85 degrees Fahrenheit outside, we're photographing clothing you could wear in a deep freeze. Such was the case in mid-August when Fashion Washington headed to New York to shoot its September issue. Paper artist Brooke Mowrey came to the rescue, fashioning a fall fantasy of paper leaves and thistles, the backdrop for the season's trends of oversize coats, cozy knitwear, rich brocades and fun furs. Kind of makes you feel a stiff breeze coming.
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It's a whole new season of exaggerated shapes and sizes and textures, all bundled up in cozy fashion packages. Model Tiana sports an oversize Stella McCartney textured wool pullover ($2,745, www.saksfifthavenue.com) and burgundy cashmere scarf ($445, Amina Rubinacci) over LaMarque leggings ($695, www.lamarquecollection.com). Accessories include Mulberry's ladylike handbag ($1,500, www.mulberry.com) and Tory Burch floral-printed sneakers ($185, Tory Burch stores and www.toryburch.com). Her big gold ring with gold ball is $68 from Circa Sixty Three (circasixtythree.com). For a more pricey alternative, consider the 18k gold jewelry from Tiffany & Co.'s new Tiffany T collection ($1,200 to $5,500).
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Heading into the new season, model Tiana sports a turban fashioned from a white cashmere scarf, $445, and wears a wool-cashmere-blend sweater jacket in navy and off-white with black trim, $1,490, both from Amina Rubinacci, an Italian womenswear boutique in Washington. The sweater jacket is layered over a striped Suno sweater, $595, and Vince leather straight-leg pants, $1,095, both from Saks Fifth Avenue New York and www.saksfifthavenue.com. A Nancy Gonzalez large green crocodile tote ($3,550, available in other colors from Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus stores) and Prada ankle-strap wedges complete the look.
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Model Clara pulls on her anthracite-and-nuvola (off-white) cashmere-blend Flora sweater coat ($970, Amina Rubinacci) over a charcoal wool neckpiece ($390, www.tomenyc.com) and black cashmere shell with silk trim ($450, Amina Rubinacci), paired with a leather pleated full skirt with exposed zipper closure at front ($1,200, www.tibi.com). Bling is courtesy of gold-and-black bauble necklace ($1,000, www.circasixtythree.com).
Fun accents: a furry clutch from Nancy Gonzalez ($2,350, special order, Bergdorf Goodman, New York) and red-and-black Savona bootie from Gio Diev ($875, www.giodiev.com).
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Model Clara wears a Michael Kors vanilla wool melton coat ($2,795, www.saksfifthavenue.com) over a Georgette sheer blouse from Prada, Tory Burch green and black fur vest, $795, and tapestry skirt, $350, both available at www.toryburch.com. Stella McCartney triple-sole platform loafers ($995, Saks Fifth Avenue in Chevy Chase, Md., and www.stellamccartney.com) complete the outfit.
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Models Clara and Tiana sit pretty on a teak bench. Tiana, left, wears a black lace shirt over Derek Lam leather culottes ($2,690, Shopbop.com), Tory Burch pumps ($395, www.toryburch.com). Clara is a study in contrast in a dark green cape with toggle closure, part of the Massimo Dutti Equestrian Collection ($350, Massimo Dutti in Washington and www.massimodutti.com), Tibi jacquard skirt ($550, Shopbop.com and other outlets), Mansoor Scott stone gray pullover ($395, www.mansoorscott.com) and high-heeled Mulberry booties ($895, www.mulberry.com).
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Model Tiana wraps up in the season's favorite color with this gray Mansoor Scott "coatigan" ($595, www.mansoorscott.com). Accents are her Nancy Gonzalez bucket bag ($3,450, Bergdorf Goodman; other colors, www.bergdorfgoodman.com) and Peace Treaty double dangling fringed earrings ($180,www.apeacetreaty.com).
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Kelly is editor of MyLittleBird.com, a Washington-based women's-eye view of fashion, design and culture. A version of this story appeared in Fashion Washington, a Washington Post fashion and lifestyle monthly magazine.
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