A lot of fashion trends spotted on the fall/winter 2015-2016 fashion week runways. Needless to say, most of the trends presented there would have gone well over the heads of normal people like us. So while each and every designer went out of their way to come up with eye grabbing ensembles, it was velvet that made its presence felt everywhere, quite the opposite of the sheer trend which was doing its rounds.

So, let’s talk about who showcased velvet and how you can incorporate this material into your everyday life.

Velvet is undoubtedly one of the most luxurious materials available in the market, and this year, it created quite an impact at the Milan and London runways, adding a touch of fluidity to already feminine silhouettes. Designers like Luisa Beccaria, Emilio Pucci constellations, Costume National and Antonio Marras experimented with velvet liberally.

In London, it was Christopher Kane, Topshop Unique, House of Holland collections and Mary Katrantzou who created flutters with their out-of-the-box designs. In the photo below, we can see Cara Delevingne wearing an Emilio Pucci double-breasted blue velvet tuxedo jacket-dress.

An increasing number of international celebrities have been spotted wearing velvet, although the trend hasn’t caught on among our very own movie stars. Nonetheless, contrary to popular belief, velvet today is available in a myriad of bold and bright colours, the likes of which include deep red, royal blue, parakeet green and burnt orange. It’s also evolved beyond boring skirts and leggings – today, you can find velvet jumpsuits, dresses, evening gowns, midis, crop tops and even gorgeous blazers that will up your style quotient. For those who feel adventurous, a red velvet pant-suit, when paired with black stilettos, can do the trick.

For those who aren’t very experimental and would like to play it safe, a velvet dress is the way to go. Search for skater style and bodycon dresses – they’re quite popular. However, there are a few dos and don’ts to keep in mind when wearing velvet.

Dos and Don’ts

The first is that one item of velvet is enough – you don’t have to pair your velvet dress with velvet leggings and a velvet purse. Just, NO.

Second, it can be quite tricky to pull off velvet in lighter shades; so if you want to play safe, it’s best to stick to the deeper tones of various colours, like midnight blue, charcoal black and deep maroon.

Third, always ensure that your velvet clothes are well ironed. This is because velvet is a material that works best when accompanied with great cuts that are sleek in appearances. Folds and crimps hinder that, making your clothes look cheap and drab.

Play it smart with accessories – a deep neckline would be best suited for a layered necklace (preferably in gold or silver) while a high neckline would best be accompanied with chandelier earrings and statement bracelets

Picture courtesy- oasap.com, asos-media.com and fashionsizzle.com