Black is almost always a safe bet: it’s slimming, goes with anything and is flattering on everyone. The first half of Giambattista Valli’s pre-fall 2015 collection elegantly fuses black and gold together to create a balance of solids, patterns and clean lines. While eccentric patterns can often turn into a bit of an eyesore, he has demonstrated them in a calm, cool and sophisticated manner, the perfect adjectives to describe of all of you budding Fashionistas/os out there.
Adapting the designer’s collection into a more affordable, college-friendly look, I infused leather, a trend that has continued into the season, and focused on Valli’s color scheme. Beginning with a base of all-black, I made the jacket the centerpiece of the outfit. Always looking for a bit of extra height, my high heeled boots unified the look with a leather panel that matches the material of the skirt. Ready for the kicker? The cheapest part of this entire outfit was the ’80s statement jacket. On sale at Cactus Flower, my favorite local vintage store, it rounded out to about $11, a designer-inspired deal I just couldn’t refuse.
In terms of accessories, I kept it simple with no jewelry due to the fact that the patterned jacket is enough on its own. As you will see over the course of the semester, I am always drawn to a red lip and it is my go-to when it comes to styling, especially when an ensemble is predominantly black. The round black shades are perfect for those cool but sunny winter days and I always keep them handy in my backpack.
Get My Look: 1. A patterned jacket. 2. A pleated leather skirt. 3. A pair of tall black boots.
