How to Trick People Into Thinking You're Wearing Kate Spade (Pre-Fall 2016)

Or: How to look like you’re going on vacation when you’re just in a lecture hall.

So last week I walked into a Kate Spade store near my house and was promptly asked by an employee if the bag I was wearing was from their collection. 

I suppose this is an easy mistake to make because Kate Spade’s Pre-Fall 2016 Ready-to-Wear collection does feature an awful lot of fruit, but the grapefruit-shaped purse I was wearing at the time happened to cost about $30, and was from Francesca’s. So that’s kind of cool. And this also serves as proof of the statement I theorized in my last article in this mini-series: if you stick to certain elements of the Kate Spade brand aesthetic, you can trick employees themselves into thinking you’re wearing their merchandise. 

Unlike the sweet pastels of the Spring collection, Kate Spade’s Pre-Fall collection features lots of bright, bold colors, tropical prints, and patterns that just scream “vacation”. Seriously, I think the whole point of the collection is to make you feel like you’re on vacation even if you’re stuck at home. 

It may be technically fall now, but if you find yourself dreaming of summer and relaxation, dressing the part is an excellent start. Here’s how to get that relaxed, tropical vibe:

That’s Bananas

One segment of the Pre-Fall collection features a bold, outgoing variety of tropical fruit-themed pieces, including bananas, limes, apples, and strawberries, creating a gorgeously bright color palette of green, yellow, and red. For this look, it’s all about the jewel tones!

Products: Dress, Earrings, Purse, Sweater, Flats

This outfit is so bright and exciting that I feel like this paragraph should be in all caps. Look at this brilliant goldenrod dress! It’s a great nod to the banana, which acts as the centerpiece of the Kate Spade version of this aesthetic. Layer it under an emerald green cardigan, which pairs nicely with some bright red flats. 

As far as accessories go, the ones pictured above are proof that tropical fruit pieces can be easily found anywhere – the earrings offer a multitude of fun fruit patterns that can be mixed and matched to shake up the outfit, while this pineapple-shaped purse is so luxuriously adorable that a first glance would definitely indicate a Kate Spade purchase. 

Hello Sailor

The next part of the collection featured nautical prints. “Nautical prints for summer? Groundbreaking.” I hear you say in your best Miranda Priestley voice, but like most everything else Kate Spade does, this one comes with a twist. Instead of the standard ship wheels and anchors, the collection features novelty purses shaped like cruise ships and life preservers, maps of Europe on watches and phone cases, and pelican-themed jewelry.  

Products: Sunglasses, Pants, Sweater, Purse, Earrings, Brooch, Flats

To get this look, use a seafaring color scheme that includes navy and cream. A striped sweater and navy pant are a visually pleasing take on “business-casual”, and also serve as the perfect retro base for more visually interesting nautical accessories, including this adorable purse shaped like a paper boat, a brooch shaped like a ship in a bottle, and a wide variety of earrings that include posts in the shape of crabs, seahorses, and life preservers. Finally, complete the look with some vacation-worthy cat-eye black sunglasses and black (waterproof!) polka-dotted flats. 

Hollyhock Flowers

For this final vacation-ready print, Kate Spade used a simple but elegant pattern of black, white, and bluish-purple flowers for a classic color scheme that is both sophisticated and daring. 

Products: Earrings, Pants, Shirt, Watch, Sunglasses, Purse, Boots

I think Kate Spade might have made up this pattern because I looked everywhere and couldn’t find the exact flower, but I DID find some acceptable substitutes in the form of some gorgeous flower-patterned sunglasses and this grey, lilac, and cream flower-patterned blouse, which will look sleek and beautiful when paired with some black treggings (leggings that look like trousers, excuse me while I buy ten). 

The matching purse from the original collection is box-shaped, so get a similar look with a black box purse with gold edging, matched with black Chelsea boots and jeweled studs. Finally, accessorize with a rose-colored watch for a complimentary splash of color. 

What do you think?

Which part of the collection is your favorite? Do you think these looks are Kate Spade-worthy? Let me know in the comments!

Source: #Fashionblogger #fashiontrends