Story highlights
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week is February 6-13 in New York City
The designer collections will showcase looks for fall 2014
Forecasters predict houndstooth, plaid and gingham prints will be big in fall
Western style is making a comeback, with fringe and blanket coats leading the charge
Revered forecaster Punxsutawney Phil may have predicted six more weeks of winter, but the fashion world is looking ahead to another season: fall.
Despite more impending snow and ice potentially impacting attendees’ footwear flair, New York Fashion Week will take place February 6-13.
See all of CNN Living’s New York Fashion Week coverage
Fall 2014 will be all about Americana and wild, wild West inspiration with fringe scarves, frayed edges, equestrian-inspired boots and blanket coats leading the charge, says Sheila Aimette of fashion forecaster WGSN, the official trend sponsor of the biannual Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.
The season’s street sense will be inspired by the audacious avenues of Nashville and Austin, Texas, says Aimette. (Chanel’s Métiers d’Art collection for 2013/2014 even took place at Fair Park in Dallas).
On a similar wavelength, Aimette expects a rise in heritage fabrics like plaid, houndstooth and gingham, but re-colored in bright hues. This gives way to the bigger androgynous trend of decorated menswear-inspired shoes, oversized sweaters and tailored sportswear.
Meanwhile, the spring crop top trend is traveling south: we’ll see more cropped pants come fall.
“Crop tops are moving towards more boxy tops,” says Aimette, citing higher waisted pants paired with short but not midriff-baring blouses.
“The seasons are becoming less about weather-related clothing and more about key items a woman needs for her lifestyle,” said Joyann King, Harper’s BAZAAR Digital Director.
King says this includes “a wardrobe of coats to lust after.”
The sportswear trend will continue but not dominate the ensemble; instead, athletic styling will be used to accent distinctively feminine pieces. Michael Kors paired sneakers with skinny brocade pants in his pre-fall collection.
The counterintuitive pairings don’t mean that buyers will abandon their feminine privy toward timeless elegance: Pearls as both jewelry and detailing on dress backs and collars will be the envy of every Hepburn-inspired fashionista.
As for the palette, Aimette says there will be an onslaught of teal and berry tones that are anchored by traditional colors of caramel, gunmetal and navy.
Check back with CNN Living’s #NYFW coverage throughout the week to see if the forecast is on point. And, follow Sarah LeTrent on Twitter and Instagram for live dispatches from New York Fashion Week.