RULES OF THE ROAD

Fall 2016 Fashion Trends: When Should You Proceed With Caution?

By Michele Meyer

Few of us are models, storks or starving starlets, so here’s how to be on-trend if you’re over age 30 and 100 pounds:

GREEN LIGHT. Menswear Mania: The pant suit is back. The taller you are, the wider the legs can be. FYI, this trend has legs.

GREEN LIGHT. Soft Touch: Enjoy the plush life for the feel of it: Velvet is a keeper.

GREEN LIGHT. Heavy Medalists: Gold, silver and bronze win day and night. Shimmy up to shimmer via metallic threads, beads or sequins. Odd as it sounds, you can bank on bling as a fashion perennial. Just don’t sparkle head-to-foot.

GREEN LIGHT. Fringe Appeal: Designers hit repeat with hippie chic nouveau dripping from jackets, skirts, satchels and shoes. Why not, but one piece at a time!

GREEN LIGHT. Coachella Cachet: Multicultural pleasant peasantry is another music festival fave: flowing embroidered tops and skirts. This could be a keeper for a few seasons, but again, one item at a time or it skews costume. Do not wear Heidi braids. I repeat…

GREEN LIGHT. Warmth is Wonderful: Outerwear is in, from puffer jackets, cropped bombers, capes and fur for men and women.

GREEN LIGHT. Comfort in Chaos. Don bathrobe coats, hoodies or cashmere sweatpants as athleisure goes uptown. But mix them with more traditional garments so you don’t look like you’re sleepwalking.

YELLOW LIGHT. Supersized Sleeves: Fashion throws a belle curve with bell, Edwardian mutton and elongated sleeves that are sometimes — OK, often — impractical, but celebs are wearing them. Please pitch yours by next fall. Please!

YELLOW LIGHT. Military Muscle: Apply braid, epaulets, honors and capes – with restraint. You don’t want to evoke Michael Jackson wannabe heading to war.

YELLOW LIGHT. Gender Benders: Some of us support this trend in concept for men and women. But is it practical? The look skews sexy for femmes. But guys shouldn’t appear in public in Saint Laurent’s fuchsia, ruffled blouse — unless they want to honor Prince. Better to wear a Hawaiian floral shirt on weekends.

RED LIGHT. Sheer Shock: Transparent evening gowns and/or latex and pleather. Spare us all and save 50 shades of shock value for the bedroom.

RED LIGHT. Fur Real? Trapper hats courtesy of Louis Vuitton. Seriously? Sorry, but this runway special existed only to wake up jaded journalists. If you must, save it for Halloween.

 Images courtesy of Alberta Ferretti. Sold at Moda Operandi and Alberta Ferretti Boutique, LA.