Autumn/ winter styles go retro

OVER the past three years, Ennis has been firmly establishing itself as the Boutique Capital of Ireland. With a wealth of independent fashion and beauty retailers, the town’s attraction has been the worst kept secret among the country’s fashionistas.
As Ennis Fashion Fortnight kicks off this weekend, some of the businesses involved spoke to The Clare Champion about the key trends for autumn/winter 2010.
“There is a real retro trend to this season’s clothes,” explained Gwen Culligan of The County Boutique.
“The sort of items I mean are sharp and tailored, very 1950s and grown-up looking. I am thinking specifically of say a little black dress falling below the knee, giving a nod to Mad Men or in the style of Imelda May. This combined with strong colours brings playfulness to the traditional LBD. These dresses look great in a stretchy fabric so they are very figure hugging,” she added.
Staying with retro, Gwen is also a huge fan of the iconic Chanel jacket.
“Chanel-inspired jackets are huge. We have lovely black tweed ones with chain and rope trim this season. They are very popular. Also in terms of retro, another trend that is really big is large or embellished shoulders. Each of these looks are sleek and tailored,” she continued.
Just as on the catwalks of Paris, Milan and New York, the military look is still holding its own in Ennis. “Military-inspired coats are very popular this season,” said Gwen.
The typical one is double breasted with simple lines and a sharp collar but they also look great with a fur trim, a type of homage to the Russian military coats of the past.
“It is a lovely piece for every day. If you want to jazz up your normal look these are great because a lot of them have flared skirts. Combined with jeggings or jeans, tucked into high boots, they look great,” Gwen asserted.
Velvet is making a comeback too, according to the Ennis businesswoman and member of the Ennis Fashion Fortnight committee.
“It is hugely popular with lots of splashes of colours going through it. It is very popular in coats especially and always brings a luxurious look to things,” she outlined.
Rarely do fashion and comfort go hand in hand but a key piece this season for going from day to night, according to Gwen, is the hugely popular and comfortable jersey dress.
“Jersey dresses have been selling really well. They are knee length and can be teamed with a variety of pieces to give different effects. You can wear it over black opaque tights and high shoes or with leggings and boots. It is not heavy. It is lightweight and you can mix and match it and theme it with other things. Particularly popular are printed ones with a black or dark base. You can wear the jersey dress with a jacket at night and a cardigan during the day and it is versatile,” she explained.
Gwen believes Ennis offers a wide range of pieces for those who want to liven up their wardrobe in dramatic but recessionary style.
“Wool is huge. We are selling chunky knit cardigans in Argyle or plain patterns and people are wearing them instead of jackets. Scarves made of wool or long printed silk ones are very popular this year. People are definitely re-jigging their wardrobes by introducing different coloured scarves.
“Different coloured tights are also huge. If you wore a black dress with black tights last year, then people are going a bit mad with their hosiery and picking bright-coloured tights this year,” she commented.
Connie Tyrrell from An Bínsín Luacra agrees that revamping old favourites is a huge trend this season.
“I think people are really looking for value for money this winter and what they are doing in a lot of cases is dressing up an old outfit with something new. What they might do is, if they have a nice classic pair of trousers or any stand-out piece, they are revamping that this season. That is part of the reason when we were buying that we concentrated on separates, say for over dresses.
“There is a lot of knitwear available this season and these pieces are really good as things that would make nice presents but that wouldn’t break the bank,” she stated.
Indeed for those on a budget, Connie has simple advice, “Get help from the sales assistant. If you have a dress say, that you want to revamp with a cardigan or a nice jacket, just ask for advice. That is what the sales assistants are there for. A lot of people are in that position this year and they are looking for things that can take them from day to night through layering, for example.”
As the seasons change, so do our fashion requirements, which is why a good coat plays such an important role in the Irish wardrobe.
“A coat is like a car, in that it is not something you buy every year so when you do, you spend money on a good quality coat. Looking around at the shops in Ennis, there are a range of coats that are quality and will last. They are in a classic style and will go on to be the retro look in 20 or 30 years time.
“Of course, the rain coat is also so important. Where would we be without it? Colour is huge this year. It is good for people. There are loads of warm, rich, berry colours, as well as lots of floral prints and fair isle is huge this year. It harps back to the dreamy past, I guess. It is some more of that retro feel,” explained Connie.
Like Gwen, Connie believes the LBD is eternally fashionable.
“It is so hard to pass LBDs if they are cut well. They really are timeless. A lot of the things in high street shops are there for now but if you buy a quality piece, it will last and be passed on,” she claimed.
Connie believes Ennis’ reputation for fashion is well deserved.
“I was in Cambridge recently and it is a beautiful town but it is full of high street stores. Ennis doesn’t have that it and while it still has this oldish feel, it doesn’t specialise in fashion, it specialises in style. Every boutique has their own slant on that and it really caters for women that aren’t afraid to think outside the box and all the buyers can take credit for that,” she concluded.
The range of events taking place over the coming weeks as part of Ennis Fashion Fortnight will give shoppers a glimpse of what Ennis has to offer this season.