Flamboyant Fall Fashion at Santana Row

Mini and midi are no longer mutually exclusive. On the first Saturday of September, the Santana Row Fall Fashion Shows introduced their co-existence for fall/winter 2014.

Most mini and midi dresses here come in fancy lace or unconventional prints. For instance, a Penelope Boutique midi sheath has gold and silver keys printed all over it. The unexpected print gives the otherwise-retro-looking dress a refreshing update.

While dress lengths vary drastically, most pants in the shows are in similar cropped lengths --- one or two inches above the ankles. The models either tuck them into boots or showed off their slender ankles.

Cropped leggings from Oakley have a contrasting color or print along the outer thighs to optically trim the thighs.

Also slimming are uneven-hem vests and jackets from Calypso St. Barth, Free People, Orvis, and Penelope Boutique. These diagonal vest and jacket hems have hardly been around and will probably be considered the most distinctive trend of fall/winter 2014.

Evening wear of this season comes in a new shape at Santana Row, too. Uomo Franco evening gowns all have a backless top, a sleek column silhouette, and a center back slit going up to knee high. In the meantime, men’s evening wear is more colorful than ever with printed bow ties. One male model donned a butter yellow suit jacket and olive green slacks.

Professional models were not the only ones walking down the runways at this year’s Santana Row Fall Fashion Shows. Organizers invited some residents to demonstrate their fashion taste as a pre-show activity. Participating residents included two small children.