Ten instant wardrobe upgrades
With the recession forcing all of us to rethink the way we shop, it's important to be strategic about fall fashion spending. Add one or add them all, these are the sort of can't-go-wrong pieces that tread the line between being completely on-season and seasonless. In our book, that qualifies them as investment pieces.
1. something faux
From Roland Mouret's crocodile-effect leggings to the fur-print silks at Hermès, designers were faking it all over the runways. Nobody did it better than Stella McCartney, whose animal-free cupro jacket had Beth Ditto asking, "Where can I get that?"2. over-the-knee boots
With their staggering sex appeal, thigh boots shot to the top of Fall must-have lists. These strappy, slightly S&M hip-grazers earned Rodarte's Kate and Laura Mulleavy first prize in the high, higher, and highest stakes.3. something sexy
Sure, designers sobered up this season, but there was a supercharged undercurrent pulsing through the best collections. Stefano Pilati's straight-out-of-a-Helmut Newton-photograph leather bustiers at Yves Saint Laurent had tongues wagging.4. color
There's nothing like a little bit—or a lot—of hot pink to remind you that it's not all doom and gloom out there. Enter this fuchsia dress from John Galliano's Orientalist-themed Dior collection.5. something draped
From Givenchy to Haider Ackermann to Gianfranco Ferré, it was Madeleine Vionnet's moment at the collections. And it wasn't just dresses that got the drapery treatment; witness Viktor & Rolf's attention-grabbing clutch.6. a leather jacket
Having finessed his signature brand of tough chic for seasons now, Phi's Andreas Melbostad is the de facto leader of Fall's biker gang. No surprise then that his shrunken, short-sleeved leather motorcycle jacket is such perfection.7. a strong-shouldered jacket
Credit for fashion's current shoulder obsession goes to Balmain's Christophe Decarnin, whose peak-sleeved blazers for Fall look destined to become every bit as coveted as Spring's hugely influential "tennis ball" jackets.8. something surreal
Elsa Schiaparelli was a muse to many at the Fall collections, but Comme des Garçons' Rei Kawakubo went surreal in ways no one else did. How? This trompe l'oeil jacket is as wearable as it is witty.9. a decorated leg
Bare legs made a comeback. Still, hosiery lovers have plenty to cheer about, with Doo-Ri and Zac Posen showing ornamented tights. Leave it to Miuccia Prada, though, to turn them into semiprecious commodities as she did with these bejeweled numbers at Miu Miu.10. something studded
Any urban warrior worthy of the moniker—and the phrase got bandied about plenty this season—needs some studs in her wardrobe. Alexander Wang is the tough chick's go-to guy for his high-waisted cigarette pants with metal rivet tuxedo stripes.
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