& Other Observations from NYFW Day One

Are fishnet tights making a comeback?
Have bucket hats crossed over from ironically tacky to actually fashionable? 
Will we ever tire of the 70s?
How many designers are going to reference Cuba as an inspiration? 
Why are there so many brands with the word "Creatures" in the title? (Okay, there's only two, but it gets way confusing when they show on the same day)

BCBGMAXAZRIA

Creatures of the Wind

Halston Heritage

Prabal Gurung | Rodarte | Jason Wu | Rodarte | Monique Lhuillier

This ain't your Little Mermaid purple seashell bra get-up, ladies and gentlemen. NYFW went under the sea with oceanic greens and blues. Rodarte was the ringleader of the trend with a tidal pool-inspired collection. I could have a whole separate post on the glory of the Mulleavy sisters' latest creations, but I'll just redirect you to the style.com overview and you can give me your thoughts later.

Prabal Gurung had dresses that reflected the twinkling surface of the ocean shore and will look just as fabulous on the red carpet. Jason Wu did an oceanic take on his usual modern glamour. I could totally see Ariel wearing this look to meet Eric on a date (you know, if Ariel and Eric were real people living in the 21st century). And Monique Lhuillier was full of skirts and dresses that quite closely resembled the iridescent scales of a fish (or a half-woman, half-fish, as the case may be).

The trend lends itself to some awesome editorial material, so hopefully Grace Coddington and the like will jump on that opportunity. And then of course there is the recently announced Sofia Coppola version of The Little Mermaid. Can I get my hopes up and pray that the Mulleavy sisters design the costumes?

Rave themes and punchy pastels dominated the Marc by Marc Jacobs spring 2015 collection

Tapping Luella Bartley to be the head designer of Marc by Marc Jacobs was the best decision anyone has ever made. Okay, that may be a bit of a hyperbole, but when Luella Bartley's namesake line ended I was devastated (Bartley was one of the designers who got me so interested in fashion to begin with) and so I was ecstatic when she joined the M by MJ team.

The fall collection breathed new life into Jacob's diffusion line, but it was restrained and utilitarian–playing it a bit safe for the first collection, I suppose–so I love seeing Bartley let loose a little bit and get back to her perfectly quirky and flamboyant self.

For spring, pastels and polka dots were major players, but the overall theme of the collection was new wave culture. From punk to rave and everything else in between, the subcultures of the late 80s and early 90s were on full display. The set itself was a series of neon triangles against an otherwise dark space, giving the whole space a glow stick kind of vibe. It was awesome to be honest, and the clothes echoed both the angular shapes and the changing primary colors of the set.

 The perfect blend of playful and wearable, the Marc by Marc Jacobs collection is for the girl who isn't afraid to stand out and who is constantly inspired by music culture. It was weird and cool and perfectly off-beat, which is perfect for the collaboration between the great Luella Bartley and the Marc by Marc Jacobs brand.

What did you think of the Marc by Marc Jacobs collection?

Cool-toned suedes reigned supreme at Derek Lam

If fashion must remain invested in a singular decade, I guess I would rather it be the seventies than any other ten-year span from the twentieth century. And it seems that for spring this may very well be the case, as designers have continued to display motifs of the turbulent and trendy decade that first appeared in fall shows. Derek Lam is one such designer who continues to explore the seventies for his spring 2015 collection, and while it may feel like a bit of deja vu at New York Fashion Week (this piece perfectly sums up the overwhelming sense of familiarity and sameness–blandness, even–of runway collections this season) it's hard to deny that Lam has presented a new take on the style of the seventies while updating it for the modern woman.

Cool hues of purples and blues dominated the clothes, while intertwined with the earthy neutrals most associated with the decade. There was a deep emphasis on stitchwork, highlighted by patchwork pieces and visible stitches on coats and dresses.

Some looks seemed period-piece like, as if they were pulled from the set of American Hustle, but later looks took a less literal spin on the styles of the seventies, using form and shape to suggest inspiration, rather than simply appearing as modern replicas.

The addition of royal purples and rich blues also added a new layer to the collection. The style of the seventies seems to be so deeply intertwined with the feeling of "Americana" (take a glance at any blue-jean-centric editorial from the past few issues of popular fashion magazines) but these very wealthy colors are usually not part of the typical seventies wardrobe. The unexpected colors make these looks upscale and bring them into the twenty-first century, getting richer and more vibrant as the looks go on and then transforming into the epitome of stylish color combinations, black and white.

Sure, we may be getting bored of the continued fascination with the seventies, but when Lam does it so well and with creative innovation it's hard to get upset.

What did you think of Derek Lam's latest collection? What are your thoughts on NYFW so far?

Pastel 70s looks from Coach's Spring 2015 Presentation

New York Fashion Week is off with a bang, and designers are full of dark, gothy pieces; Lorde and the girls of Coven would be so proud. Here are some of the shows that really wowed me in the first few days of NYFW. Jason Wu

Jason Wu went for dark glamour

A lesson in draping at Prabal Gurung

80s punk meets 50s rockabilly - with a slight South American twist - at Zimmermann

Sophisticated style meets downtown cool at Sally LaPointe

Experimental textures and textile combinations at Nonoo

Oscar de la Renta has long been heralded as the uniform of many an Upper East Side lady who lunches and their Ivy League-bound daughters, but I think there's a part of de la Renta's clothes that appeals to anyone, whether you live in Park Avenue Penthouse, Malibu bungalow, or Wyoming ranch.

For fall Mr. de la Renta went for all-out glamour, using jewel tones and soft pastels as the basis for his collection. Jewels were certainly the theme of the night, for everything from headbands to silky fabrics was adorned with diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and more. While keeping with his New York High Society vibe, he also introduced many looks that the younger set will surely jump for.

Of course, what I loved most was the absolute Blair Waldorf-ness to it all. Those silk turban-style headbands and jeweled beauties got me wishing that Blair would go back to the old headband for once.



My absolute favorite dress of the night? This baby blue beauty with a poofy tulle petticoat that would be perfect for prom. If only I had roughly four thousand dollars to blow on a dress.

What started off shaky has ended as one of the best fashion weeks in a long while. We aren't even out of winter yet and already I am dying for fall again because I can't wait to see these fabulous clothes in action. There are so many things I noticed, so keep checking back for more fall fashion recaps. I plan to dedicate a full post to Oscar de la Renta because it was possibly the greatest show thus far. But right now here are some other shows that I couldn't get enough of.

Fashion week is always exciting, but there's a lot more going on between shows. I love seeing all the models and editors in their craziest street fashions as they rush from show to show. Tommy Ton is one of my favorite street style bloggers because he has such a way of capturing the exquisite details of an outfit and knows the mood that a girl is trying to bring out with her clothing. Like me, he certainly gravitates towards the wackiest fashions, and he really knows how to capture the fun of fashion.