Velvet Is the New Suede

Suede, despite its tendency to make people quite warm, has been on the trend radar for spring and summer. The material has adorned everything these past few months; purses, shorts, crop tops, halters—you name it.

When I went to Coachella (you can read my post about it here), suede and fringe were two of the biggest trends. It was the perfect combination of tribal and boho vibes. However, summer is way over now. So what's in store (literally) for fall? Velvet.

I know, I know. When I first saw velvet strolling across the runways of NYFW recently, I instantly flashed back to the memory of my mom putting me in this red velvet dress and sheer tights that I absolutely hated as a kid. The tag on the left side near the hem of the dress always itched me and the tights were scratchy as ever, but I have to admit that I did look pretty darn cute.

But velvet as you remember it is very different this coming season. To get a head start of the trend, feel free to work your classic black, olive, and cranberry shades into your wardrobe for fall and winter, be sure to pick up a couple of the lighter colors for the spring time.

Designers like Victoria Beckham are bringing the soft sheen of velvet into 2017 in shades of ivory, lilac, and even a dark blue. Personally, I think light grey would be a stunning transition color between winter and spring.

Some velvet pieces that I've been seeing the most are shorts, shift dresses, and chokers. In order to seamlessly pull off the velvet trend, I recommend avoiding patterns. Velvet is its own unique material and gives quite a bit of contrast between light and shadows on its own. I fear that by pairing velvet with too harsh of a pattern will look too busy and foolish to the eye.

Three of my favorite fabrics to pair with velvet are leather (or vegan leather, whichever you prefer), denim, and lace. I mean think about it: how sexy would it be to pair some velvet over-the-knee boots with a mini leather shift dress? Exactly. Super hot. Super trendy. Super easy.

Although corduroy is also coming back this season, I would advise you to leave these trends separate from each other. Trying to pair the two trends together will honestly just make you look like you're trying too hard. One of the secrets of fashion is to make it look effortless—even if you have spent hours planning out the perfect outfit. I'll cover corduroy in a separate post soon, so stay tuned.

All and all, don't be afraid to give velvet a second chance this season. It's super on trend and will actually keep you warm. For inspiration on how to rock velvet, I recommend jumping onto sites like Tobi, ASOS, Urban Outfitters, and Anthropologie. Like always, if you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment, email me, or DM me on Instagram.