Velvet isn’t just about vintage clothing and the mothballs that come with it. Nor is it about the 50 shades of grey connotations in velvet fabric clad ‘red rooms’ and unnecessary amounts of velvet rope… ahem, anyhow we think that this season has brought us a bit of a treat as velvet has became less about the boudoir, expensive luxuries and vintage looks and much more about current fashion trends. Read on to learn more and find out exactly how to wear velvet no matter what your style.
The Velvet Trend.
We all know that velvet compliments lace, that crushed velvet is usually reserved for glam grannies and that velour can sometimes be a bit, well cheap but what have the designers been up to with velvet this season? Well here we have 3 gorgeous designer looks. Left is a Phillip Lim look, taking a different twist on velvet and steering away from dresses with a tailored suit. We love this look and think it works perfectly with the cut out boots. Another unusual look is with a jumpsuit from Diane Von Furstenberg. Jewel tones work well with velvet, giving a richer vibe and this ruby shade looks amazing against the models pale skin. The third look on the left is from Christopher Kane’s A/W 2013 collection and takes the traditional lace and velvet combo and gives it an unusual twist. We love that the dress works with winter boots, showing that velvet doesn’t have to just be for special occasions. Why not check out some the shows highlights below. The designer looks slowly crept their way onto the celebrities too. Stana Katic wore a velvet suit design by Bec & Bridge that looked similar to the Phillip Lim suit and we loved that she teamed with a plain white T to tone down the look. On the opposite end of the spectrum Diane Kuger looked stunning and glamorous in a full length Alberta Ferretti, proving that simplicity really is best sometimes. Christopher Kanes dress looked gorgeous on Alexa Chung who managed to pull it off in flat shoes. How does she do it?! She’s not just stylish but kinda funny too. Please be our friend… We are also super excited to get our own copy of her book…
She's a model, a TV host, a designer, and now, an author. Congrats, @Chung_Alexa!: http://t.co/eLbmf4oYdJ — Teen Vogue (@TeenVogue) October 30, 2013
Yep, we’ll be stealing all your style tips Alexa!
Our Top Velvet IKRUSH Picks.
At IKRUSH we have lots of gorgeous velvet options that will suit almost any style and can be worn your way. Dresses was our first stop for top pick and these three made it to the top of the pile with ease and in faux velvet, it’s so much more affordable too. From left to right we have our faux velvet bodycon dress, the glitter panel bodycon dress and something a little different, the velvet skater dress in leopard print. Skirts are another great way to work the velvet look, and can help balance out the velvet when teamed with other textures. This velvet skater skirt comes in three colour ways, black, royal blue and wine. We love all three styles but our fav has to be the wine colour, which we think is the most versatile! Another couple of items caught our eye too. The velvet long sleeved cropped top can be a great way to work velvet with more casual items, such as high waist jeans. For something a bit different in the velvet department, we think velvet leggings can be a cool way to work the trend with a casual vibe. The Aztec velvet high waist leggings are our top IKRUSH pick for velvet leggings.
How To Style Your Favourite Velvet Pieces.
We love wearing velvet in lot’s of different ways, but seeing as it’s party season we will focus on how to wear our IKRUSH velvet dresses for the perfect party look. We wanted to work the velvet bodycon dress with a big bag, so you can fit in some flats too. The crocodile tote bag is a great option for practical handbag style and looks great from day to night. We wore this with our suede shine high heel courts and a statement mirror collar necklace for a touch of gold. You could add even more metallic with a touch of colour in your make-up look. We love a shimmery eye this season. The glitter bodycon dress has subtle velvet panels that help to shape the body and create curves. This look is perfect as an evening dress and to keep the outfit sophisticated we chose to wear with our fur and leatherette tote bag which is still a great size but has a chicer finish. In keeping with the classier vibe we chose to style with the dip chain collar necklace which has an almost flapper vibe. To finish of this look the silver glitter shine high heel courts will help you shine on the dance floor and aren’t too high for all you tall girls! Our last dress has an edgier vibe, we recommend this one for the clubs or pubs! It might even be your next favourite house party outfit. We styled the leopard print dress with some Jeffery Campbell style block heel lace up shoe boots and a leather metallic bracelet for buys that can be worn with lot’s of different looks. When it came to the handbag we wanted something with a designer vibe. This grab bag in black is similar to some designer style but without the hefty price tag. Our next outfit moves us onto skirts and we took our favourite colour of the velvet skater skirt and gave it a preppy style. We love polo necks this year and our blog Turtle Necks- Trend To Tick will tell you exactly why. The polo neck casual top creates a simple look that can be styled either up or down. Wear with the block heel gold plate boots and a feather fan necklace in white and gold for a style that could take you from a day at the office to dinner that night. Our final look had to be with the Aztec velvet leggings. We love this style when worn with oversized knitwear and the metallic chiffon dip hem jumper is a great way to get this style with a jumper that’s just that little bit different. For a edgier vibe we love the chunky sole cut out boots which are a top trend for this season, just look at our blog winter boots are stepping it up for some more footwear inspiration. To top off this velvet style we think a texture contrast could be a great option with our fur messenger bag in black.
Matching Your Make-up To Your Velvet Look.
Velvet has a rich, luxurious vibe and we think that, when it comes to your makeup, the best place to feel luxurious is on your lips! For a pout that’s perfectly plump, have a look at this IKRUSH make-up tutorial that will help you get perfect lips in 5 simple steps. By Mhairi O'Neill @IKRUSH_Mhairi