By MOLLY DAVIDSON / Staff Writer

HOOVER—Fringe is finally back. From vests, to purses, to shirts, fringe featured prominently in Inverness Country Club’s fall fashion show and luncheon on Oct. 13.

Organized by fashion expert and ICC member Darlene Higginbotham, the fashion show gave club members a peek at the season’s latest styles. Along with fringe, uneven hemlines, vests, stud detailing, bold prints, tassel accents and gold jewelry all made an appearance on the runway.

“It’s all about the vest, and of course, animal print is big,” Higginbotham said of this season’s trending looks. “Tassels and jewelry are very important, and gold is back! We lost it for a while.”

Each of Higginbotham’s handpicked outfits incorporated trends straight from the runway into everyday looks, from an easy purple knit dress complete with a flowing uneven hemline, to a bold animal print vest thrown over an aqua tunic.

“What I dress people for is their body type, lifestyle and personality,” Higginbotham said, noting the importance of comfort and feeling confident in clothing.

Higginbotham said her goal for the show was to inspire women to try something new and trendy. Models from Higginbotham’s Model Connection agency exhibited the outfit selections.

“They’re all sizes, all shapes and that’s really important to me,” Higginbotham said of the show’s models. “They’re real, that’s most important.”

All outfits and accessories were provided by Stein Mart on U.S. 280. Stein Mart personal shopper and stylist Meagan Slappey was also on hand to discuss each look during the show.

“I love giving people the opportunity to try something new… helping people find their style,” Slappey said. “Sometimes fashion can be so daunting.”

Slappey helps shoppers at the U.S. 280 Stein Mart location to build their perfect look. This season, Slappey said she has helped women incorporate trends such as metallic leather, hats and long necklaces into their wardrobes.

“Fashion is how you view yourself,” Slappey said. “It’s a persona to wear.”

The show not only displayed fall styles, Higginbotham said she also hoped it allowed women a chance to socialize and escape from the stress of everyday life.

“So many people think fashion is frivolous, that fashion is something to take you away from the serious things in life, but, I think that’s the most important part (of fashion),” Higginbotham said.