Celebrity Stylist, Kendall Farr, On Fall Trends

Fashion stylist, Kendall Farr, began her New York fashion career at Seventeen Magazine and now works as a freelance fashion editor for titles such as Vogue, Glamour and Marie Claire.

Kendall Farr has dressed a number of celebrities including Halle Berry, Angelina Jolie, Diane Lane and Uma Thurman. She has been a stylist for the Oscars, Golden Globes and the Cannes Film Festival. Best of You Today is lucky enough to get her input on the fall styles for 2010.

BOYT: What is exciting for you right now in fashion?
 
Kendall Farr: I love the return to sharp tailoring; angular lines and the emphasis on gorgeous, simple dressing for day. Dressing minimally looks especially modern after a decade of very girly and overly embellished clothes. I love Celine designer Phoebe Philo's gimmick free looks and Stella McCartney's clean lined pieces. I am a big fan of the newly launched Carven.
 
Dries Van Noten's mix of nipped-waist jackets and military bottoms mixed with leopard accents seemed to hit all the right notes for casual but pulled together style.   
 
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BOYT: What are the hottest trends for fall 2010?
 
Kendall Farr: Simplicity in all things is the key now. I think what looks right is something as simple as v-neck or crew-neck cashmere sweater worn just slightly oversized with a pair of slim (not skinny-cut pants). The really good news is that silhouettes are varied. Pants can be wide or narrow, so find what works for you and use pants as the cornerstone of your looks this fall.
 
I am really impressed with the Gap's range of body-friendly black pants.
 
BOYT: What colors are in for fall 2010?
 
Kendall Farr: There is a nice departure from black. Camel is everywhere along with a nice range of browns like toffee and taupe, so it's easy to find a brown tone for your skin color. Gray is a winner and I especially love the rich and color saturated dark greens and purples. Red is a great accent and accessory color. I love a pop of red in an outfit. What's great is that these colors all play nicely off the black bottoms we already own.
 
BOYT: What are your favorite items in your wardrobe right now?
 
Kendall Farr: I am very excited to wear a new camel blazer with a nipped waist from Dries Van Noten.  I'll wear it with everything.
 
I also love a simple silk shirt I've just found from Equipment. It's ivory and will soften up all the menswear I pair it with. I am very keen on simple silk shirts for fall, worn open for a low v-neck or buttoned up to the throat with great necklaces.  I'm not crazy about necks that tie for women over 40, as it can look matronly.
 
BOYT: What is the sexiest thing a woman can wear?
 
Kendall Farr: Whatever flatters her. We can spend too much time worrying about why our bodies don't work for current trends instead of making new trends work for us. Figure out what shapes and proportions work best for your body and what colors make your skin glow.  Then develop some “uniforms” that combine your best shapes, proportions and colors. This keeps things simple. Then, add trends in singular pieces.  As we hit mid life, it's easiest to look relevant and remain current with simple shapes and pull in the “trend” with accessories.
 
BOYT: What's a style tip that every woman can use?
 
Kendall Farr: I always like to create opposition in an outfit. If I’m only wearing pants and a sweater, my personal favorite combination, I'll push the sleeves on the sweater to make it casual but wear pumps on my feet. Always have a little masculine and a little feminine in one look.  Think about shoes and boots with a little edge that can add a little “here and now” to simple clothes.
 
BOYT: What advise can you give to those who are trying to discover their personal style?
 
Kendall Farr: Honestly, many of the women we think of personal as style icons had a style mentors.  For Jackie Kennedy, it was the legendary Vogue editor Diana Vreeland.  Grace Kelly learned a lot about great clothes from the costume designer Edith Head, the designer on Rear Window to name just one of the films they did together. Audrey Hepburn also learned from Edith Head and the designer Hubert Givenchy, who designed some spectacular dresses for the film Sabrina. It doesn’t matter if you don't have the fashion gene, but seek good advice. Become a student of your shape and how to dress it best. Nothing changes a woman's self confidence like being well-dressed in clothes that really fit. That is the cornerstone of great personal style.
 
BOYT: What are some of your favorite fashion websites, magazines or stores?
 
Kendall Farr: I'm a big fan of Net-A-Porter, the OutNet (Net-A-Porter's markdown site) and Farfetch for track down hard-to-find accessories. I like a visit to Gilt as well.
 
For a splurge, I love Barneys but I shop everywhere and anywhere high to low. I look under every rock. You never know where you'll find something.
 
For visitors to New York City, don't miss Jil Sander's next collaboration, TJ Collection, for Uniglo in October. This will be her third season of incredibly well-tailored and affordable classics.
 
BOYT: What is one key piece for fall 2010?
 
Kendall Farr: There are so many great ideas this fall, that's a hard one. Since wearing simple shapes and solid colors works so well, most of us already own things that will translate well. Invest in a bag, like a satchel shape, that works with most everything and will elevate all your day looks. Make it red or leopard!
 
BOYT: Tell us one thing that might surprise our readers.
 
Kendall Farr: Maybe not a surprise but another one of my mantras: It takes very little to have a great wardrobe. Become a ruthless editor of your own wardrobe. Buy less, but buy better quality to keep your wardrobe evolving a piece at a time.
 
About Kendall Farr
Stylist, Kendall Farr, began her New York fashion career at Seventeen Magazine and now works as a freelance fashion editor for titles like Vogue, Glamour and Marie Claire. Kendall Farr has dressed a number of celebrities including Halle Berry, Angelina Jolie, Diane Lane and Uma Thurman. She has been a stylist for the Oscars, Golden Globes and the Cannes Film Festival
 
For more information, visit http://www.kendallfarr.com/