on the fringe
Bottom: Tom Ford Fall 2015 RTW
All via Style.com
Sometimes it’s difficult to tell whether a particular trend will have “legs” and whether pieces purchased this season will look dated in a few months. I’ve been perusing some of the Fall 2015 Ready-to-Wear collections shown so far and couldn’t help but notice there’s a lot of fringe going on, as 70’s styles appear to remain a strong influence on current and near-future fashion. (HuffPo has more.) I love a bit of fringe for the movement and drama it adds. If you can watch any videos of some of these fashion shows, some of these clothes are even lovelier in motion.
And for a bit of nostalgia that goes back even further…what I wouldn’t give to have an adult-sized version of my childhood Daniel Boone/Davy Crockett suede fringed jacket…
Of course if I had an extra $5k just lying around…
well, in another life. 😉
Fringe has long been associated with bohemian styles, but is a design detail I’ve spotted lately on more modern or minimalist pieces. It’s a nice way to add some texture and visual interest to a monochromatic look too. While I love the look of some of those fringed outfits above, something wearable for every day is more in my wheelhouse, which means accessories.
The fringe on the sides of this simple bag take it from blah to eye-catching.
Tassels are fringe’s kissing cousins, and a fun way to incorporate the look in small doses.
Fringe has its classic side too…
Do you have fringed items in your wardrobe? Are they every day pieces or more for special occasions?
FRINGE ELEMENTS…
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It was all over the Spring Fashion Show I just attended…so I guess it is here for awhile.
Only scarves and a shawl, now. When I was a young woman, I inherited an authentic fringed deerskin jacket, made by First Nations people here. If I recall, it may have been passed down by an aunt. I wore it for years, but never all the time. An ex of mine really liked it and took to wearing it. I think it disappeared, but I might have blacked out the details out of disappointment.
I do have a denim military jacket with lots of leather fringe – a jacket that belonged to my mother. It’s very General Custar and I’ve never worn it out…maybe this year!
I have one light wool coat that has fringe (made from the same plaid wool as the coat). It’s an unlined wrap jacket–pretty, but I am not wearing it. Why? Mainly because of the fringe! Also, because it is just not that flattering. Why do I keep it? Because it is a very pretty coat. I’ll need to think about this.
I was ” all over” fringe in the 70’s so may only dip a toe in it this time around. I do love those Ralph Lauren looks!
I’ve worn fringe in a pendant, and of course at the end of scarves– tiny touches.
As usual, every trend has to be evaluated in terms of “it might look great on her; does it feel right for me?” In my case, no, not usually. Anything sort of exaggerated/dramatic or rustic/autumnal, or aggressively textured– I might occasionally try them out, but immediately cast them off! Feels wrong and looks silly on me.
Always wondered why, until reading a bit about ‘style archetypes’ as popularized by Kitchener, or David Kibbe or David Zyla. Their theories about how each of us has, and projects a fairly defined persona that embraces some styles and rebuffs others, ring very true to me.
I can admire fringe from afar, especially on some of my favorite style setters who have a prominent bohemian streak, like Nicole Ritchie.
Absolutely, I have fringe in both daily wear items and dressier things, I LOVE it! One great thing about fringe is that it comes in a wide range of textures – it can be a short little trim fringe, or a small tassel on a necklace or bag, but it can also be very prominent. Something for everyone!
Oh… fringed suede makes me drool. Love that Ralph Lauren look on the upper right with the dress, boots and suede fringed bag. Still… buying a lovely bag that I’d carry for a season or two just isn’t in the cards. I’d have to store it with my pink leather bag that I couldn’t resist from early 2000’s and will probably never use again. Maybe a bag with a fringed tassel???
Love the jacket, would love a bag with fringe, if I had more than one city, one suburbs. Am no longer 100% monobagamous, confession time. Did you ever see the DIY fringe bag Sal did on Already Pretty? I quite liked that one.
Monobagamous – what a wonderful word! Did you invent it? I have three so I guess that makes me tribagamous 🙂
I am a klutz with fringe, fringe getting caught in doors, in purse zippers, in my pants zipper, dipped in coffee, the sink, pie – I’m glad I don’t like gravy. But I just bought a beautiful 100% wool, quality fringe vest, thrifted, like new, with veeery long fringe. It moves like a dream. So, yes, I am a big fan, but it truly emphasizes my occasional lapses in grace. I’ll have to consider wearing it as training.
Love fringe for exactly the reasons you suggest, it adds drama and movement. I love the way it sways and wraps around you. It does seem there are so many 70’s references. I am not sure how I feel about it because it seems like just copying, not making anything new and applying it to the current context around us. The fringe purse is gorgeous. Another hit from your impeccable eye.
Accidental Icon
http://www.accidentalicon.com
About 24 years ago I had a style book where I would cut out images from magazines. One of them was of a long, fringed suede coat from what I believe was an Elle pictorial. To this day I’d still love to have that jacket.
I adore the first two looks.
bisous
Suzanne
http://www.suzannecarillo.com
I love fringe and have a number of vintage pieces in my closet. Even a fringed suede jacket, which is definitely not YSL. Time to get it out and wear it once again. It’s been awhile.
My friend, who sews custom handbags from old leather jackets, made me 2 bags and one from new leather with fringe last winter. Love, love, love all three. http://www.uptownredesign.com
Fringe, no, at least not in general. Perhaps in high school I had a suede bag with fringe, but this is an era I do not want to revisit. The late 70s/early 80s, on the other hand …!
I like fringe in black leather so it doesn’t read, “cowboy” or “70s”. I love the classic kiltie fringe on the Gucci Frame.
IMHO, Ralph Lauren is one of the very few designers who never misses. His styles are so classic. He just seems to love women as his clothes seem about the woman instead of about the “show”. If I were wealthy enough to buy designer duds, he’d be my guy!
Funny you posted the Davy Crockett still. My husband and I DVR’d the first Disney “Davy Crockett” movie with Fess & Buddy Ebsen. We tried to watch it because we both loved it as kids, my husband especially. He had the coonskin cap although he thinks it was skunk (?). Anyway, the movie was sooooo bad, so hokey, the Indians were embarrassingly evil and jumped around alot.
Ah well. Some memories are best left undisturbed.