Fall 2010 fashion trends: Autumn / Winter 2010

With Spring behind us it's time to look forwards to the coming cooler weather, the fashion it will bring, and the impact it will have on next year. Yes, Autumn / Fall 2010 fashion trends are on the horizon. With the new season comes a lot of new looks and, for those that aren't new, new takes on established fashion trends.

Read on to find the latest details on Autumn / Fall 2010 fashion trends. And don't forget that this guide is constantly updated, so if you don't want to miss a thing be sure to subscribe to our free fashion newsletter or get all of 2010's and 2011's fashion trends live by subscribing to our RSS feed!

60s dress / full skirt: women's trend

It's no great accident that the popularity of Mad Men has coincided with a resurgence in early '60s fashion. A sartorial inspiration to men and women alike, we've seen an avalanche of elements from the era spill over into fashion's impressionable mind; and the bulk of the torrent is yet to come.
So say bonjour to fuller figures and longer hemlines as the skirt and dress silhouettes of the late '50s / early '60s swing their way back onto the scene as a 2010 / 2011 fashion trend.

Full '60s dress at Louis Vuitton A/W 2010

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'60s dress trend: what is it?

When we talk about the '60s dress or skirt in this context, we're not talking about the later, mod '60s movement of miniskirts and teeny shift dresses. We're talking about early '60s ladylike dressing that flowed on from the late 1950s.

Dress Styles

Full skirts: the '60s housewife

Think Betty Draper: the overflow of '50s prom style dresses into '60s day wear. Full, below-the-knee circle skirts, cinched in waists, and prim, proper styling.

• Look to Louis Vuitton and Prada who both put ladylike full skirts on their runways for the Fall 2010 season, particularly in heavier fabrics like wool blends.
• For Spring 2011 look to bright, fresh colours and pastels, and prints like florals or stripes (see Jayson Brunsdon Spring 2010 for some great examples).

Full dress at Jayson Brunsdon, S/S 2010

The granny skirt

Don't panic about the name of this one; this look actually was commonly known as the granny skirt back in the '60s.
Longer, usually gathered or pleated, often with a ruffled hem, the granny skirt is as it sounds: a young take on grandma dressing. It falls rather than puffs out too much and is more understated - think sixties office girl. If I'm to stick with the Mad Men analogy, this is the style you'd more likely spot on Peggy Olsen. The key to pulling off this look today is to either make it completely effortless, or surprisingly sexy.

• Avoid looking dowdy by pairing with a fitted top; or sex it up with a sheer blouse.
• For an authentic look pair with flats or dainty kitten heels. To modernise, stick with a pair of high heels.
• Sweeten it up with a pair of little bobby socks under shoes a la Marc Jacobs (see the inspiration gallery).

Full skirt at Louis Vuitton, A/W 2010

The bombshell: sheath skirts and dresses

There's no doubt that, as the trend stands to date, the full skirt is the silhouette du jour. But that doesn't mean there aren't other options for a sensual, early '60s look. A straight cut sheath or pencil skirt is the ultimate in creating a 1960s hourglass shape - not only cinching in the waist, but clinging to the hips as well. Think Man Men bombshell Joan Holloway (yes I know - another Mad Men allusion. The characters just fit so perfectly.)

• Look for skirts that are straight, high waisted, below knee with a kick pleat or slit at the back.
• You can also look for fitted sheath dresses. These are great sleeveless or with classic three-quarter sleeves.
• The peg-top skirt is another alternative - full at the waist with small darts or pleats, and tapering narrowly to the hem.

Sheath dress at L'Wren Scott, S/S 2010