Fulfill your metal urges with silver, bronze, copper, gold

Friday, January 1, 1904

photo Grace Reynolds wears a Nanette Lepore Society Sheath metallic and sequined cocktail dress, $398, paired with a Lauren Merkin Lucy-style clutch, $242. Fashions courtesy of Alice Blue.

Tips for wearing metallic fashions1. Keep accessories minimal. Since metallics pack a significant visual punch all on their own, there's no need to go overboard with accessories.2. Choose form-fitting pieces. Most designers chose form-fitting metallics to create sleek looks balanced by looser blouses, jackets or pants.3. Wear one metallic piece at a time. Since metallics create such a bold statement, wearing too many at once can cheapen a look. Choose one key piece (slim pant, statement bag), and let it be the star of your outfit.4. Pair metallics with neutrals.Source: ellecanada.com

The hot fabrics for fall and winter can brighten up the darkest night.

"We are seeing a lot of metallic and sequined clothing and accessories this season," said Grace Reynolds, manager of Alice Blue in Riverview. "We have everything from dresses to tunics, tops, clutches and accessories."

Metallic can be worn by women of all ages and body types, she said.

"There's also a lot of ways to incorporate metallic in fashion," Reynolds said, explaining that the shimmery fabrics are showing up in dresses and evening gowns, tops, trims and accessories such as jewelry, purses, hair accessories and shoes.

"Metallic evening bags, particularly clutches, will be a huge trend for holiday parties," she said.

Some women mistakenly think metallic fashions are exclusively for dress-up occasions, but they can be paired with something casual, Reynolds said.

"You can give a little bling to a casual outfit by adding something metallic. If you wear a metallic top, for example, with a pair of basic jeans and boots, you've still got a casual look, but you've dressed it up a little," she said. "Metallic is not strictly for evening."

According to a recent update from The Zoe Report (thezoereport.com), offering notes on style and glamour from designer Rachel Zoe, a metallic kimono jacket by Parisian designer Barbara Bui is the perfect holiday fashion.

"Bui's textured leather jacket throws notions of subtlety to the wind and interprets the lustrous trend in a major way," the website noted. "With the holiday season rapidly approaching, this reflective piece serves as consummate inspiration to conjure up a festive ensemble. When you tire of your go-to cocktail dresses, reach for a Bui-esque burnished jacket and style it with skinny jeans, thigh-high boots and a studded clutch for a striking seasonal look."

Those who can't afford the $3,285 Barbara Bui price tag, The Zoe Report also mentioned a metallic Moto jacket from Forever 21 for an affordable $33.

Local businesswoman Leah Anderson is a fan of metallic.

"There are definitely a lot of dressier options out there now utilizing metallics and sequins, but one of my favorite recent purchases is a Rachel Zoe top made of gold sequins that I picked up at Willa," she said.

The metallic trend is carrying over to cosmetics as well, said makeup artist/aesthetician Darin Wright, owner of Elea Blake Cosmetic Studio in Chattanooga.

"Even a simple silhouette looks more elegant or hip with a touch of metallic," Wright said. "There is something about the shine that adds a spark of mystery. A matte lipstick is enhanced with a pop of soft metallic shine. Fingertips look more edgy with a top coat of metallic."

Wright said metallic is the "color story" for fall with the additions of the mixed metals. "Silver, bronze, copper, gold and 'ice' (a white shimmer). We love to incorporate mixed metals with any of the color trends for fall."

Reynolds said metallic is "almost a new basic."

It has been around for years, but it's now at the forefront, she said. "Designers are ever-changing in the ways they're using it in fashions, but it's getting more popular every year. It's almost a new basic. It's dressy, feminine and fun."

If a dress is made entirely of metallic fabric, accessories should be minimal, Reynolds said.

"Basically, all you need is shoes," she said. "Because the fabric is so vivid and bright, jewelry can compete with the look. If you have to wear jewelry, keep it to a minimal. It's the dress that will get the attention."