Alice + Olivia Fall Fashions

Let’s face it, ladies, sometimes you can’t beat that feeling of wearing a turn-their-heads outfit. When you find a fashion brand that hits that magical spot you go back for more. That’s why I keep running back to Alice + Olivia – the lifestyle brand does it for me.

Not only do I love the way the clothes make me feel, but I also love the fortuitous origin of the mega fashion house.

Stacey Bendet, Alice + Olivia creator, sauntered into the fashion industry via a very helpful hand from the universe. While in college, Stacey craved a pair of sexy and tailored trousers, something she couldn’t find. So, using her ingenuity, she modified the waist on a pair of jeans to create a more flattering fit on the female form. Stacey, wearing her own creation, strutted down an LA street. It wasn’t long before she (and her hot-to-trot pants) caught the eye of an LA boutique owner. That influential store owner immediately placed multiple orders for the tailored jeans. And as they say, the rest is HERstory!

Given that hand of luck, Stacey has made it a priority of the Alice + Olivia brand to give back to communities and charities, mainly focusing on women.

(In case you missed it, read our story about the Alice + Olivia’s involvement in The Ellie Fund, and how Store Manager, Christy Neves helped to connect one of our favorite charities to one of our favorite brands.)

Now, back to the fall fashions. As I said, I can’t stay away from these fabulous clothes. So, I recently found myself back at the Newbury Street location to run my fingers over some of the lush fabrics and chat with the sweet, sharp, and stylish Christy Neves about fall 2018 fashion trends.

Christy Neves, General Manager of the Newbury Street Boston Alice and Oliva

Christy was so excited to share the inspiration for the 2018 Alice + Olivia fall fashion deliveries. When she starts to talk about the brand, there is a sparkle and excitement in her eye. I love seeing the care and passion within someone when they talk about their work. Christy has that enthusiasm for Alice + Olivia. Christy happily walked me through each of the fall deliveries and trends.

Fashion today is on a hyperloop. It used to be that once a store received their fall delivery that was it for that season. Today, fashion brands know the consumer is hungry for more. People want to keep coming back to find something new. That continually turning fashion wheel makes things a little more exciting and feeds that desire for fresh new looks. Alice + Olivia is no different, delivering their fall season in three main deliveries.

Generally, for each fashion installment, Stacey finds her inspiration from her travels. For fall 2018, Stacey stepped back from her usual inspiration and stepped toward one of her passions- women empowerment. Her inspiration to dress the female form came from a female forum for equal pay, women’s health, education for all women, and an overall “find-your-female-megaphone” vibe.

Education is a pivotal role in the improvement of humankind in general. With this focus on education and women, the first part of the fall 2018 collection was the A-O University. This modernized take on collegiate influence included mixed plaids, rainbow, colored leopard, metallics and the modernized suit. Sparkly rainbow sequins represented the uplifting optimism of education.

Rolling in the next wave of inspiration is the Rococo Rock & Roll Room. Rococo is an 18th-century decorative style that is both elaborate and intricate, and it parallels with the over-the-top decadence of rock and roll. These two ornate styles, blended created a fall delivery with baroque-influenced cuts and prints and lace collars that comingle with decorative rock and roll flair. Feminine drama is expressed with mixes of studded leather, fun denim, lace, and fringe. With this collection, Stacey wants women to know they can be both beautiful and tough!

Baroque Print Dress

The last delivery for fall 2018 is the American Revolution. Stacey looked toward the strong female figures from many different eras who shaped American history and impacted the freedom we have today. Western classics are updated with a rock and roll vibe. There’s also lots of leather and studs in this collection. Stacey wanted to show how far the women’s movement has taken us and yet how far we still need to go.

Throughout the fall deliveries, Christy tells us the trends to look for this season are as follows:

Leopard – Straight up leopard, in different colors, and even mixed with different patterns
Plaid – Don’t call it a comeback, it’s been here for YEARS! From jackets to matching suit pieces, everyone is mad for plaid!
Statement Jackets – Bold, bright, and big – pick a jacket that will make sure you’ll get noticed.
Sequin & Shine – Find that inner 80’s and 90’s vibe and let it shine
Rock & Roll Edge – leather and suede are everywhere and with lots of embellishments.
Red – If it’s just in a top, or from head to toe, red is the way to go! Don’t be afraid to mix different hues – wear a candy apple red top with a pair of burgundy pants.
Prints – Just to name a few prints appearing in the fall Alice + Olivia collections – multi-chevron, leopard, checkered plaid, western floral, midnight bouquet, rainbow, baroque, water lotus, window pane, tonal stripe, and chinoiserie.

If you’ve never been in the store and you love shopping, you won’t regret visiting this pretty-as-a-picture shop. Not only will Christy and her staff receive you with open arms, but you’ll love sticking your arms (and legs) into every article of clothing. Just taking in the sights of all the decadent materials and varied colors will ignite your fashionista senses sending you into fashion euphoria.

Some of the much-welcomed fashion sensations at the Newbury Street Alice + Olivia Store

We learned from Christy that anyone could host a shopping event at the store where 20% of the proceeds will go to the charity of your choice. With this in-style event, the hostess also gets an outfit valued at $495.00. Cool incentive if you ask us.

The Newbury Street store also offers personal shoppers, as well as a made-to-order service. The company will ship you several outfits, and you simply return what doesn’t float your boat and keep the rest. That makes your next vacation a lot easier!