By Michelle Crowe
Candice Bergen knew the power of gold back in the 1960s.
October already? Indeed. In what feels like just an apple picking minute or two, we’ve arrived at the month of glorious light and it is inspiring some glorious color wearing.
One thing that has been interesting about this very strange year is how wonky time feels. March was last week, summer was a blur and now we’re right into meteorological fall even though the air was blasting yesterday and the heat might be on tonight.
Oscar de la Renta Pre-Fall 2020.
Couple that with seeking connection to lifetimes of friendship over Zoom or group chats and it might as well be 1997. That little trick of time travel led me back to my days as a New York magazine intern assisting legendary editor Jade Hobson Charnin as she produced spring and fall fashion issues. One fall story was loosely themed around colors for people who only wear black. The selected clothes were in a muted symphony of shades; smoky plum, charcoal gray, deep inky blue, forest green. All felt safe and easy to wear for urbanites who’d worn nothing but noir for a decade.
Carolina Herrera Fall 2020 is a Wes Gordon triumph.
But there were also pieces in goldenrod and pumpkin and rust, which would be a much bigger leap of sartorial faith for anyone accustomed to the anonymity of dark clothes.
Those pretty colors, so reminiscent of changing leaves and spicy fall cooking, popped up in the collections again this year. Looking at the rich spicy shades and sunny colors, it’s hard not to feel one’s spirits lift. Bill Blass used to say that wearing color was a thoughtful thing to do. Isaac Mizrahi has echoed that there’s inherent politeness in choosing cheerful colors when dressing.
Pearl by Lela Rose.
Another reason to love shades of gold is well, gold. This is a perfect moment for subtle, personal, never-take-it-off jewelry like Tiffany & Co.’s T1 collection. Launched in April with rose gold and diamond designs, September brought new styles in white and yellow gold and diamonds. Reed Krakoff, Tiffany & Co.’s chief artistic officer, is a Chicago favorite and certainly these elegant pieces will become a part of many ladies’ signature style, just as intended.
Tiffany & Co. T1 collection, available at Tiffany & Co. and tiffany.com.
