Fashion's affair with leggings has been building for some seasons now and this Fall 2009, it was as if designers were giving it a final embrace. What inspired some designers to take the trend to an extreme? We think it was a matter of offering customers a little bang-for-buck since leggings and hosiery will retail for less. Whatever the reason we're sure we'll be seeing them in a magazine editorial or two, not to mention much less attractive versions on the high street.
Call them leggings, call them sweats--it looks like the cotton pull-on pants trend is finally hitting home with the gents. We've seen glimpses of this trend from everyone from Marc Jacobs to J. Lindeberg in the past, and the options are becoming increasingly plentiful. Wear them baggy with combat boots and a boxy coat like Moschino or with sneakers and a leather bomber jacket like Roberto Cavalli. Both look masculine and fashionable to us!
You've seen the trend galleries and the presence of them on the e-commerce sites, it stands to be seen that leggings are not going anywhere anytime soon. On the bright side, gone are the tunics that gave them such a bad reputation in the first place--at least on the runway. Now leggings, economical for both fashion designers and their loyal customers, have gone luxe. From Gareth Pugh to Rag & Bone (left) it seems leggings are now just another form of trouser and, given how comfortable women have become with showing off their waistline and hips--they're still a top choice among fashionistas of all walks of life. Could women, that said, be ready for the next level? Yesterday we noticed a pant-less trend on the Spring 09 catwalks, and, in today's Topshop Hoiday spread, a sequin pair of knickers made us think it an actual possibility. For now, let's just say we're happy fashion has made a truce with leggings. After all, how else would we show off all of those fabulous ankle boots?
This weekend, we felt it for the first time: annoyance at the latex leggings trend that is taking the fashion folk by storm. How long will it be before we can barely stand the sight of two bound, shiny legs stomping down the subway stairs? Not long ladies, not long. We give it until Halloween. Latex might be sustainable but that doesn't mean this trend is.
One of us is having a Con-Ed crisis and the other is in desperate need of coffee after a long night. Thus we give you your editor's run to Marlow and Son's in a frenzy outfit. Cashmere sweater, leggings, Bernardos and our Gucci "hug" bag.
There were three posts from our Network Partners this week that had us slobbering over pants--not an easy feat considering how downright unprepared we feel to slither into our skinnies again. This morning Style Bubble documented her DIY savvy by slashing a pair of jeans to bits. We're seeing this trend all over the place and it's not just the DIY fashionistas who indulge. Denimology also picked up on this trend by highlighting the top-notch denim offering by Balmain this Spring 09. The denim from the collection might not reveal too much skin but the idea is still there; it's all about jeans that are tight and frayed. Feeling a little overwhelmed with the prospect of denim, Fashion Nation gave it up to a pair of faux-leather leggings that touch on all the right trends. Namely, the ever-popular exposed zip look. Is it just us or is it time to head to the gym?
In a time of increasing competitiveness in the contemporary marketplace retailers and license holders are looking for every possible edge or marketing opportunity at their disposal, the fact that certain startlets exist to help further these dreams and perhaps split the largess does not surprise us. Of course deigning to mention this unfortunate reality of the fashion industry is something we have avoided for nearly our publishing existence.
If you too wish to make money of the insatiable appetites of the idle generation may we suggest going to the Licensing Expo taking place in two weeks in New York? This particular starlet is apparently too hand's on to trust a licensee but we can guarantee most aren't. You too can profit from fame mongers and their enablers. Perhaps in order to maintain our credibility we will do an indepth analysis of the best performing liscense options for the future.
The pantyhose debate continues to rage in small town America and corporate human resources departments. But frankly the right to bare legs (or arms, or even sometimes, shudder, midriffs) hasn't really been a concern for fashion women. So when we started to weirdly crave shimmer nylons in the dead of summer we knew something was up. Our first inkling came as we read Tom Wolfe's eulogy of Clay Falker in the great man's own New York Magazine. Discussing a style piece on Madison Avenue art girls we found ourselves inspired.
They became known as the “art birds.” As late as 1989 Japanese art collectors liked to have these pretty little American girls by their sides in the front rows for the “important” auctions at Sotheby’s and Christie’s. They loved the pretty things’ lithe young legs with their epidermi of sheerest ravage-me nylon shimmering up to the most tumescent swells of their thighs as they crossed and then re-crossed and then re-re-crossed and then re-re-re-crossed them shimmer shimmer shimmer shimmer beneath the downlighters.
Now the fact that we found ourselves inspired by sheer nylons in midsummer by a man who habitually wears suits, albeit white ones, in even the warmest weather seemed fitting. But then today network partner Catwalk Queen admitted that she was a hosiery hoarder. She begins in the context of pre-fall trends and uses fellow community members Kingdom of Style and Susie Bubble as evidence. But its when she admits to loving "the new breed of truly barely-there nudes" we knew we were not alone. We have a few plans in mind for showcasing just how sexy the "shimmer, shimmer, cross re-cross" can be even in the middle of a heatwave.
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There were three posts from our Network Partners this week that had us slobbering over pants--not an easy feat considering how downright unprepared we feel to slither into our skinnies again. This morning 
In a time of increasing competitiveness in the contemporary marketplace retailers and license holders are looking for every possible edge or marketing opportunity at their disposal, the fact that certain startlets exist to help further these dreams and perhaps split the largess does not surprise us. Of course deigning to mention this unfortunate reality of the fashion industry is something we have avoided for nearly our publishing existence.
Versace
Kit Heath
McQ by Alexander McQueen
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