Modern ways to wear a snuggly textile of yore
By Sharon Miki, Columnist
When it comes to fashion, everything is derivative, and this couldn’t be truer than with my fave fall fashion trend: velvet. Just as I rocked this sumptuous textile in my first-grade holiday dress in the 1990s, and fashionable ladies rocked velvet brocade gowns in the 1890s, cool chicks of today are turning to velvet to add a little feel-appeal to their wardrobes.
Anyone with fingers and sense receptors knows the smooth, pet-able appeal of this tufted fabric; however, just because you can touch something doesn’t mean that you should put it on your body. The key to velvet in 2013 is shape. Velvet, by nature, makes a bold statement through its distinctive texture, and if you go too baroque with your venture into velvet-town, you risk exuding a gaudy aesthetic. Instead, stick with pieces that inject a velvety feel into basic and clean shapes: think a simple LBD with a softer side, or an unadorned long-sleeved tee or bodysuit in crushed velvet.
Speaking of simple, today’s truly crushable velvet looks are decidedly muted in their colour palettes—and with good reason. While neon-pink-sparkle stretch-velvet made sense for your dance leotards back in the day, if you want to look modern and grown, you’re going to want to stick with rich and yummy jewel-tones, neutrals, and (my favourite) blacks. For example, trading your bland denim for a deep forest green velvet mini pops some wearable sophistication into an otherwise boring Friday night outfit.
Worried about looking too Victorian in your new fuzzy-soft outfits? If you’re going for sexy, look for body-conscious pieces in stretchy, curve-hugging velvet and velveteen (again, clean and simple silhouettes are key to not looking ridiculous).
Modern velvet (and velvet-like materials) is a perfect, sexy, and utterly touchable way to vamp up your wardrobe in the cooler months. If you want to try the trend without splurging, stores like Forever 21 and H&M are currently bursting with cheapish versions of my suggestions. Try it—and then try to keep your hands off your super-soft self.
