Dark it Up: A/W brings a Pandora’s Box of purest black.

“I’ve been 40 years discovering that queen of all colours was black”

-Auguste Renoir

A guest post by - Audrey Rogers - frassy-audrey.blogspot.com

Forget florals and femininity, this season brings in waves of sharp tailoring, dark shades and sultry eyes. This is gothic at its most stylish. Think Ashley Olsen’s smoky eyeshadows, leather fascinations and haulking heels or perhaps the attire of a business woman version of Dita Von Tesse, all fused in a more polished look. These acute new shapes are at first glance intimidating and severe but their geometric qualities combined with cozy fabrics, like wool, make this season’s ultimate look, visually pleasing.

Sex is old news. Necklines have headed far north while hemlines have wandered south. This season is all about strength. Alexander Wang asserts just this, claiming the look is for “strong, confident women who aren’t afraid to experiment and think outside the box.”

Metal and perspex cuffs, statement heels that soar over 3 inches and metal spikes are the star details of this trend. Crucifix chains, like those of Givenchy, are so heavy and thick they become a garment in themselves; giving backstreet gangsters a run for their money. We are offered knee high boots, from leather to suede to metallic, paired with skin-tight leather, leggings or frilly ballet skirts, not pretty in pink but inked in dark shades. Lanvin used gloves that stretched to elbows, Prada was enamoured of lace and Chloe craved sheer chiffon. Cocktail dresses turned modern in shiny latex and scuba fabric. It’s the Victorian era for the modern woman. But just when you thought designers were reaching into too harsh a look, they mixed up structure with off-shoulder dresses and creative necklines. Thin, efficent belts and structured blazers pulled this look together. Black, is yet again the new black but with a twist of sternness. An austerity that will flatter us and empower us.

This is grown-up dressing at its most mature and most refined. It’s like going to a Jane Eyre funeral, one with a hot after-party. Its serious and dark yet exudes a subtle romance, a soft desire. Its a paradoxical look, one thats Miss Jane herself might describe as “revived, great and strong!”