KEY POINTS:
Bored with your look? Can't wait until New Zealand Fashion Week so you can see what's coming next? Well, one way to add a little excitement to your closet sooner rather than next season might be to practise what's been christened a "fash-up".
It's not rude and it has nothing to do with squashed vegetables. It's a combination of the words fashion and mash-up. These days, mash-up is a term that refers to non-traditional mixtures of various forms of popular culture. It could be music, film or fashion that is "mashed" together to create a brand new product.
In music, which is where the term was most likely invented a couple of years back, it could mean a layering of two unrelated songs on top of one another, or perhaps a mixture of two genres. As in dance-punk. Or ghetto-tech.
The same equation can apply to fashion trends, whereby you take two relatively unrelated styles and put 'em together. And if it's true that there's nothing new any more - every designer has been inspired by retro trends over and over again, already - then this must be one of the best ways to come up with something a little more exciting and original. If you look at the most stylish dressers you know, you'll see they always pick and choose from trends and genres to come up with their own distinctive looks.
Following are explanations of a few of the fash-ups already seen on various runways, fash-ups you can use right now to update your style and predictions for fash-ups of the future.
ROCK'N'ROLL + INDIGENOUS TRADITION = ETHNIC INDIE
Introducing the latest collection by the inimitable and highly talented international designer, Nicholas Ghesquiere of Balenciaga. His Paris runway show for fall 2007 demonstrated this look very ably with an unlikely-but-somehow-awesome mixture of ethnic fabrics, retro looks and rock'n'roll styling. He had his models wearing retro-styled school blazers with skinny leg pants and jodhpurs, before finally throwing a big, old, tasselled, ikat-printed scarf over the lot. Fashion editors elsewhere have called this melting pot or "global style".
SPORTY SPICE + SPACE TRAVELLER = SPORTSWEAR LUXE
It's a bit of an international trend and our very own Kate Sylvester is probably the best local example. She's put sportswear together with shiny space age looks and fabrics to come up with an interesting, yet very wearable, hybrid. Without the space age feel, you'd look like you were going to the gym. Whereas the flashy fabrics and futuristic vibe bring body stockings, leotards, leggings and nylon parkas right on to the 21st century streets.
CRAFTY HIPPY + GLAMOROUS WENCH = LAVISH PRIMITIVE
For quite some time now fashion has had an ongoing romance with the handcrafted, the slightly imperfect, and therefore more individual. Since then crochet, beading, naive art and other forms of handmade decoration have stayed in favour. This coming European season it all comes together in the form of a variety of glamorous textures and arty, unusual fabrics.
Quilting, waxed and felted wools, sequins, feathers, fringing, giant crystals, poms poms, pearly patterns and, um, what looks like fun fur turned up all over the shows, as did extravagant scarves and arty jumpers. Still confused? Think of it like this. It's as if Gucci got hold of your favourite vintage, hand-tooled bag and re-made it, complete with shape and feel, except in crocodile with silk lining and gold chains.
LADYLIKE + GRUNGE = GRUNGY LADY
The ladylike, librarian chic that was so popular several seasons ago is still around. But this lady has now lived a little, been to a few rock gigs, had a few whiskys, hung out with some bohemian types and smudged her eyeliner. In other words, our demure librarian is a little rougher around the edges. She's still wearing a prim skirt and jacket combination, or other sleek outfits (particularly those with a 30s or 40s feeling) but she's slightly more dishevelled, a little sexier and not quite so uptight.
NEW RAVER + BOHEMIAN = TECHNO HIPPIE
In fashion terms, the New Rave phenomenon was virtually over before it began. After all, it was such an obvious look. It started off with a bunch of alternative, art student-types dressing up in rave-style neons in an ironic tribute to the early 90s. But as soon as the popular press got on to it, it became far too mainstream for the alternative crowd and too alternative for the mainstream. However if you cross a New Raver with something a little more hippie, what do you get? Those tremendously popular jewel bright colours, some 80s detailing, a dash of futurism and more of that melting pot chic, as described in the first fash-up.
