From fluorescent ’80s-inspired dresses that
would make Madonna proud, to uber-ladylike Hepburn-era garb, fall’s hottest fashions run the sartorial gambit. Here are some of the season’s most important trends

[Rugged Luxury]

When the going gets tough, the tough get…well, tougher, with this season’s mélange of thick tweeds, sumptuous furs, and rugged leather. The luxe look hasn’t disappeared like Bernie Madoff’s billions, it’s just been translated into a more raw form—see Prada’s tailored wool coats, Hermes’ Amelia Earhart homage, and Fendi’s glamorously deconstructed skirts. This is the new survival gear for the financial apocalypse, an investment that won’t depreciate over time.

[She's A Lady]

Some styles, like certain Tom Jones songs, just never get old. The ladylike look is one of them, a past-and-future classic that’s constantly reinterpreted each season. Whether borrowing from Gallic chic at Christian Dior or tailoring sleek curves at L’Wren Scott, this season’s designers envisioned a woman with equal measures chic and alluring. But balance your tweeds with Christian Lacroix’s sheer lace and Philip Lim’s metallic accents, because this lady is anything but boring.

[All That Glitters]
Deliver a jolt to your wardrobe with this season’s new metallics, seen on everything from Etro’s tailored jackets to Stella McCartney’s clingy dresses. Burnished or sequined, textured or slick, metallics subvert a traditional suit and imbue evening gowns with that extra wow factor.
Balmain’s sequins decorated everything from itsy-bitsy dresses to sharp-shouldered jackets,
while Carolina Herrera’s textured gowns shimmered and Derek Lam’s gold finale dress was
nothing short of spectacular.

[Paint It Black]

Go ahead, blame it on the recession. The color of the season is—you guessed it—black, popping up on the runways of everyone from Alexander to Vera Wang. Studded at Hermes, textured at Chanel, embellished at Lanvin, or perfectly tailored at Bottega Veneta, black is made fresh and modern by its myriad variations. Black’s versatility allows it to capture the season’s full range of emotions, from gloomy and gothic to chic and luxurious

[The Return of the 80's]

Just in case you missed them the last ten times around, the ’80s are back again. And this time, they’re on a mission. Let financial gloom and doom overshadow other collections; designers like Marc Jacobs know that, sometimes, fashion just wants to have fun. Jacobs’ collection for Louis Vuitton featured frills and bright colors galore, while Dolce & Gabbana showed off some outsized puffy sleeves and designers from Balmain to Donna Karan rocked the power shoulder.