Fringe Fashion

Fringe is Everywhere and Not Just for Western Wear

Of all the fall styles, fringe is taking the fashion world by storm. See my article on fall fashions that will speak to you. Bottom line, fringe is everywhere. Fringe is always an eye-catcher. Whether it’s on the sleeves of a leather jacket or subtly accenting the hem of a skirt, the long strands dance with every gentle breeze. The style is ideal for weekend dressing: relaxed, effortlessly cool, and incredibly fun (as anyone who’s ever twirled around in a fringed skirt can attest).

And, there are many ways to rock the fringe without looking like you strolled in from the Wild, Wild West. In real life, though, fringe can be tricky to pull off. Too much can look like a costume, and too thick can look a bit too western. My advice: take a cue from street style. Just look at Pinterest here and here, where we’ll see the detail in their wardrobes in new and unexpected ways.While the fringed-sleeve jacket will never go out of style, a clutch with long, suede strips is giving it a run for its money.

It’s hard for a fringe piece to feel sophisticated and genuinely fun to wear at the same time, which is why we’re psyched that fringe is everywhere in 2015. We’re embracing it on pants, loving it on the edges of skirts, and of course looking for it on the sleeves of jackets. But beyond these obvious uses of fringe, we now see it on shoes, on handbags and even jewelry. Fringe-accented tops and accessories are also easy to wear with simple pants and skirts.

Fringe is hardly a new trend as this iconic adornment has earned its place in fashion history.

Fashion flashback: Fringe from rock ‘n roll to the runway

The Flapper Era

It’s no coincidence that the free-flowing, fringed Charleston dress (named after the popular dance) became the evening look of choice during the Fitzgerald era. As women in the US earned the right to vote, they shed the restrictive and structured clothing of the 19th century and embraced a liberating style of dress that would shimmy right along with them. Screen sirens like Gertrude Lawrence and Joan Crawford nailed this ritzy look

 Western Look

Taking a page from the Native Americans (who originally wore buckskins trimmed with fringe for functional, rain-repelling purposes), style icons like Cher and Jean Shrimpton frequently wore fringe that had a Western feel. From capes and dresses to vests and even pants, these garments often came in brown, white and neutral shades of suede.

 Bohemian

Hippies made fringe an integral part of their freedom-seeking wardrobe. While the music of this era ranged from folk to funk, so did the fashion, with colored and beaded fringe complimenting gypsy dresses, tie-dye tee shirts, hooded ponchos and more. Jimi Hendrix famously rocked out at Woodstock in a fringe jacket, and this festival look that has since become iconic.

Stage Divas

Tina Turner literally brought fringe center stage in the 80’s, wearing it for numerous performances, photo shoots and appearances. Since then, divas like Christina Aguilera, Beyonce and Taylor Swift have all followed suit, embracing glitzy, glittery fringe as their ideal costume adornment for major concerts and award shows

Jennifer Lopez on the “Today Show” July 13, 2001. Olivia Wilde attends in New York City on April 15, 2015.

2000s

Fringe has seen a resurgence in popularity over the past few years, and today can be found not only on jackets, dresses and skirts, but on accessories, too. From Amal Clooney to Kate Moss, the biggest names in fashion are wearing fringe to everything from music festivals like Coachella to date nights in New York and fashion shows in London

And just when we thought our love for fringe couldn’t get any stronger, we stumbled upon our favorite new way to wear it. Instead of opting for the standard ’70s-inspired leather and suede, consider investing in pieces adorned with super thin, flapper-style fringe. The Spring 2016 collections has fringe adorning everything from miniskirts to sweatshirts to party dresses.

The fringe trend is the new “go to look”

A picture of course is worth a thousand words, so here we present the many ways to wear fringe followed by a list of our stores that carry a wide selection of fringed garments and accessories. Want some tips on how to wear fringe, then check out this short video on How To Wear The Hippie Fringe Trend

Please shop at our  Sister House stores.

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Tags: Bohemian, divas wear fringe, fall fashions, featured, fringe fashion, fringe on flappers, western wear

Category: Style, Transgender Fashion