From Magenta Lips to Printed Pants, J.Crew Shows Us How to Work the Fall 2012 Trends [PHOTOS]

By Cavan Sieczkowski | February 20 2012 12:21 PM

Photo: Twitter

Snakeskin

Nothing screams “fierce” quite like snakeskin. It adds that extra bite to even the simplest of outfits. J.Crew’s snakeskin came, most notably, on a knee-length pencil skirt. Though the animal print also made its way onto a purse and a dress, the skirt stood out because of what it was paired with (thanks Jenna!). Who would have thought snakeskin would look so fantastic matched with a chunky orange and navy ski sweater? For Fall 2012, make these surprising couplings with your snakeskin.

Photo: Reuters

Rainbow Colors

Fall 2012 is all about tasting that rainbow. Color exploded on the J.Crew runway, brightening up everything from chunky sweaters to cross-body bags to sharp blazers. Do not be afraid to opt for colors you might have only seen in Crayola crayon boxes. J.Crew’s best shades included some of the most outrageous – like mint, lemon, strawberry and sapphire.

Photo: Reuters

Color-Blocking

Color-blocking is not only for spring, but it has been carried into fall. Collections shown by BCBG and Hyden Yoo stacked colors on dresses, tops, jackets and handbags. Though J.Crew did not take such a literal approach in its color-blocking, the label did show color-blocked outfits. Models showed off a cobalt blue top with forest green trousers and salmon sweaters with burgundy skirts.

Photo: Reuters

Magenta Lips

Magenta lips are not for the faint of heart. The hue might induce palpitations to those used to more understated colors; but J.Crew models wore a smart, not cheap, shade of the brilliant color. Thanks to Lipstick Queen by Poppy King you can rock the cheeky shade too. King sells her line at spacenk.com. The opaque, creamy shades of King’s “Sinner 90 Percent Pigment” lipstick will call attention to your pout all season long.

Photo: Reuters

Printed Pants

Printed pants have become a staple in J.Crew’s line. In fact, printed pants could be seen in a myriad of Fall 2012 collections, from Cynthia Rowley to Naeem Khan. Jenna Lyons, renowned for her knack at mix-and-match, showed perfectly unexpected pairings. Who knew gray polka dots would go so very nicely with aqua plaid? Such pairings might require a mastery of the art, but printed pants look just as chic with solid, bright colors and neutral accessories.

Magenta lips. Printed pants. Snakeskin. Color-blocking. All these major Fall 2012 trends were showcased during J.Crew's New York Fashion Week show. The line's Fall 2012 collection featured a plethora of the best and brightest styles of the season.

At the helm of it all was the genius Jenna Lyons. With her uncanny ability to effortlessly mix-and-match even the most unlikely of combinations, Lyons is undoubtedly J.Crew's special sauce.

Models (some of whom were doppelgangers of Lyons herself) sashayed down the runway in color-coordinated order, from cobalt to teal to crimson to bubblegum pink. NY Fashion Week attendees were blasted with rainbow shades, in-your-face prints and tons of texture. Tom Mora, J.Crew's head women's designer, said that the focus was head-to-toe dressing.

For the season, J.Crew teamed up with Manolo Blahnik for a footwear collaboration. Models sported colorful, printed pumps in the classic BB style. Hair was worn in slicked-back low ponytails and the makeup was kept simple with a pop of bright lipstick.

Here are some of the most dashing trends from J.Crew's Fall 2012 collection and ways you can work them into your everyday wardrobe.