Author: Rich Fleischman

Fashion magazines declare the cork-soled wedge to be all the rage, and we are duly smitten—but let’s face reality: They’re not so good for scaling curbside snow banks or navigating icy sidewalks. So, embracing this reality, we took to the slopes! Lots of layers and practical, weather-resistant fibers are a fabulous match for snow, whether you’re shredding or, minus a couple of those layers, just tossing back a few in the ski lodge. The same goes for chunky knits, goggles, and color—the more vibrant the better. Even legwarmers, a resurrection we wouldn’t normally buy into, are apropos when paired with Swiss-style ski boots and polypropylene tights.

We’re always invigorated by a brisk autumn of theatergoing; this year, the season has been even more robust thanks to a trio of theater-themed parties. There was no shortage of spectacle on the opening-night galas at the Guthrie Theater and the Children’s Theater, where the line between costume and couture was wonderfully blurred. Where else can one strike such an effective pose in an Elizabethan collar? At the brand-new Ivey Awards, a tony (and Tony-inspired) to-do replete with a red carpet out on Hennepin Avenue, it was clear that this event is destined to be fêted as far as fashion sightseeing goes. With an abundance of suited-up dandies and women displaying imaginative uses of slinky acetate, we were happy to see that theatrics were not limited to the stage.

Whether your preference is for scoop-, turtle-, or V-necks, brace yourself for challenges to traditions. We’ve been seeing lots of exaggerated and sculpted forms swaddling the neckline—flirtatious cowls, modern takes on the halter, décolletage-framing fichus—which are often possible thanks to soft, pliable fabrics. For gentlemen, sadly, the look is more subdued, but tastemakers can always spruce things up by mixing patterns—or by leaving their shirts open a little to give the rest of us a peek.

Are you over flip-flops, baseball caps, and gauzy summer skirts? Well, it’s high time you left your 50th & France or Grand & Victoria turf. That was our realization, after we got an eyeful of downtown Minneapolis nightlife recently. There, we found bold bicep tattoos, curvy chrome two-wheelers both motorized and human-powered, and heads wearing the most daring of chapeaux! But what is the requisite tough-on-the-town fashion statement? No, it’s not the gang-inspired “I’m down with the Midwest!” sign, as flashed by the blond bicyclist cutie here. It’s sunglasses. After all, as Petula said of downtown, “The lights are much brighter there.”