The Embellished Leg

Last fall was a banner year for leggings. Colors were rich and deep, textures spanned the gamut from gossamer lace to thick cable-knit wools and patterns ran from conservative argyles to trippy pop abstracts. There was a lot to be excited about.

So this must be a billboard year.

We have been inundated with leggings and the flood has only just begun. Daring (and darling) new pieces are on the way. Our faves? The super-trend stud leggings (left) and shimmering sequin jobbies (below) that take edge and sparkle to a glorious new place. Also on deck are the (faux) leather legging and a general emphasis on hardware: zips at the ankle and knee, ankle snaps (replacing the buttons of last year).

All this taps into the larger metal trend we're seeing in shoes, boots, bags and accessories. It's not quite rock-and-roll, but it's not quite not that either. Black is finally just black. Gray is its sidekick. Heavy metal hardware and deep reds accent. Is Fall is a knife fight? Picture the ersatz tumble in "Beat It." The S.E. Hinton aesthetic ... Are we dressing as the new Outsiders – hard and tough on the outside, uncertain with a heart of gold within – after being Socs for so long? The edges are harder: our collective slump away from excess during a lean year in which we've all bled a little.

Fall's message is that there's excitement even in hard times. Some of the gilt's flaked off to reveal our hard metal chic underneath. So be daring and bold and determined this Fall. Confidence is sexy, especially moxy that shimmers outrageously in legs like these.