By Michelle Crowe
Kate Bosworth in Erdem x H&M at the Los Angeles launch party. H&M photo.
Apologies in advance for opening in such an unoriginal way, but, it’s just too perfect for our topic.
“Florals for spring? Groundbreaking.” With those four words, Meryl Streep offered a brutal assessment of a less-than-thrilling editorial idea for the fictional Runway magazine.
Doris Day in a fabulous floral jacquard from Please Don’t Eat the Daises. Studio photo.
Fall though, is another story. And if the devil is wearing Prada this particular fall, it’s quite likely that there is a deep, dark, romantic floral involved. Truthfully speaking, that quote could now apply to almost any season. Designers now create the most beautiful floral prints that are worlds away from old fashioned or overly sweet patterns. Instead, these are elegant and a bit cool, the perfect dash of personal expression for ladies who like to look lovely while expressing themselves.
Kate Spade poppy blouse. Kate Spade New York photo.
Adding a blouse or dress in a fall floral becomes a tactical maneuver when experiencing an unusually warm season such as this one. The flowers keep fall clothes from appearing too heavy up while the palette feels appropriate.
Oh, that word appropriate. It’s almost quaint these days, but we believe in the idea of choosing ensembles that are respectful of a situation and those with whom we share our time. It’s certainly one of our most important filers when editing for …Style Endures.
Grace Kelly meets future husband Prince Rainier of Monaco in a long-sleeve floral dress. Photo by Edward Quinn.
Another reason to embrace year-round botanical prints is simply how fresh they look. These are not fussy, nor old-fashioned.
They are the bloom of the most beautiful rose, the winding wisteria of one’s dreams and the grace of a thousand painterly petals.
Anna Sui Fall 2017, partially inspired by Elsie de Wolfe. Thomas Lau photo.
Go big, go bold, go subtle, just go with a floral this fall. Go with floral and tweed, floral and denim, even tall boots with floral embroidery. There is no wrong way to get a fix of flowers this season.
Or next for that matter, with our Chicago winters that occasionally linger through May.
Sylvia Hoeks at the Erdem x H&M launch party. H&M photo.
