Fall Festival Time – Perfect Place To Break Out Some New Trends

By Brian Maynor

 

Can you tell Fall is in the air?  If not, just wait until this weekend.  Columbia is going to be hopping with several major festivals embracing and celebrating the season including:  the Greek Festival; SC PRIDE; the Rosewood Arts Festival and the State Museum’s Fall Festival. To top it off the weather is supposed to be amazing.

With cool mornings and evenings and moderately warm, sunny afternoons layers are going to be key to navigating a full day away from home in comfort and ease.  Here are a few of Fall’s biggest trends to try out this weekend as you festival hop:

 

1.   The Parka.  This just may be the perfect jacket, and the one to buy if you’re on a budget.  Canvas parkas are a great layer against the elements, but they are also thin enough to transition throughout the day.   You can easily push up the sleeves or tie them around your waist as the day warms up without carrying around a heavy, bulky coat.  As we move into colder weather some parkas have liners you can add or simply wear a sweater or sweatshirt underneath.  There is plenty of room under these jackets, but the elastic waist still accentuates your figure.  It’s a win-win.

 

2.   A Flannel Shirt.  Yes this trend harkens back to the 90s, but there is a twist.  While nothing else can take your outfit to casual faster than a flannel shirt, fortunately this year flannel is more about rugged chic than the grunge movement.  One of the hottest pairings on the runways was flannel and leather.  You can wear this one shirt with leather pants, leather joggers, a leather jacket or leather vest and have four completely different looks.  Take the chance and at least try one on.

 

3.   Joggers.  These are not to be confused with your typical baggy, shapeless, boring sweatpants.  The new joggers are slim fit, can be worn in public and really only have the banded ankles in common with sweatpants.  The new joggers come in an array of fabrics like leather, brushed cotton and fleece, and some even have proper buttoned-waistbands.  The trend started a few seasons ago with high-end designers, but now it has landed in the Gap.  So you know we’ll see them everywhere.

 

4.   The Basic White Sneaker.  As a nod to Normcore everyone should pick up a pair of plain basic white sneakers for Fall.  In typical fashion, the very thing we hated as children is now the ‘must have’ item of the season.  If the thought of wearing pristine white sneakers makes your eye twitch, fear not.  They don’t have to be pristine to be cool.  So scuff away.

 

5.   Bucket Bags.   Think of these as the new backpack.  They have the same ‘hold all’ appeal just without the student connotation.   The shape is unique and sporty enough to work with just about any casual outfit, and the only draw back is the unavoidable black hole effect.  The one thing you need will always be buried at the bottom.

 

Fall is by far my favorite season, and I know I’m not alone.  With lower humidity, cooler temperatures, apples, pumpkins and of course new trends what’s not to love?  Enjoy getting out of the house this weekend and filling your Instagram feed with fun and fashion that only Fall festivals can offer.

 

Click here or on the images below to learn more about the outfit.

 

 

 

Click here or on the images below to learn more about the outfit.

 

 

 

 

 

I am always curious to hear from you and what you see in the workplace.  Send your questions, comments and pet peeves to [email protected].  Also find each of these storyboards at http://brianmaynor.polyvore.com with links to purchase each item.

About Brian Maynor

Brian Maynor has built a reputation as one of the leading style coaches in the Southeast and is quickly expanding his eponymous company, BRIAN MAYNOR and his FIND, FLATTER & FLAUNT line of image consulting services. A professional with a fresh, upbeat and down-to-earth personality and boundless creative energy, he works frequently with with local celebrities; Fortune 500 companies and nonprofit organizations; modeling agencies; fashion designers; production companies; record labels; media and individuals. A regular contributor to various fashion blogs and online communities, Brian Maynor is one of the most trusted and recognized style experts in the region, utilizing his education and training as a broadcast journalist to serve as a style lecturer, emcee, and commentator for over a decade. He has appeared at fashion shows, expos, and charity fundraisers, as well as events with big brands like Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, Chico’s and Macy’s. His approach is innovative, creative and fashion-forward, balancing fresh, modern styles with classic pieces to keep one’s look grounded. To learn more, visit http://www.brianmaynor.com.

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