IT'S not often you'll find all international designers marching to the same beat, but when it comes to the present season, they seem to be under strict orders. Over the coming months, the world's army of fashion followers will happily submit to the dictates of the moment, because the military style has seized control and imposed its authority. At the international collections, this was one of the strongest themes, with Versace's Istante line in Milan making a powerful statement in favour of the army which was subsequently echoed by Chanel in Paris.
This approach makes a certain sense, because so much of the autumn/winter tailoring is cut with extreme military precision. There's nothing overtly soft about either the trouser suits or maxi coats in favour at the moment; both are clean edged and lean, their finish as immaculate as an officer's uniform. Even without the addition of any overt insignia, these garments look ready to do battle until next spring.
If signing up and pledging your troth as a member of 1996's new model army seems too extreme, you can still adopt the look in a more moderate form - rather like joining fashion's FCA. Suits, either with trousers or long skirts, acquire a sharp military tone when belted crisply around the waist. Jackets which are high fastening work particularly well under these circumstances, their shoulder line kept close and straight. And berets or fur trimmed pillbox hats also suggest storm trooper styling when combined with well tailored suits.
But there is plenty of clothing now coming on stream which makes more explicit references to militaristic inspiration. You can marshal your forces in a jacket carrying both epaulettes and four flap front, button down pockets, the latter often then carried onto the skirt as well. The epaulette is probably the simplest means to look completely contemporary; it appears on shirts as well as jackets and even on the shoulders of some Gucci silk jersey evening dresses.
The fluidity of that fabric demonstrates that while the military look is indisputably severe, it needn't exclude all suggestion of femininity. One way to counter the harder lines of suits and coats is to wear a pair of the new lace tights which first caught attention at last spring's Prada show and have since attracted widespread notice. These come in lace patterns or else with a strong ribbing and work best in more unusual shades; a pale cream which is being called ecru this season looks like being a particular favourite among fashion cognoscenti. It looks wonderful against the dominant colours of military style, khaki and olive green, as well as autumn/winter's number one tone - bitter chocolate. You can, of course, choose to militate against current trends but why put up a fight? If you don't enlist right now, you'll probably find yourself conscripted by this season's style sooner or later.