Fall Trends That Go Overboard

Each season there are a few trends on the runway that are so overly trendy, awful or just plain impractical that they quickly disappear or they never really arrive.  Here are a few that I would, as a novice fashionista, caution people against spending any money on because they will look silly and/or go out of style so fast you'll be lucky to have worn them once.

First off, the volume thing is cool in theory, but as Californians, we have already mastered the concept of layering.  Besides, if we even remotely tried to layer all of the stuff they do in the catalogs (fur parkas as no exception), we would overheat.  Except maybe in San Francisco on a windy January night.

Equestrian is one of the themes prevalent in the 2006 fall/winter collections but let's face it - who really wears leather elbow pads?  There are ways to do it more subtly, but I think the Menlo Circus Club and Woodside horse trails are the only places we'll see any of the true equestrian look.

Puffed sleeves?  I loved them when I was a kid but looking back, they were awful.  They won't last - I hope.  Ruffled blouses I think can be done tastefully or in excess.  There are some of both in stores now - be careful not to go overboard.

They say leg warmers are back but I haven't seen them anywhere - thankfully.  And leggings?  I hate to say it, but leggings just invite yeast infections.  They might be warm, comfortable, etc. but they really aren't healthy.  However, I have a feeling this is a trend that will probably continue.

Baggy pants are okay but some of the pants I've seen in magazines are not just baggy; they are balloons.  They have such wide legs I could fit my entire body in only one side.  That's a bit excessive - not to mention a trip hazard.  Try walking in 4 inch Christian Louboutin heels and a pair of those while carrying a kid.  I don't think so.

And what's up with all of these flat shoes?  Practical, yes, but designers have been ignoring the straight male perspective here.  I can picture it now: "honey, why don't you put on that black lace teddy and your ballet flats and come into the bedroom?"  Yeah, right.  Sex sells.  No alpha male will prefer a flat over a stiletto pump.  Although the fashion magazines have flats everywhere in their photo spreads, stores still have more heels on their shelves.

Since we reside in Silicon Valley and not in San Francisco, we're less likely to see the full-on trends worn anywhere beyond Santana Row and Tamarine, and shops generally reflect that.  Most of the edgier items are left to Neiman Marcus in Union Square or Hayes Street so we're safe in terms of less opportunities to make fools of ourselves with some of the fleeting fashions of the season.  However, that doesn't mean it's not fun to look.

For a complete list of this fall's trends, please see today's "Fall Fashion Trends" post on my blog.  I make no particular recommendations there - shop at your own risk.