We all have some childhood memory of velvet clothing—a collared black velvet dress worn during a piano recital or a deep forest green one during the holidays (styled with darling Mary Janes, jingle bell earrings, and a reindeer headband, of course). But when the nostalgic fabric gets colored over in unexpected poppy reds, cheery yellows, and icy pastels, as we saw all over the fall 2016 runways, including Celine, Valentino, Dries Van Noten, Kenzo, Vetements (and so, so many others), then it suddenly feels like a brand-new, must-have idea. Elegant, with a hit of rockstar swagger.
With grown-up cuts, like a pretty pleated midi skirt or a sweeping wide-leg pant, velvet 2.0 feels delightfully chic, yet familiar in a comfortable, '90s-throwback way. Factor in its subtle sheen, and any outfit of yours will get an immediate boost in dimension and glamour. Give plush pants workwear polish with a straitlaced button-down (see how it's done, above) or add '70s flair to a velvet blazer with a tie-neck blouse and denim flares. Scroll through to scoop up six of our favorite colorful velvet pieces out now.
