In a season dominated by clean, understated clothes, the color purple adds a dash of pizzazz.
The regal shade reigned in top designers` fall collections from Paris to New York, appearing in every form, from ladylike suits to suede loafers to boxy handbags, and transforming the simplest shapes into the season`s stars.
”The opulence of purple relates so well to all the lush fabrics and rich textures of the clothes this season,” says Helen Martin Brockie, Midwest regional fashion director for Neiman Marcus. ”Yet, at the same time, the plush color provides a striking contrast to the clean, modern cut of the clothing.”
Pamela Fields, vice president of marketing for the Limited stores, says,
”People are looking for newness and something fresh. Purple provides this bright spot in fall`s color palette.”
Purple may have a reputation as being a difficult color to wear, but Fields disagrees. ”It can look wonderful on anyone, at any age,” she says.
”Purple even works as a basic, neutral color because it`s hard to find what it doesn`t go with.”
The way to wear purple this fall, according to the experts, is either as an accent color with black or brights, or in a tone-on-tone combination.
”Purple looks great when worn in tonal shadings,” says Brockie. ”When the various fabrics of the pieces of an outfit take on different shades of purple, it looks fabulous.”
For those afraid of overdosing on the color, a standout purple jacket or belt-or even a pair of earrings-can add an instant shot of chic to a wardrobe. –
