by May Monten

Created on: November 08, 2010

Fashion trends for Winter 2011 are all about being bold and playful.  It's a season full of contrasts - bright colors and neutrals, menswear and girly dresses, neo-hippie and neo-preppy looks.  With so many choices, you could change your look every day according to your mood.

* The roar of the wild

Animal-inspired trends are super-hot for Winter 2011.  Leopard-skin prints are on everything from coats to the linings of gloves.  Zebra prints and crocodile- and snakeskin-textured leathers are important secondary trends.

The other major animal-inspired trend this winter is fur - usually fake fur, but for those so inclined, real fur is showing up as well.   You will see it everywhere - from jackets to boots to purses.

Also look for cute retro animal costume jewelry, inspired by the 60s and 70s.  Sparkly animals with bright faux-gem eyes can be worn as pins, pendants, or on retro charm bracelets.

Feathers are another animal trend, showing up as jewelry inspired by Native American designs or neo-hippie looks.

* Bright and beautiful

Bright colors are a big trend for Winter 2011.  Look for deeply saturated purples, blues, and pinks, as well as oranges, yellows, and greens.   Neutrals are also trendy, with all-black (and occasionally all-white) popular for both evening and daytime wear.

Look for tweeds in classic black-and-white, sometimes accented with red.  Plaids are hot, especially in the season's popular purples and blues.

 * The boys and the girls

Menswear is trendy, especially in coats and hats.  Look for paperboy and fishermen's caps.  Feminine styles are also popular.  Retro 50s and 60s looks, with a nod to "Mad Men," are hot.  Look for ladylike cashmere sweaters and shirtwaist dresses, accented with pearls and pumps.

* The bigger the better

Big jewelry is in.  Wide cuff bracelets, enormous rings, and attention-getting necklaces are all major trends.

Outerwear is big too.  Look for puffy down jackets and shaggy faux fur coats.

Heels are super-high this season, and shoe platforms are thick.  Boots are big too, climbing up over the knees.

* Let's play dress-up

With so many nods to the past, getting dressed this winter can be like putting on a costume.  One day you can be a hippy in gauzy fabrics, peace symbols, and lace.  The next day you can be a buttoned-down preppy wearing a cable-knit sweater and a plaid skirt.  Go from 1950s pumps one day to 1970s platform shoes the next.  All the world is your stage this winter.

If you had to describe fashion for Winter 2011 in only one word, that word would be "fun." Be creative and playful.  Try something new. There is no absolute right or wrong in this season's fashion trends - only the opportunity to play around with the way you appear to the world.

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