Runway
New York City Fashion Week Spring 2009: Ralph Lauren
What: Ralph Lauren Runway Show, New York City Fashion Week Spring 09
The Lowdown: With all the fedoras, khaki, olive, and safari/expedition flavor, we think it’s possible that Indiana Jones had a hand in the latest collection from Ralph Lauren, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. And actually, there’s plenty more to be had here—shimmery gold, flowy dresses, satiny shine—so that the collection is probably one of the most cohesive we’ve seen. It’s gloriously retro, elegantly throw-back, and blends menswear-inspired styling and ultra-womanly gowns into one seamless vision. This week, it seems that collections have been either all about the color, or all about the pure neutral palette—and Lauren has opted for the latter. It’s the perfect choice, however, letting the garments themselves stand out. Our only complaints? The MC Hammer-inspired pants we’d rather forget, and all those crazy turbans . . .
Budget Solution: We love any excuse to wear a cool hat, so take inspiration and pick up a fedora (like this one from ArdenB), and create a long lean silouette that includes a little shine (with something like this layered-look sweater/blouse from Spiegel).
image courtesy of Style.com
New York City Fashion Week Spring 2009: Calvin Klein
What: Calvin Klein Runway Show, New York City Fashion Week Spring 09
The Lowdown: Calvin Klein is all about simplicity, and this collection is no different. The neutral hues, likewise, are just what we might have predicted, focusing more on shimmer, sheen and cut to convey the Calvin Klein vision for Spring fashion. Minimalist? Yes. But impeccable attention to shape, structure, detail make it more interesting than you might think at first glance. Like Vera Wang earlier in the day, we see a touch of 20s drop-waisted influence in the dress department, as well as more slim cropped pants and elegant intricate takes on the body-conscious dress. The one burst of color allowed into the beige-heavy landscape? That clear icy blue that just might be our go-to color for the season.
Budget Solution: The great thing about Calvin Klein is we know that there will be some reasonably affordable versions available to the masses in department stores like Macy’s, Dillard’s, and Nordstrom. For even more budget versions however of, say, the drop-waisted dress, Twelve By Twelve might have you covered. And for that blue? Well, we can come close right now with this satin shift dress by BCBGMAXAZRIA at Bluefly.com for $142.
image courtesy of Style.com
New York Fashion Week Spring 2009: Vera Wang
What: Vera Wang Runway Show, Tent at Bryant Park, New York City Fashion Week Spring 09
The Lowdown: We’re not sure why Vera Wang wants us in shapeless sack dresses and giant chain necklaces, but it appears that she does. This Spring 09 collection couldn’t be more somber, featuring black, gray, brown and a very drab dark olive, and a smattering of silver, gold, and orange that just couldn’t quite cheer things up. We did like some of the 20s vibe we felt with certain pieces, and we’ll give Wang credit for doing something other than all the cinched waists we’ve seen on other runways. The only problem? Well, we were kinda liking those cinched waists . . .
Budget Solution: If you happen to like a tunic or shift dress, or if it just suits your body type best, then this is a silouette you can make work for Spring. Hit Old Navy for this Sleeveless Satin Shift Dress in Stainless Steel, $25 or try Twelve by Twelve come Spring.
image courtesy of Coutorture.com
New York City Fashion Week Spring 2009: Nanette Lepore
What: Nanette Lepore Runway Show, Promenade, New York City Fashion Week Spring 09
The Lowdown: Take note—this collection is how you do neutrals and subdued colors without a hint of boredom. Nanette Lepore has skipped the whole black-for-Spring trend, and gone with khakis, creams, and browns, punctuated by some gorgeous turquoise, pale green, and clear sharp red. It’s the cut and detail that makes this collection special—with lots of sheen, some cascading ruffles, sophisticated floral prints, thin stripes, and interesting shapes. We suspect after a long dreary winter, these are the kind of things we’ll want to slip into at the first sign of Spring . . .
Budget Solution: Something you could find right now? Neutral pieces with that satiny sheen we love—like this City Style Satin Tie Front Blouse on sale now at New York & Company. And there was an accessory or two in this collection that you might want to consider—big chucky necklaces, like this Double Strand Necklace at JCPenney, which echoes the Lepore’s chosen hues . . .
image courtesy of Style.com
New York City Fashion Week Spring 2009: Milly by Michelle Smith
What: Milly by Michelle Smith Runway Show, Promenade, New York City Fashion Week Spring 09
The Lowdown: Milly and Diane Von Furstenberg seem to be of a similar mind for Spring—bold bohemian prints, flowy 70s inspiration, and a general sense of fashion freedom. Milly’s take employs a slightly different color palette, however—highlighting turquoise and orange, against brown and white, with a bit of green, purple and pink in the mix. The pieces really run the gamut, from flowy pants, tailored shorts, loose boho dresses, and some safari styling that’s a throwback to last Spring. We like that Milly’s details take us somewhere that other collections haven’t for Spring—adding some fun fringe, lace and tassels to play with for the season. Accessories? At last, there were some—including the aforementioned tassels in necklace form, big chunky bead necklaces, and all kinds of handbags.
Budget Solution: Milly’s aesthetic for Spring is about loose garments that still maintain a waistline, mixed with classic, more fitted pieces. A lace tunic dress (like this dress on sale at Newport News) cinched with a brown belt (maybe this Fashion Focus belt at Bluefly.com, $25) is one option, and if you prefer the fitted aspects, try this Safari jacket at Forever21.
image courtesy of Coutorture.com
New York City Fashion Week Spring 2009: Richard Chai
What: Richard Chai Runway Show, New York City Fashion Week Spring 09
The Lowdown: We’re sort of on the fence with this collection from Richard Chai. What we liked: soft fabrics, neutral hues intermixed with just enough deep color to keep it interesting, and an emphasis on the hourglass female form. What we didn’t love so much: baggy rolled-to-the-knee semi-sheer pants, some sack-like dresses, and a couple of pajama-looking ensembles. Again, black made a strong appearance, and, in general, waistlines rule for Spring
Budget Solution: Honestly? There was no standout element here that we haven’t already covered in shows earlier this week. We do think, however, that this dress from Delia’s, the Mariella dress for $44.50, evokes this Richard Chai piece, for less.
image courtesy of Coutorture.com
New York City Fashion Week Spring 09: Michael Kors
What: Michael Kors Runway Show, Tent at Bryant Park, New York City Fashion Week Spring 09
The Lowdown: Holy Primary Colors, Batman! Michael Kors is not pulling any punches—or softening any edges—for Spring. We’re talking bright yellow, red, blue and—you guessed it—black. Big bold stripes, polka dots, and a 50s/60s influence (full skirts, sexy sheaths, swing jackets) run throughout—making this no collection for a shrinking violet. We have to say we’re knocked out, because fashion really should be this much fun. We particularly love this line, too, because Kors knows how to make a statement but still produce wearable pieces and silouettes. Go Michael!
Budget Solution: Our best advice? Pick the primary that looks best on you, and grab one piece that really stands out—like this Charter Club Swing Jacket on sale at Macy’s or this Lauren Ralph Lauren sheath on sale at Bloomingdale’s—and wear it with the confidence it deserves, and maybe some black and white horizontal stripes while you’re at it . . .
image courtesy of Coutorture.com
New York City Fashion Week Spring 2009: Max Azria
What: Max Azria Runway Show, Tent at Bryant Park, New York City Fashion Week Spring 2009
The Lowdown: After many many shows filled with bold colors and stark contrasts, Max Azria brings us soft and muted. The pieces are lovely, but quite frankly, not very exciting. But lovely nontheless. Max Azria has a way with fabric, for sure, relying heavily on draping and layering to give his very spare pieces their personality. Wide belts were a focus, but rather than the big black belts we’ve seen elsewhere, this collection kept its clean aesthetic with belts that were of the same or similar hue as the garment. The effect is elegant and sophisticated—but it didn’t set our world on fire.
Budget Solution: Just because we weren’t jumping up and down doesn’t mean there aren’t elements we want to take with us for Spring. The draping is beautiful and flattering, so look for drapey—and if you’re confident enough, clingy and body-conscious—dresses in muted hues like beige, cream, gray, taupe, and super pale blue or rose. We like this drapeneck jersey dress at Newport News for example - just $29 on sale now—and American Apparel and H&M might be great sources as the season nears.
image courtesy of Coutorture.com
New York City Fashion Week Spring 2009: Jordache
What: Jordache Runway Show, Metropolitan Pavilion, New York City Fashion Week, Spring 2009
The Lowdown: Color and frivolity were the keys to this collection, and the crowd was loving it. While Jordache has lost some of its popularity over the decades, they honored their legacy by clothing each model in a pair of their iconic-label jeans. Washes ranged from very dark to old-school blue to bleach white, and they were all skinny and tight. The high-waisted jean was just one aspect of the retro mood of the collection. Tie-dye, metallic body suits, short shorts, jumpers and a model who flashed the Peace sign all evoked the mood of the seventies. Jordache’s emblem, the horse, was emblazoned in Swarovski crystals across several off-the-shoulder shirts which were paired with the skinny jean of 2008. The hot pink, purple, silver, gold, cyan, and fuchsia colors put the crowd in a flower power mood. We weren’t in love with the back pocket embellishments nor the tiny metallic body suits, but this collection pleased us greatly. Unlike many other shows this week, accessories were plentiful—long, silver chain necklaces, pocket chains and a few cuff bracelets accented the clothing.
Budget Solution: Our favorite budget store when we want to look bohemian and laidback? Urban Outfitters. This loose-fitting fuchsia racerback tank would look at home in the seventies, while this high-waisted jean hearkens back to an era when low-rise denim did not exist. If you’d like to pump up your outfit with just a bit of tie-dye, consider this tie-dye scarf from Charlotte Russe. The jumpers in the collection were a bit iffy, but never say never—here’s one from Forever 21 that fits our budgets nicely.
Image courtesy of our friend’s personal photographs
New York City Fashion Week Spring 09: Abaete
What: Abaete Runway Show, The Salon at Bryant Park, New York Fashion Week Spring 09
The Lowdown: Abaete brought some sun back into our hurricane-soaked lives, parading bright yellows and periwinkle blues down the catwalk. There’s definitely a breezy element to this collection that makes it oh so fun, with playful touches like sheer colorful stockings and geometric piecework. The cuts are body-conscious, with near-sheath dresses, corset-like tops, and tight boning taking center stage. But every look was accented by a softer element, whether it be muted color or a flouncy full skirt. This one is all about balance – let your bad girl out, and your good girl will keep her in line.
Budget Solution: The best part about Abaete is that we can all easily score a pair of their shoes at the local Payless – this marks the 11th season of this designer-budget partnership. Aside from the shoes, we’re feeling the sexy-sweet vibe. It reminds us to show ourselves off without giving it all away (although we could do without the knee length leggings - we called those biker shorts in the 80s, and some things went out of style for a reason). How to stock up for next summer? Pick up a muted Victoria’s Secret corset at the next semi-annual sale, pair it with a loose yellow skirt, and of course, Abaete’s sky-high Payless heels.
image courtesy of Coutorture.com
New York City Fashion Week Spring 09: Charlotte Ronson
What: Charlotte Ronson Runway Show, Promenade, New York Fashion Week Spring 09
The Lowdown: It’s official. Black and gray are big for Spring—but color us pleasantly surprised, as the neutrals are done in a way that’s, somehow, spring-like. Take Charlotte Ronson’s collection on the runway, for example—black and gray take a front seat, followed by soft rosey pink, deep blue, and an occasional subtle and artistic floral print. Taking the focus off the big colors of last Spring means more attention to styling and detail, and Ronson is no exception—she’s pulled together pieces that are strong yet feminine, weighted heavily towards short skirts (from full to hip-hugging) and cinched waists, and prominently featuring horizontal stripes (a thinner version of last summer’s wide-stripe trend), and black lace. And we’re talking feminine that is far from frilly and fussy—it’s full of strong, clean lines that say less “demure” and more “diva”. We like.
Budget Solution: Looks like the emphasis next Spring will be less on jewelry and more on belts—this goes for Ronson as well as some other collections we’ve seen—so we’d suggest picking up some wide black ones right now (like this Carrie Waist Belt at Delia’s), and then some basic black body conscious pieces to layer with pink and lace come spring. The shoes are—again—chunky and platform, and the accessories are barely there (save for those omnipresent belts). Our one concern? We’re not sure we’re feeling those sheer knee high stockings, which make us think of great-granny and her orthopedics—so we’re skipping that one for the time being . . .
image courtesy of Coutorture.com
New York City Fashion Week Spring 09: BCBGMAXAZRIA
What: BCBGMAXAZRIA, Tent, New York City Fashion Week Spring 09
The Lowdown: BCBGMAXAZRIA for Spring 08 is clearly all about a few key elements—draping, the deep V neckline, and legs (lots and lots of short, gam-showcasing dresses—many with pockets, upping the functionality factor). Gray ruled the runway, and colors are, again, decidedly non-traditional for spring—we’re talking clear deep blues, teals, and bursts of orange and red, mixed with some more subtle rosy, cream, and silvery neutrals. Wide belts, big bold footwear, and slim little clutches added structure, while the jumpsuit and one-shoulder dresses made appearances as well.
Budget Solution: We kind of loved it all with this BCBG collection, especially the necklines and draping—it’s all very high fashion but still infinitely wearable. Is it as typically spring-like as Erin Fetherston’s dream-inspired collection? Not a bit—but there’s something about the clean, elegant lines and fresh color palette that we could definitely see ourselves in. Want to pick up some elements now so your ready for Spring? We’d suggest snapping up a couple of gray or colored slim clutches (like this Spycat slim clutch from GbyGuess and bold platform sandals like these Singe sandals by Steve Madden). Draping was in this summer as well, so you may already have pieces that you can update next year with the clutch and shoes—and for drapey dresses, we’re thinking you’ll want to look to Forever21 and TwelvebyTwelve when the Spring thaw sets in.
image courtesy of Coutorture.com
New York City Fashion Week Spring 09: Nicole Miller
What: Nicole Miller Runway Show, Salon, New York City Fashion Week Spring 09
The Lowdown: Citing voodoo as an influence for this Spring 09 collection, Nicole Miller brings a little island mystique and a lot of sophisticated sensibility to the runway this time around. Models were swathed in island-flavored fabrics in tastefully muted palettes (think plum, olive, teal, mustard, cream), featuring a mix of feminine and menswear elements, in the form of knee-length to floor-grazing dresses (the former) and vests, jackets, and hats (the latter). As a counterpoint, black and gray figured largely as well, in everything from the aforementioned vests, to tops, dresses, jackets, pants, you name it. Accessory highlights? Long bold beaded necklaces, lots and lots of fedora/pork pie-esque hats (worn quirkily angled), and softly-hued gladiator-inspired sandals . . .
Budget Solution: The subtle colors and emphasis on black are far cry from the eye-popping bright hues of last spring and summer, but bring an element of elegance and sophistication that’s equally refreshing, we think (though we’ll see how we feel after a winter of black and tweed . . .). We kind of love the idea of decking ourselves out in island-inspired dresses that make us look like we’re actually from there, not just tourists. Style notes for the budget fashionista? Pick up some pieces now—like the fedoras, black jackets and vests, gladiator sandals on end of the summer clearance (like this canvas fedora from Forever21 and this strappy platform sandal at Newport News), and think simple—this is a look in which the garment, and not a flurry of fussy accessories, is the focus.
image courtesy of Coutorture.com
Spring Fashion Week 2007 Day 1: A La Disposition Show
video courtesy of my peeps at Coutorture
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