Fashion Week Blowout!

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Today, on this shockingly-chilly fall morning (I knew it was coming, but boy! It went from humid to freezing in a flash! But, then, that's New England for you... predictably unpredictable), I'd like to wrap up Spring '11 fashion week coverage by posting a final list of favorites. As always, I'd love to know your thoughts, so leave 'em in the comments! What was your favorite runway look this season?

After combing through dozens of shows, I've selected my all-time favorite looks. Not surprisingly, most of these come courtesy of Anna Sui. Her aesthetic simply screams "boho-rock," and she imbued her spring collection with the spirit of the Wild Wild West. The result? Charmingly-funky cocktail wear that works just as well on city streets as it would in an old saloon. Yee-haw!






































































Keeping with the seventies ladylike trend, some elegant retro looks were exhibited at Luca Luca. Want to add punch to your nine to five wardrobe? Try a hit of orange. The shade was all over the runways, leading fashion experts to call it the hue for spring '11.














































The seventies "ladies who lunch" at Luca Luca serve as a lovely segue from the sixties prairie-hippies at Anna Sui to our next designer, who gave us posh, yet punchy, Americans in Paris. We come to one of the prettiest, flounciest, most wearable collections ever sent down any runway: Donna Karan's DKNY. So much elegance. So much color. So many... ruffles. And bows. And Hermès-esque scarves. Oui, oui. I'm in love!

Of course, I couldn't spotlight all of the amazing, talented designers that showed this season... I just don't have that kind of time. :'( But I will be posting more runway coverage, from an eco-eye, over at Jute & Jackfruit's blog... so be sure to check it out soon! Oh, and that reminds me... Last week, I wrote a guest post for La vie... J'aime, which is an awesome, artsy fashion blog written by a fellow Boston blogger. I was so excited to pen a guest entry, so if you get a chance, check out my travel essay on one of my favorite local haunts, here.

Hope you're enjoying your Octobrrrrr! :)

She Works Hard for the Money: Milly by Michelle Smith RTW Spring 2011

Working mom Michelle Smith offers up bright, breezy fashions that add a jolt to the busy gal's wardrobe, proving that mixing prints and daring color combos can be a snap. Any "prints-ess" in the making will love Milly's latest sixties-esque collection, inspired by the global, eccentric wardrobe of heiress Peggy Guggenheim (who has been quite the muse to many designers in recent years). These cheery clothes will show you're quite the mix-master, too, whether you live and work uptown, downtown or all around the globe. See: fashion-forward geometric shapes grounded in rich hues, fitted skirts and sheaths and envy-inducing coats. I'm swooning over the ladylike fits paired with boho-tribal touches. These are Gossip Girl-worthy clothes that Serena or Blair would fight to wear!


Check back for more Fashion Week fun!


*All images: NYMag.com

Nobody Does it Better: Oscar de la Renta RTW Spring 2011

Kicking off my catch-up on New York Fashion Week, what better designer to start with than legendary Oscar de la Renta? For Spring 2011, we were treated to a sentimental journey back to sweet fifties and swinging sixties style. The Mad Men look has been all the rage on many a runway over the past few seasons, but as any Academy Award-winner or First Lady could tell you, Oscar has that special touch that turns a trend into a classic. I am an unabashed fan; a vintage Oscar de la Renta handbag (in a shade of green that's making quite the comeback this year!) is the first designer piece I ever laid eyes on, and happily purchased. See how Oscar transforms his ladies from nine-to-fivers to those who lunch to the least reluctant debutantes to ever descend a grand staircase. Observe:

The quintessential working girl shift, in a happy, poppy hue.

These florals are so sweet, they veer on grandma-chic! But prim and proper polish is a welcome change from more disheveled styles. The coordinating bag is the icing on a very frothy cake!

Michelle Obama must have this look on speed-dial, and who could blame her? Send to the White House, stat!

A modern, directional suit look that's not at all stiff. It says "edgy, creative type," not "worker drone."

Yet another take on tweedy suits, this with a refreshing pop of mint. Ahh.

I love how Oscar's gone a little Grecian, while still staying true to the sixties sartorial spirit. A screen goddess from Hollywood's Golden Age would have rocked this floaty frock.

Can't you see this ensemble strutting down city streets come spring (not by itself, of course!)? Rain or shine, crisp white and green is a sublimely Irish-looking standout... Ides of March be darned!

Ruffles, lace, and a beautiful bow... it's easy to get carried away by such gorgeous details, but as always, Oscar shows a practiced restraint. It's almost too lovely for words.

Saving the best for last? Yet another screen siren gown that is truly Oscar-worthy.

What do you think? All hits? Any misses? Sound off in the comments! And be sure to check back as I continue to spotlight Fashion Week designers! Up next: designs that are decidedly sixties-influenced (before we make our way to all the seventies-inspired fashions). Any guesses on which designer it could be?


*All photos: NYMag.com

It Might as Well Be Spring: Fashion Week Favorites

It's hard to believe it, but New York Fashion Week has already come and gone! Ah... seems like only yesterday we were watching and reviewing the Fall 2010 season... and now we're getting ready to wear those clothes. That's part of the interesting dichotomy of Fashion Week; reviewing the next season while looking to last season to outfit the current one! Whew! This comes across as bizarre to anyone but fashion enthusiasts, and I don't blame them. Still, there are plenty of trends we can glean from the Spring 2011 runways; and because everything old is new again, we can start sporting some springy looks now, before the weather turns cold!

Much like the Fall '10 runways, the '70s spirit is alive and well in Spring '11. Plenty of designers were inspired by this decade: see Diane von Furstenberg's Grecian goddess/disco muses à la Xanadu, Anna Sui's paisley and plaid-infused trip to the prairie (with plenty of denim, crochet and fringe along for the ride), or Badgley Mischka's nod to Mia Farrow's Daisy in The Great Gatsby. Perhaps the most literal '70s interpretation was seen at Marc Jacobs, where big, curly hair, wide-brimmed floppy hats and retro color combos (purple and orange, anyone?) were in full swing.

Badgley Mischka Spring 2011

I think this is a refreshing change from last year's '80s obsession. While the "Me Decade" makes for a fun fashion reference, '70s style is less about excess, more laid-back and relaxed. The natural look is highly encouraged, so we can embrace our real hair textures and use makeup only to highlight our best features. On the Spring runways, taupe-y pinks and nudes looked fresh and youthful. Loose braids and buns were wrapped in ribbon and chiffon for a girlish and innocent - yet still sophisticated - style. Fun, easy looks that get you out the door and on with life seem to be the name of the game... and I love it!

I, for one, am glad that '70s style is here to stay... I never could say goodbye to my flares, chiffon and clogs! A couple of other old favorites that just keep coming back? Extreme lengths, in the form of maxi dresses and rompers. Last summer I bought one romper from Forever 21, cautiously, not wanting to invest too much in a trendy piece that I figured would be here today, gone tomorrow. But rompers were all over the runway again, so cheers, jumper fans! The one-piece look will still be chic well into next season. And many fashion insiders predict that longer skirt lengths will continue to carry into fall... so we can be warm, comfy and ladylike, all at the same time! I plan to take my purple knit maxi into colder months by layering a black turtleneck and tights underneath... it would look killer with my clogs! Add a knit cap, dark floral scarf and tough faux leather jacket (and maybe some fingerless gloves, to really drive home the "woho/hobo-chic"), and I'm ready for an apple-picking autumn day.

But we're talking about just one of the many trends seen on the runways this week. One could go crazy with fashion week coverage, scouring every show, pouring over every image, racking one's brain for industry-approved syntax to concoct the perfect runway review... but not me! Instead, this season I'm playing favorites. I only went straight to my favorite designers, and will post only my favorite looks here. These are the clothes I'd die to own, the styles I long to live in... And I would love to hear your thoughts and find out what all your favorites are.

Stay tuned for photo-heavy posts, full speed ahead!