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!