BE FASHION FLUENT

All the latest buzzwords, lingo and language to have you sounding like a fashion native.
Often our language is changing as fast as the clothes on our backs. Everything evolves and as the trends in style do so season to season it’s especially important for those of us working within the industry to keep abreast of the way the language is used. Whether you are writing about fashion, selling shoes or manufacturing wholesale menswear, sounding up to date will also keep you sounding professional and knowledgeable. We talked with Alex, who writes for QClothing – a top fashion wholesaler in London and got her insights and tips:
Most seasons have a decade to take your cue from. The style that’s going to be everywhere is SIXTIES. Think short, blocked colour style dresses or swing the other way for some flowing boho charm.

SHEER has been dominating the summer and seems to be still a driving trend.

For a more refined, perhaps a little austere look, old-fashioned tweeds and wools with a modern take, the word you need is HERITAGE.

Everywhere in the fashion weeks, everyone has got a BOMBER jacket. If you’re in retail or wholesale fashion now might be a good time to get kitted out.

The HERO accessory. That statement item to complete an outfit. Out with the ‘must haves’ in with the ‘hero’.
Leather is been a material seen everywhere of late, the word you need is FETISH.

Arm PARTY is a term that was coined by the Man Repeller blog author. Got an arm with the perfect mix and match of jewellery, a lot happening but it all works? You’ve got an arm party!

Some of the most important looks to come out of the shows recently have seen women in more defined shapes, shoulders, sharp silhouettes, darker, sombre colours. The words you need: MANNISH, POWERDRESSING.

And it’s time to dig out your old uniforms, the upcoming seasons are going PREPPY. Public school notes with plenty of blazer and pleats.

Good word to be using, good for the environment. SUSTAINABLE. Organic cottons, low-impact items.
The DUCHESS EFFECT is a phrase that doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. For a second year running it’s been used for that elegant chic style of anything worn by Kate Middleton. You can bet with the latest royal pregnancy announced this trend is only going up.

And finally the colour that you will hear no end of soon, ORCHID. A kind of old fashioned, warm mauve.

So this is a starting guide for what you’ll hear bandied about over the next seasons. But if you don’t feel comfortable with the new lingo just yet there are plenty of classics that won’t be leaving our fashion vocabulary any time soon. While ‘cool’ is almost certainly dead and buried, words like ‘chic,’ ‘sophisticated’ and ‘polished’ will always be excellent go-to phrases.