Jo Carey – On Parade – Street Trends
24-05-2005
Despite the current political climate, military-inspired dressing is having a huge impact on the street. Nautical and uniform influences combine with military styling to create structured silhouettes such as cropped, fitted jackets. The high street has been quick to adapt such a commercial and versatile trend by following designers such as Balenciaga, Anna Sui, and Chloe to name just a few, who all showed military/nautical inspired pieces for spring/summer 05.
Brass buttons prove a key detail which can carry the theme from jacket through to shorts or trousers. Military insignia in general such as braiding, frogging, piping and epaulettes are key to the look, as are drum majorette or bell-hop influences – especially directional for youth-markets. Neutral palettes such as stone, earth and grey are hot, while navy and black contrast most effectively with golden trimmings.
Military and nautical influences such as stand-up collars update the classic jeans jacket, while extreme cropped versions of army-inspired jackets are less uniform more combat influenced, but still directional. Teaming masculine and feminine silhouettes such as military-style jackets with prairie or peasant skirts creates interesting contrasts, as does the combination of lighter weight fabrics such as satin or linen with more structural fabrics such as denim or drill.
Jo Carey
