The focus of fashion this fall has been all about the strong, powerful, and sexy woman so it’s no surprise that leather has been one of the dominant textures used by designers. This fall season the toughness of leather has been played up with predominately black pieces and details such as studs, straps, zippers and chains. The reminiscent 1980’s trends including a controversial leather-clad Madonna or the classic black leather with timeless pieces such as the Chanel 2.55 quilted diamond leather bag have returned. The spin on these high fashion black leather pieces take on a more modern slim lined silhouette and an almost futuristic sexiness. The following are some of my favourite black leather pieces for the fall.

The Skinnies

Okay, so the skinny black leather pant isn’t a new addition to the fashion scene this fall, but they’ll certainly be sticking around for more of the limelight in the months to come. These oh-so-tight skinnies have been seen on almost every starlet in the last few seasons including Angelina Jolie, Heidi Klum, Kate Moss, and became a style staple for Ashley Olsen and Victoria Beckham. I do warn however that due to the high-shine nature of the skinny black leather pants, they are most suited for long and lean legs. If you are lacking in height, I suggest pairing them with sky high heels (in fact, even if you aren’t vertically challenged, opt for the heels anyway), or if you consider yourself a more curvy body type, consider my next selection, the black leather skirt.

The Skirt

The black leather skirt is showing up in several collections this fall including Michael Kors, Charlotte Russe, Proenza Schouler, and of course Phi. From the edgy miniskirt for the more daring to the traditional A-line for a conservative workplace, black leather is the new versatile material for fall. To ensure a modern and elongated look, I suggest taking inspiration from Phi (see image above) by pairing leather skirts with solid or faintly patterned black tights.

The Bootie

Of all the possible leather pieces this fall, I’m most excited about the black leather bootie. The list of designers who have embraced this trend are endless (in my preparatory notes for this blog, the list became so long they actually fell off the page). The shortlist includes Alexander Wang, Givenchy, Derek Lam, Salvatore Ferragamo, and Yves Saint Laurent. These booties have been paired with everything from shimmering cocktail dresses to belted one-piece jumpsuits, but my favourite daytime look for fall pair the black leather bootie with skinny jeans or black tights under a black leather miniskirt and black tights. My more budget-friendly choices are the Colonial Madness by LD Tuttle Strapped Heel Boot ($198) and the Seychelles Vamp Bootie ($128), both available at Urban Outfitters.

The Jacket

Except for trendy coats and jackets there are few fashion advantages to living in a cooler climate, so celebrate that as Canadians we can give our style a little something extra with this fall addition. The black leather biker jacket is nothing new and they remerge this fall with their familiar and distinctive attitude, with a high fashion edge, in collections by Phi and Alexander McQueen. Paired with printed frocks or a white tee and skinny jeans, the biker jacket is just what fashion needs right now – strong, sexy, and versatile.

There’s no doubt that black leather is back this fall but if you can’t afford to invest in a new designer piece right now, I’d suggest hitting the vintage shops or keeping your eyes open for trendy smaller pieces such as black leather clutches and gloves.

What do you think of the black leather trends for fall? Fill in your comments below.

Check back next Saturday, August 29th for a consideration of fall runway beauty – to brow or not to brow?

 

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Tune in to hear an audio debate between The Boar’s fashion bloggers, Sukhpreet Sangha and Amy LeBlanc, as they critique the personal style of Emma Watson, of Harry Potter fame.

In the public eye since the age of 10 when she took the highly coveted role of Hermione, Emma Watson has only recently donned the title of “style icon.”

She’s come a long way since Hermione, both bloggers agree, but has she earned the title of “fashion icon”? Is her style too safe and uninspiring to be considered “icon” material, or is she emerging as the new face of a retrospective classic fashion? What do you think?

Get in on the debate , post your comments below.

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This week I’ve minimized some of the hottest Fall 2009/Winter 2010 runway trends down to a few essential pieces. They are simple enough for your budget and wearable enough for your closet.

The Pencil Skirt

Runways are seeing less and less of the bohemian-inspired frocks that have dominated recent seasons – the slimline silhouette is back in full force for fall. Fashion power houses Lanvin, Bottega Veneta, Michael Kors, and Max Mara all rocked pencil skirts and skin-tight dresses that reveal little flesh but enhance all feminine curves. The pencil skirt power suit with a skinny belt is a coveted look for fall, and was, incidentally, the sleek wardrobe selection for Sandra Bullock’s character in the recent film “The Proposal.” To get a similar look without the movie star budget head to BCBG Max Azria for pencil skirts under $100.

The White Shirt

Be it a crisp white blouse by Burberry Prorsum, Donna Karan New York, or Yves Saint Laurent, or a simple white v-neck t-shirt by The Row, the white shirt is going to be everywhere this fall. It is the perfect complimentary piece to the pencil skirt and the high-waisted, wide-leg trouser, not to mention that it is an elegant and timeless addition to any wardrobe. For a clean, sophisticated femininity that won’t break the bank, invest in a blouse by Ralph Lauren and stock up on your loose fitted white tees at Forever 21.

The Corset Top

An interesting addition to the slimline silhouette is a bold corset top by both Marc Jacobs and Bottega Veneta. Without showing hardly any skin, both fashion houses have made bold sexual statements with their corset tops. Bottega Veneta offers an interesting take on the corset with a high neckline and full-sleeved corset but with bold stitching below the bust, while Marc Jacobs opts for similar coverage but in a mesh fabric with slightly embellished seams. Both designs push the boundaries of sexy with their rebellious full coverage designs.

Unexpected Textures

Fall collections have seen the arrival and rebirth of interesting textures in everything from Leopard print to leather, fur, and velvet. Animal print keeps coming back every season, reinvented in new and glorious ways. This fall leopard print dominated at 3.1 Phillip Lim, Dolce & Gabbana, and Diane von Furstenberg – where leopard prints showed up on leggings, turtle-necks, cocktail dresses, and floor-sweeping evening gowns. Despite endless controversy, fur has returned to the runways in vests, jackets, muffs, and stoles in nearly every designer’s fall shows. I particularly enjoy the fur pieces this season (the selection of stoles have really stepped up the looks of otherwise simple designs) but cannot help but feel dismayed that the giants of the fashion world have still not opted for faux fur.

The Turtleneck

I may have thrown this trend in here prematurely, but even the slightest display of turtlenecks in select collections this fall including Diane von Furstenberg, Phi, Michael Kors, and Donna Karan New York, have me anxiously awaiting their return. Simple, sexy, and flattering to almost any body type, turtlenecks can be dressed up or dressed down in an instant with a large statement necklace (popular in bold metals this fall) or chunky bangles. They are also a classic choice to pair with a statement belt and a pencil skirt. Check out Michael Stars for the fitted long sleeve turtleneck on sale now.

The One-Sleeved Trend

The one-shouldered gowns had been creeping into the fashion scene again in small doses for some time, but they have quickly morphed into the one-sleeved eye-catching designs worn by stars such as Blake Lively who showed up at The Late Night Show with David Letterman in a fuchsia, one-sleeved Diane von Furstenberg dress in March and then again at the Costume Institute Gala 2009 in May wearing a teal Versace one-sleeved chiffon dress. Love it or loathe it, in addition to Diane von Furstenberg and Versace, one-sleeved gowns and shirts made fall appearances by Akris, Alexander Wang, and Givenchy.

What do you think of these trends? Do you think the one-sleeved trend is here to stay? Fill in your comments below.

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Check back next Saturday, August 8, for a style critique on the actress of Harry Potter fame, Emma Watson. Still to come: New takes on pea coats and re-thinking the classic black with leather pieces this fall.

My affair with fashion began as a fling, a curious glimpse into the fanciful world of VOGUE. It has since developed into a passionate romance with nearly a decade of admiration and infatuation.

On our difficult days, I see the superficial side of fashion, the vain devotion to the quest for an unattainable female body image as a living statuette. I resent the “fashionista” posers invading the world of material art with their monogrammed status symbols. Style should come from quality, design, and craftsmanship not from the subject’s role as a walking billboard. Of course, some art will always suggest a social status (ahem, modern art), but that’s not to say that trends can’t evolve as they trickle down from “high” fashion to the streets or vice-versa.

But on our good days – most days – fashion reminds me that it is an art form from which no one is exempt. In their new social circles trends can emerge with a new purpose and identity for the subjects who wear them. In this way, fashion will always say something about a subject’s identity. If you’re not sure what message you’re sending out into the world, you may want to walk past the mirror again.

The most frequent question I come across with regards to fashion is “why?” Why do I continue to wear those black Steve Madden pumps when they make my feet bleed? Why would I wear a white Michael Kors skirt and then refuse to sit down anywhere for fear of dirt? I would argue that the answer is true of all artistic extremes, simply, that my love of fashion surpasses all minor discomforts of the body. I know – you think I’m crazy. Perhaps I am, but how many bodily discomforts have been endured in the name of art? Michelangelo suffered excruciating back, neck, and arm pain during the years he spent standing on scaffolding, bending back, painting the ceiling of the Sistine chapel over his head. Fashion has a longstanding history of painful extremes from corsets to stilettos and the human hangers that strut them down the runways. But pain has coexisted with beauty since before ballet dancers permanently crippled their toes from dancing on pointe or great painters such as Claude Monet lost their eyesight from the years of visual strain.

The beauty of an elegantly crafted stiletto, or a gown with the perfect combination of texture, colour, and style are as artful to me as any instrumental overture or French ballet. The creations of Oscar de la Renta, Coco Chanel, Roberto Cavalli, and many more, are my Sistine chapels. This blog will be dedicated to the beautiful art of fashion and the artists who inspire its perpetual growth.

What do you think? Is fashion as justified an art as any other? Let’s start the conversation.

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Check back Saturday, August 1 for news on the return of slim-fitting pencil skirts and floral print frocks this fall.