Urban armour and double-coating

Trends for this coming winter

By Brittney MacDonald, Life & Style Editor

One of the best parts about entering into a new season is figuring out your new “look.” It’s important to factor in not only weather but also style as well. If you’re curious what trends this winter season may bring, have no fear—I have at least a few answers for you!

Before I get into specifics, I want to lay out some more general themes according to the Paris and Milan runways. Winter this year is going to be a very ease-of-wear season. There is a high priority on comfort and seduction as an attitude—as opposed to large amounts of cleavage or skin-tight ensembles. I personally think this is a good thing since it means the trending fashion this year will be more practical.

First, let’s start off with something I think is pretty amazing. As I discussed in my column series “An examination of modern street fashion,” fashion trends tend to be retaliatory. Well, that is definitely the case this coming winter, with designers like Miu Miu, Hermès, and Off-White promoting “urban armour.” This trend emphasizes the use of leather and plated silver, especially in more feminine garments like dresses. This style essentially creates war-suits for women as a means of visually acknowledging the effects of #MeToo and the continued sexism in our society.

Look out for leather and faux leather dresses. Also, you’ll probably be seeing a lot of silver fabrics, beading, or sequins in a scale or plate armour pattern on very traditionally feminine silhouettes.

Since it is winter, you can expect to see some layering. However, this year designers are taking it to the next level by means of “double-coating.” To break it down, it’s extreme layering! Designers and fashion enthusiasts will be seen toting the appearance of two layers of heavy coats. This might be a bit much in our moderate Lower Mainland climate, but you never know—we might end up with a blizzard again!

Lord of the Rings fans rejoice—capes are going to be big this season. Nearly every design label from Saint Laurent to Nina Ricci is coming out with cape-themed outerwear. Dramatic and classy, not to mention a ton of fun!

Curious about what’s going to be trending in textiles? Not to worry, I have that covered. Expect to see a lot of tweed, silk, and pleats. Pretty simple, right? Pleats are a general fall/winter staple, but I would suggest layering the tweed and silk to avoid being too cold. As such, the colour palette for the season will be fairly eclectic. There will be a lot of earth tones—what with the tweed and leather—but also use of vibrant colour with the silk and silver. Animal print will also be making a comeback, so don’t be afraid to be bold.