Fashion Destination: Twelve Oaks Mall

Twelve Oaks Mall may not officially be considered as the mecca of fashionistas of the Novi area, but from the turnout that can be seen meandering it's three levels, even on a gorgeous, mild, sunny evening... it may as well be.  This mall is everything a mall should aspire to be- expansive, well-rounded (not only do you have your pick of eateries and stores, but also a fantastic range from super bargains to high-end), and easy to navigate.  Shoppers flock from near and far (it’s over a thirty-minute drive for myself, but very much worth it in my opinion) to sample it’s wares.  Plus, it has a more varied selection than your average shopping center.  Twelve Oaks has one of the handful of Delia*s stores in the country, since it’s normally accessed through catalog and their web site.  They even have shops I’ve never even heard of outside this mall- including Love Culture, which is like a slightly gaudier Forever 21, and Francesca’s Collections, which is vaguely reminiscent of Anthropology, if you removed the generally absurd price tags.

 

 

 

But beyond the shops- though, truly, Twelve Oaks does have one of the greatest selections in southeast Michigan- there’s a style this mall has that’s all it’s own.  Maybe it’s because, unlike the downtown areas I’ve been frequenting for other blog posts and shopping excursions, people have the comfort of constant air conditioning, making their outfit choices less subject to Mother Nature.  Whatever the reason, there’s a definite shift in what the most common styles were elsewhere.  Here the looks seemed to be looking toward the future.  As in, the fall season- when most people regularly break out the skinny jeans, blouses, autumnal tones, and all around preppier pieces.  The cool thing here though was that I got to see them paired with classically summer accessories- bohemian sandals, messy buns and braided updos, neon jewelry and Aztec- and Navajo-inspired prints.  It’s like catching an early glimpse of that glorious phase between seasons when you can make certain combinations in your wardrobe that normally wouldn’t work.

 

 

A trend-conscious shopper in Love Culture

We also get this effect from the mannequins, which are conveniently already armed with upcoming trends and pieces fit for cooler weather.  Pairing one piece normally reserved for summer with another that seems strictly fall is the easiest way to achieve that perfect between-season balance.  I think one of the aspects I noticed most in this mall was their carefully calculated notion of fit.  Nearly every outfit I saw did a great job of playing with proportions- either by pairing a looser top with a more fitted or revealing bottom, or vice versa.  And accessories played a big role as well- Fossil was crowded with sunglass shoppers, playful jewelry was spotted on nearly every worker in the most popular boutiques, and many a customer was spotted toting smaller shopping bags, just the right size for some accents for their favorite looks.  Overall, I’d say Novi was one of my favorite stops so far.  Can’t wait to see what next week has in store for me!  Until then, readers, keep it classy :)