One of most surprising trends on the fall runways has been the abundance of velvet. Whether draped or crushed, or on a skirt or a pant: velvet is back, but it's not all black. Shades of red have been dominating the looks we've noticed so far, in hues ranging from tomato to pomegranate. We have fond early '90s memories of our cherished maroon crushed velvet skater dress, a look that easily translates to some of the shorter styles we saw at Zac Posen (above, center). A short, flouncy skirt negates the velvet's weight, while the same quality can be beautifully harnessed for a long, elegantly draped evening dress. On the other hand, the velvet pantsuit at right has us humming "When Doves Cry," or worse, "I've Got the Golden Ticket." Is head-to-toe red velvet a solid look for fall, or should we just stick to rocking a raspberry beret?
