Runway to Real Life: Infusing Runway Trends Into Your Personal Brand

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Clothing is an integral part of our everyday lives. What we wear not only conveys how we feel about ourselves, it communicates who we are to the world. It's takes a 1/10th of a second to make an impression so this is a skill set you want to master. While some people have figured out how to leverage their clothing for greater confidence and standing, others are still trying to figure it all out.

Admittedly it can be confusing if you're simply relying on the pages of your favorite fashion magazines, Instagram feeds or Pinterest. Let’s be honest…runway looks and fashion trends are equal parts lust-worthy and outrageously artistic but, most (if not all), don’t exactly work in the real world.  

Not all trends and styles are for everyone, which is why it's so important to have a sense of your authentic style. However, if you can learn how to decipher which seasonal trends you want to adapt into your wardrobes, you can have a bit of fun updating and refreshing your personal brand.

I've teamed up with Catherine's to share how to wear a few of the most popular trends for Fall/Winter 2018.  If you’re not familiar with Catherine's, it’s a great resource for on-trend dresses, skirts, jackets and tops that are specially designed to accentuate your curves. You'll want to bookmark their page this season to take advantage of their upcoming holiday sales!

1. Mad About Plaid & Denim

One thing you should keep in mind is that there's truly no such thing as a "new" trend. Fashion is heavily driven by trends and will appear, and reappear, cyclically over time. Plaid is one of the most recognizable designs in the world and dates back to 18th century Scotland. 

Available in almost any color you can imagine, plaid is a traditional pattern that exudes an energy of trust, home, family and stability. If you want to incorporate plaid in your wardrobe this season you can do so in many way.

I'm wearing Catherine's Plush Touch Button Front Plaid Shirt casually with their Dark Sky Wash Denim Jeggings. Denim is ALWAYS on trend and when you can find a GREAT pair that fit like a glove, have a great stretch them, and are as comfortable as a pair of pajamas, I suggest you grab a pair. A dark wash or black denim will always give you a more refined look than a lighter wash denim. 

The "plush touch" shirt is true to it's name. It's soft and fits like a glove. There's a velvet stripe lining the button holes which lends a bit of elegance to such a simple garment. This shirt provides a great deal of versatility and therefore wearability in your wardrobe. You can pair it with a red, cream or black pull over sweater or blazer, add pencil skirt and boots and you're ready for the office. Or you can wear it casually with your favorite vegan leather coat for a day at the farmer's market. 

It's the perfect way to introduce plaid into your wardrobe.

Outfit:  Plaid Top - wearing 1x; Jeggings - wearing 2x (could wear 1x); Shoes - 11M

2. Abstract Art & Leather

When abstract prints take center stage on the runway, it's the designers creative expression of art. There are no rules when it comes to abstract prints and beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder.

Those who love a great piece of abstract art on their clothing tend to be in creative fields that allow for individual expression. It supports a creative, eclectic, and independent spirit that marches to the beat of their own drum.

If abstract prints are intimidating to you, you can try a two-tone subtle print like the one I'm wearing. This Ruched Split-Sleeve Dress from Catherine's Curvy Collection features a beautiful pattern in this curve-hugging soft knit dress. I also love the stretch in this dress allowing it to hug my curves perfectly. The rayon-spandex blend fabric also makes it the perfect pack-n-go dress, which means it won’t wrinkle when you pack it. Pair it with boots, heels or shoe-boots and tights like I did. The great thing about a print dress is you can keep the rest of your look simple because it's a style statement on it's own.

I paired this dress with Catherine's Vegan Leather Jacket. I LOVE this jacket. I actually have a few faux leather jackets but this one is by far my favorite. It has knit panels along the side and along the sleeve which allows the jacket to hug my body and accentuate my curves without being too tight or restrictive. I also love the length. So many jackets are short in the back and longer in the front, which works for certain styles, but during the cold days of fall and winter it's nice to have a jacket that will keep you both warm and stylish. 

Outfit:  Dress - wearing 1x; Jacket - wearing 1x; Shoe-Boots (similar)- 11M

3. Red Hot & Leopard

Red is always on trend. From season to season the shade of red will change so it's important to find the right red for you. Red can be a tricky color to wear but when you get it right you'll make a statement.

Red is a fire color. It has a lot of energy and is a color that will draw all eyes to you. It's a great color to wear when you want all eyes on you, like when you're on stage or leading a meeting.

I'm a bit partial to wearing red in one of three ways....shoes, coat or dress. This time I went with a dress. Here I'm wearing this beautiful Red Studded Wrap Dress from Catherine's Curvy Collection. If you're looking for a dress that you can wear to work and then directly to the holiday party....this is the dress. The studs and asymmetrical hemline make this no ordinary red dress. This version is a bit more sophisticated and versatile in terms of what types of functions you can wear it to. The dress feels like silk on your skin and pulls on over head for easy styling.

Animal print is another big trend this season but it can also be an intimidating print. To add even more panache to the dress I added a leopard print belt and shoes. Animal print pairs well with red so it's great way to introduce this trend into your wardrobe.

Outfit:  Dress - wearing 1x; Belt - wearing XL; Shoes (similar) - 11M

So....which runway trend are you going to infuse into your wardrobe this Fall/Winter season? Check out the options Catherine's has to offer to find the perfect piece for you to try out.

Thanks to Catherine's for sponsoring this post.

Live, laugh and unapologetically shine

Carol