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Showing posts with label Fall 2014. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fall 2014. Show all posts
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Rarely do I meet a sparkle or sequin I don't like. I'm a fashion magpie, basically. So when I see a new and fun way to add a little glitter to my getup, I go for it.
Saint Laurent made my dreams come true with a fall runway show full of sparkling boots and Mary-Janes, and a plethora of other designers has followed suit and presented their own versions of the disco boot. The most popular style seems to be a flat or low-heel ankle boot, but other designers have opted for taller boots or even combat-style lace-up shoes.
If you are looking for a statement piece to wear to a New Year's Eve party or other festive soiree, a pair of sequined boots will do the trick nicely. And another cool thing: when wearing a pair of eye-catching shoes, the rest of your outfit can be simple and minimalistic, as Gilda Ambrosio styled her pink Saint Laurent pair.
Shop Glitter Boots:
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| Honor | Tomas Maier | Edun | Fendi | Jonathan Saunders | Coach |
Baby blue was all over the Spring 2015 runways. And now that we're entering into the last month of 2014, it's time to start looking towards the year ahead. From Fendi to Altuzarra, light, pastel shades of blue dominated collections, on everything from oversized coats to feathery party dresses.
This color has staying power, so invest now with a winter coat or wait for spring with a blue midi skirt. Baby blue looks amazing with black, camel, and cream colors, or stay monochromatic as with the Edun and Jonathan Saunders looks.
No matter what, you are going to look fabulous!
Shop Baby Blue Picks:
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Plaid is a fall classic, as autumnal as a pumpkin patch or a harvest festival. Plaid button-downs are especially ever-present these days with the 90s revival happening. But the fashion world is always looking for ways to reinvent itself and to provide something new to stylish consumers, and so here's an item you may not necessarily have in your closet but definitely SHOULD: the plaid sweater.
A plaid sweater perfectly combines the classic print with the coziness of a knit sweater, making it the perfect piece to throw on before heading off to class or even when you are just cuddling up by the fireplace with a good book and some hot cocoa. Wow, that sounds like a good plan. Just need to get a fireplace...Anyways, there's lots of ways to style this versatile sweater style: dress it up with a form-fitting mini skirt and heels, or make it weekend-worthy with a classic jeans and boots combination.
No matter how you style it, these sweaters are as cute as they are cozy, so why not invest in one this season? I know I've already got this Madewell bad boy on my list!
Shop Plaid Sweaters:
Shop Plaid Sweaters:
I can't believe I'm saying this but the holiday season is just around the corner. Halloween is this Friday and then, while you're still nursing your hangovers (or, you know, stomachaches from all the candy) on Saturday morning you'll stumble into Starbucks only to be greeted with peppermint and yuletide spirits (But let's be honest, I cannot wait for the peppermint mocha to make it's long-awaited return).
Once you get used to the idea that as of November 1st, the holiday season has begun, you'll realize with horror: Shit. This means I need a holiday party dress! Because between family gatherings, office luncheons, and Christmastime galas (what? A girl can dream!) you're gonna need a new sparkly dress or two. And last year's tired version will simply NOT suffice! So what style dress should you be looking for?
How about a maxi (or midi) dress with a sheer organza skirt? These dresses have been everywhere lately, from the runways of Dolce & Gabbana and Valentino to the stars of street style.
Semi-see-through organza skirts are fun and festive for the season, and it's a nice way to show some leg while still covering up and staying warm(ish).
These dresses/skirts are perfect for a fancy holiday party or formal event, but I also love when they're styled with sneakers, floppy hats, and other casual accents for a dressed up/dressed down vibe.
Are you hoping to try a sheer skirt this holiday season?
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| Valentino | Anja Rubik | Stella McCartney | Hanneli Mustaparta | Erdem |
These dresses/skirts are perfect for a fancy holiday party or formal event, but I also love when they're styled with sneakers, floppy hats, and other casual accents for a dressed up/dressed down vibe.
Are you hoping to try a sheer skirt this holiday season?
SHOP ORGANZA SKIRTS AND DRESSES:
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| image source: Tommy Ton |
Blue jeans are fantastic. A wardrobe staple, a classic, a must-have, etc. But do you ever slip on a pair of indigo jeans and feel a bit...bored? Sure, the classic pants are great, but there's got to be something more out there.
Lucky for you style stars who feel the monotony of the traditional blue jean, designers out there have similarly felt your plea and have combated the denim doldrums with new embellishments and bedazzelements.
With these jeans, you'll never feel dull again!
The leaves are changing, and so are your wardrobe options. You find yourself reaching for you denim cutoffs less and less and pulling on the oversized sweaters more as the temperature drops and the seasons shift. But after so many months of warm weather, how does one even dress for fall!?!? The change of seasons can be alarming and overwhelming when it means that the uniform you perfected for the summer months (for me, a lacy dress and a thin scarf, topped off with sandals or sneakers) is no longer of any use.
Yes, fall outfits can be overwhelming, but luckily we live in a time when we can easily draw inspiration from the style greats. That's right, I'm talking about the street style stars of fashion week/month and beyond.
So look no further for some great new ways to wear your favorite looks this fall. These girls provide the inspiration, and I'm showing you how to get the looks for yourself! Easy as 1, 2, 3, am I right?
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| Source: Style du Monde |
No print screams "FALL!" louder than plaid does, so why not wear an outfit made of solely plaid prints to celebrate all things checked and crosshatched? The key is to make sure you have a large array of colors and widths. If you have a small plaid print button-down, throw on a buffalo plaid skirt. Variety is key.
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| Source: Stockholm Street Style |
One of my favorite looks for fall? My oversized knit sweater and the miniest of skirts. It's a great way to look cute without showing too much skin (for modesty and warmth reasons, tbh). On-trend thigh-high boots add a whole new level to this proportion-mixing outfit.
Plus, if it's really freezing out there, just throw on some tights (patterned or solid, it's up to you!) and the effect is still the same. Chic no matter the weather!
Plus, if it's really freezing out there, just throw on some tights (patterned or solid, it's up to you!) and the effect is still the same. Chic no matter the weather!
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| Source: Style du Monde |
No joke, I love a good Canadian tuxedo. It's a great way to look equal parts casual and polished. Denim is everywhere right now, and in new forms (eg. denim skirts and coats) so there are plenty of ways to get creative with your denim-on-denim pairings. A chambray button-down + distressed denim pencil skirt = fashion gold. Denim robe coat + raw-hem jeans = pure JEANius!
Oh lord, I crack myself up sometimes. But yeah, Canadian tuxedos are fabulous and you should be wearing them this fall.
What are your fall fashion tips?
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| Olivia Palermo rocking a long, belted scarf |
Olivia Palermo rarely makes a fashion faux pas. Her polished and poised personal style has a habit of turning whatever trend she wears into sartorial gold. When she was photographed with a long scarf slouched around the back of her neck, untied, but belted at the waist, I found myself eager to try wearing one of my scarves like that.
This way of scarf styling was also featured at the Burberry Prorsum fall 2014 runway show, which is probably where OP got the inspiration, and ever since the look has taken off.
The ideal scarf for draping is a long rectangular scarf that isn't too thick. Be warned: though fabulously stylish, wearing your scarf this way won't keep your neck very warm, so perhaps save this look for a more temperate day.
A dress will give you the best silhouette, and a belt at the waist will give definition and also help to keep your scarf in place.
SHOP LONG SCARVES:
The arrival of cooler weather often leads people to find out how to best stay comfy and cozy with their clothing choices. The lazy individual will reach for a sweatshirt and some boots and call it a day, but we fashionistas know better. There is, after all, a way to stay comfy and cute.
And so the fashion gods decided shearling would be the trendy texture of the season. Thank goodness! Ugg boots are almost acceptable again (keyword: almost) and there are plenty of options if you are looking to add some shearling to your look.
Are you ready to give shearling a try, or is this a trend that you'll watch from afar?
And so the fashion gods decided shearling would be the trendy texture of the season. Thank goodness! Ugg boots are almost acceptable again (keyword: almost) and there are plenty of options if you are looking to add some shearling to your look.
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| Bottega Veneta | Thankoon | Tracy Reese | Christian Dior | Wes Gordon |
Most of the items from the Spring 2015 collections won't be available for another six months (if you ignore the fact that brands like Moschino and Burberry released pieces immediately following their runway presentations, or that sites like Moda Operandi allow eager fashionistas to pre-order the spring collections) but that doesn't mean we have to wait until next year to start wearing the trends.
The floor-length coat gained a lot of traction during the marathon fashion month, with models at Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, Dior, and elsewhere dusting the floor with their maxi coats. The coat styles themselves were quite varied—from Tracy Reese's classic trench coat loosely belted around the waist to Raf Simons' structural outerwear at Christian Dior—so there are varied ways to wear this style.
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| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
Come spring, however, play with proportions! Peter Som and Tracy Reese threw floor-length coats over form-fitting bodysuits. Margiela used a belted coat as a top, strategically cinching it at the waist and pairing with shorts. Thankoon and Emilia Wickstead showed minidresses with long coats, creating a high-low hemline effect.
Shop Floor-Length Coats
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| Stella McCartney | Celine | Chanel | Edun | Marc Jacobs |
So you hate sweatpants. Your mantra is borrowed from the brilliant mind of Karl Lagerfeld, who once plainly stated, “Sweatpants are a sign of defeat.” But sometimes, on your lowest days when you don't feel like putting up with the tortures of form-fitting fashions and high heels, you do consider the perks of those god-awful sweatpants that those less fashionable than you have no problem wearing, and you wonder if perhaps there is something to them, something comforting.
This is when you're at your lowest point. Eventually you come back to your senses and realize that there’s a reason why you reject sweatpants with a blind hate. But if sweatpants and the like are completely off-limits, what can a fashion girl wear when she yearns for something more comfortable?
The answer: a knit top and pants.
This outfit is fundamentally different from the schlubby outfits that the masses wear when they are getting groceries and want to show the world that they've completely given up. These sweater-suits, I'll call them, are championed by Phoebe Philo and Marc Jacobs, and we all know that anything Philo says is in, well, it’s totally in.
Both designers went for similar approaches to the sweater-suit: the top is slightly oversized; the pants, fitted with a slight flare at the ankles, and in the exact same color. Elsewhere, sportier interpretations were shown, with fitted knits in bright hues, but the idea is still the same.
To ensure that you look minimalist-chic rather than like you don’t care what you look like, pay special attention to accessories and beauty styling. A slicked-back bun or ponytail combined with dangling earrings or a statement necklace will make you look poised and put-together. I would suggest heels of some sort to elongate and keep the look from becoming too casual.
What do you think of the sweater-suit? Would you test out this look?
The best fashion collections always seem to stem from the simple idea of representing the life of a girl through clothing. I love being able to picture a woman living her life in a fantastic and eccentric wardrobe, as was the case with the Giambattista Valli fall 2014 couture collection.
Models walked the runway with thick white scarves wrapped in whimsical bows around their heads and round sunglasses shielding their eyes. They had a mid-century air to them, as if they were fashionable housewives who had escaped to the Spanish Mediterranean coast for some much-needed rest and relaxation.
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| Giambattista Valli on his fall 2014 couture collection (via style.com/image source) |
Valli dressed his eccentric women in stripes, florals, and every other print in between. These girls don't care if their outfits are bold and loud; to be honest, they prefer it that way. They aren't attention-seekers, they just happen to find the spotlight focused on them. They love to garden and may or may not train parrots to speak passages of Hemingway. They are unique without apology (as it should be) and we love it.
I love that Valli allows his designs to be unabashedly feminine and strong. A full-skirted floral dress is as statement-making as it is girly, and the same woman who has an affinity for old-fashion florals can also rock the room in a killer lavender fur coat with exaggerated shoulders. The Valli girl really doesn't care about normcore or if she's trendy or even if she attracts men with her outfits (I hope Leandra Medine enjoyed this collection as much as I did!) She dresses for herself, celebrates herself with her fashion choices, and if you don't like it you can GTFO.
The quartet of colorful feathered gowns that finished the show were absolute showstoppers. In an increasingly minimalist fashion climate, it's nice to see that a colorful princess skirt can still capture the hearts of so many. These dresses were possibly the looks of couture week. I mean really, who can resist the allure of vibrant ruffle skirts, let alone four of them side-by-side? Even if you don't fall for a full skirt so easily, you can still marvel in the sheer manpower required to create such magnificent ballgowns.
I don't know who I trust to rock these gowns on the red carpet, but boy I hope someone has the guts to do so. These gowns deserve to be seen and admired by all.
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Raf Simons was mainly inspired by two things for his fall 2014 Christian Dior haute couture show: the first being Antoinette; the second, flowers (snow white orchids in particular). In fact, Simons has adopted flowers as muse with the same fervor as Christian Dior himself. This season there were plenty of floral motifs, but they were more muted and less literal than they have been in seasons past. Instead, the historical Rococo era took center stage, as Raf imagined what it would be like if Marie Antoinette was traipsing around Versailles and telling people to eat cake in 2014.
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| Paniere skirts at Christian Dior Fall 2014 Couture |
The show opened with a group of panier-skirted dresses in snow whites, emphasizing the season's inspiration early on. These dresses were the most literally Rococo-inspired pieces of the show, but accents and motifs of the 18th century remained.
There were so many beautiful looks from this collection (as it tends to be with couture shows) but surprisingly my favorite looks were a trio of elaborately beaded and embroidered coats over plain black sweaters and pants. The coats were magnificent, the kind of detailing that can only exist in the world of haute couture, and I love seeing Raf simons—long heralded as a king of minimalism thanks to his previous position at Jil Sander—embracing the fanciful side of couture.
There were so many beautiful looks from this collection (as it tends to be with couture shows) but surprisingly my favorite looks were a trio of elaborately beaded and embroidered coats over plain black sweaters and pants. The coats were magnificent, the kind of detailing that can only exist in the world of haute couture, and I love seeing Raf simons—long heralded as a king of minimalism thanks to his previous position at Jil Sander—embracing the fanciful side of couture.
I've been delighted with Raf at Dior thus far, but this collection has quite literally taken the cake as the best yet. You can see that he is growing more confident with designing for an historic fashion house that has a long and rich legacy to uphold.
Of course, the fact that the collection was based on Marie Antoinette doesn't hurt!
Of course, the fact that the collection was based on Marie Antoinette doesn't hurt!
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| Embellished coats and jumpsuits take the cake |
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| Coach | Derek Lam | Juan Carlos Obando | Tommy Hilfiger | ZAC Zac Posen |
The 70s have been on a run these past few years, thanks in part to some of the movies that have come out recently. Argo, the Ben Affleck directed flick about the Iranian Hostage Crisis of 1979, won the Oscar for Best Picture, and David O'Russell's American Hustle is nominated for the Academy's highest honor - we'll see if it wins this weekend. I was not entirely impressed with either film (too much hype can be a bad thing, I've learned) but I was enthralled by the costumes and the style of the decade.
The 70s were indeed a tumultuous decade full of scandal and strife (Argo) but also extravagance and glamour (American Hustle). Revolution was everywhere, whether it was a country fighting for independence or women fighting for equal rights. The 70s were loud and full of liberation, and the clothes were as wild and ever-changing as the times.
And it's no shock that with a recent cinematic fascination with the decade a resurgence in fashion trends from the 70s has come about. Halter tops, shearling coats and jackets, silk neck ties, patchwork denim, aviators...there's no end to the inspiration.
Coach's first-ever ready-to-wear collection felt like an experiment in 70s-revival, with an earthy color palette and enough tan suede and fringe to costume the cast of That 70s Show. Miuccia Prada blended the 1930s Weimar Republic and the 1970s for her fall collection at Prada. The geometric prints and fire engine red furs were bold enough for Amy Adam's character in American Hustle to fawn over, surely.
Marni
At Marni the models were birds of a feather - or fur? Either way there were many references to the natural world and the coats of all sorts of creatures. Furs are standard fall collection fare, but Consuelo Castiglioni applied it in strange asymmetrical patches and in unnatural prints and colors.
The color scheme was rather utilitarian, but it's not a Marni show without some unexpected pops of color strewn throughout. There would be a parade of army green outfits punctuated by a hot pink monochrome look just to make sure you are always on your toes.
The final looks of the show were absolutely stunning in terms of innovation and construction. They appear to be natural and idyllic while at the same time futuristic and modern - the juxtaposition of the natural and the constructed world seemed to be a recurring theme throughout the collection.
Altogether this was one of the most inspiring and inventive Marni shows that I have seen. There is the usual attention to construction and shape combined with the offbeat quirkiness, but it is much more sophisticated and creative than ever before.
I can't imagine celebrities having any luck on the red carpet with these funky outfits, but I don't think that's the point of Castiglioni's latest collection. These are beautiful and challenging clothes, and I love it.
Fendi
Another designer to use copious amounts of fur was Karl Lagerfeld for his latest collection for Fendi. Of course, Fendi was founded as a fur house, so this makes sense. Compared to the punchy primary colors of the spring collection, Fendi Fall 2014 may seem a bit drab. I'm not usually one for such earthy tones, but I really enjoy how Lagerfeld has utilized them here.
There's a kind of retro-futuristic vibe going on here, like how people from the 50s thought the future would look. In what seems to be one of fall's prevailing themes, I can almost imagine Princess Leia wearing one of these looks while touring the galaxy far far away. But then there are go go boots and ladylike dresses and the most amazing fur baseball jacket ever which are not so much Star Wars and really more of a cool, retro-modern look.
In the end these clothes are sleek and lovely. Fashion editors are going to eat these looks up, and bloggers will not be able to get enough of that fur baseball jacket. Seriously, that is magical.
Prada is not a show that you immediately comprehend. Miuccia is an expert of creating thoughtful and at times confusing clothing that takes time to fully muster up a feeling about. Generally I get super excited for the Prada show and then turn away after the live stream has finished feeling a bit disappointed. It's never what I expect and I can never quite understand it the first time around. And if I'm being completely honest, the clothes are sometimes not the most generically beautiful, which is of course what makes them so difficult to digest on first viewing.
For the Fall 2014 show we had a bit of a hint as to what it was going to look like a few weeks ago during Men's Fashion Week, where several female models came out in looks of a very similar color palette to the collection today. Tim Blanks described Thursday's show as "Act II" in his style.com review, with this being the second installment to be inspired by the German avant-garde movement in in particular Rainer Werner Fassbinder's 1972 film The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant.
There was a mix of time periods here - on the one hand I could totally see Amy Adam's character from American Hustle fawning over the shearling coats in vibrant colors and the disco print silk dresses; on the other, there were the drop waists and fringe details of the Weimar era, where German avant-gardism flourished.
While not the cotton candy colored collection that was Spring 2014, fall feels very bold and glamorous in an entirely different way. And actually, I think this is one of the most "understandable" collections that Miuccia has produced in a while. That doesn't make it any less intellectual, but it is stunning and I can see that more easily with this collection. Which probably means I'll only love it even more over time.
*But actually, Prince Harry ain't married yet so there's still hope
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| David Koma | Clover Canyon | Simone Rocha |Mary Katrantzou | Erdem |
London Fashion Week came and went - I know, right! - and it left me feeling like quite the anglophile. Plaids and tartans have proven to be a lasting force ever since they first stepped back into the limelight this past fall as a grunge staple, but this season the check print has a decidedly traditional air to it.
At Clover Canyon and Mary Katrantzou, family shields and crests came back in a big way, and by two designers whose digitalized prints will bring traditional motifs into the twenty-first century. I have a feeling the Mary Katrantzou pieces are going to be especially popular among the street style set - it's totally a way to relive that English prep school fantasy in a more sophisticated fashion.
Simone Rocha created an entire collection that was inspired by the ever-popular Anne Boleyn, the second wife of the notorious Henry VIII and mother to Elizabeth I.
David Koma was less literally inspired by the styles of medieval England but there was a historical edge to the off-the-shoulder shapes of dresses; in fact, they were quite reminiscent of Aurora's dress from Sleeping Beauty, a hybrid of medieval and 50s dress shapes. Erdem showed similar styles but in rich brocades, and even included a fur coat that resembled a luxurious ermine coat fit for a queen.
All in all, there's a large sense of national and historical pride amongst the London collections, and I may be as American as they come but I'm all for a little bit of anglomania!
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| Michelle Harper attending shows in New York (photo by Chantal Adair for Elle.com) | Kendall Jenner making her runway debut at Marc Jacobs |
When I was twelve I was a little off-put when I saw skinny models in sheer tops traipsing down the runway like it was no big deal. I had just delved into the world of high fashion and the concept of of fashion being as much about nudity as it was clothing took some time for me to adjust to.
Nowadays it's really no big deal for me. Sheer tops are a thing and they don't always come with corresponding lingerie when shown on the runway. Fashion editorials feature topless models as much as Playboy does. Toplessness is not unusual to me anymore and as I look back on the middle school me who blushed just looking at Chanel runway shows and the occasional see-through top I wonder why exactly I was so alarmed by it all in the first place. After all, it's only a woman's body, it's not something unfamiliar or dangerous.
So what exactly is wrong with the occasional sheer top, anyways?
I found myself looking back on my first encounters with toplessness in fashion and asking the above question this weekend when the social media universe was all atwitter (on Twitter) over Kendall Jenner's runway debut at the Marc Jacobs show this past Thursday.
The eighteen-year-old member of the Kardashian clan was almost unrecognizable beneath a cropped wig and pale makeup that included bleached brows. Her involvement in the show was kept quite hush-hush until she stepped out into the spotlight, and even then I didn't recognize her as I livestreamed the show. It was only when I saw my twitter feed erupt with excitement over her first stint as a runway model that I did a double take and conclude that Kendall had indeed walked down the runway in equestrian-inspired trousers and an incredibly lightweight knit top.
The first thing I thought was: meh, I wish they had put her in a better outfit.
The second thing: oh, her boobs are out. People are going to freak out about that probably.
Big shocker: I was right about the ideas people were going to have regarding her somewhat scandalous outfit. People started freaking the eff out over Kendall's outfit. If you search "Kendall Jenner" and "Marc Jacobs" the majority of results focus on the fact that the young starlet exposed her breasts on the catwalk - and not, you know, that she just walked for one of the biggest names in fashion and did well. Kendall is getting called a bad role model and an attention whore (usually along the lines of "she's just like her other attention whore sisters").
Nice, people. Very nice.
While personally I would not opt to wear that outfit to my next lecture, there's a reason why Kendall is the model and I am not. If she feels comfortable wearing the outfit then go for it, girl! And it's not like only the celebrity wore a revealing outfit - she was but one in a long line of models that sported slightly-transparent tops for Marc Jacob's fall 2014 show.
In addition, one must consider the context. Many people tweeted about how disgusted they were with Kendall's choice in outfit, as if she went to Barney's and purchased it or had requested a see-through top. This was the outfit Kendall was given, and as a model it is her job to wear the clothes.
Consider the street style choice of Michelle Harper during NYFW: she wore a nude mesh top that similarly left her breasts exposed - and she was wearing it on the streets out in public. When I first saw her outfit I'll admit I was a little shocked, but it was more of a "Oh, that's something we don't see everyday" than an "AHH! Boobs!" Most commentators felt similarly about Harper - shocked not by the "obsceneness" of her outfit but rather by the rarity of such a look, and in the dead of winter no less. I think the main thing that came to mind for me was, Ohmigod, she must be freezing. That is true dedication to your look over fear of the elements.
So why are two cases of semi-toplessness interpreted so differently? I suppose the two most important factors are Kendall's age and celebrity. Granted, she is young, but she is average in age for a model and she is a legal adult who is capable of making her own decisions. On the second factor - her celebrity - I think the context of the outfit is important. It is her job to wear the outfit, rather than a choice to go out in public wearing it.
But in all honesty, would it be so weird if she did that either? I see plenty of women walk about sans bra and personally I like wearing bras (they're pretty!) but I can understand that bras can be uncomfortable and that some women don't like wearing them. And people don't really freak out when women choose to go without a bra, so I don't really understand why the level of sheer-ness affects how appropriate not wearing a bra can be. And it's like, people, it's no mystery that women have breasts whether you can see them through a shirt or not. They are there and we should stop fixating on them and on Kendall's outfit and instead celebrate the huge accomplishment that walking for Marc Jacobs is. Don't let anything - especially something as stupid as boobs - distract from that huge achievement.
Marc Jacobs has been a busy man with a lot of talk surrounding him recently. He left Louis Vuitton after a stunning final collection last year to focus on his eponymous label and their upcoming IPO. Luella Bartley took up the designing reigns for his offshoot line, Marc by Marc Jacobs, and it seems the reviews have been pretty good.
And now on the final evening of New York Fashion Week, all eyes have turned to Jacobs and his first collection in a new era of his life.
Following his dark, gothic spring show, it is rather jarring to see Jacobs present a collection full of pastels and airy fabrics for fall. Lavender masses of cotton candy (or were they clouds?) were suspended over the viewers and models strutted out to similarly-colored maxi dresses and wide-leg pants. Each model had their stick-straight bobs pulled out of their face with a wide knit headband, giving them an active, ballerina-in-practice look.
Jacobs always likes to leave us guessing, and one would never suspect this collection from the often punk-inspired designer, but my is the result breathtaking. Make no mistake, these clothes are quite challenging to wear and I'm sure we are going to see a few celebrity missteps when they try to translate these looks to the red carpet, but the right girl in the right dress and you will have a knockout outfit.
Personally I loved the change of pace that this collection brought. The seventies continue to be the big trend and Marc Jacobs has interpreted the decade in a fresh new way, and pastels for fall is perfectly genius! Those ombre fur coats are going to be absolutely everywhere.
Fall 2014 for Jacobs was a breath of fresh air, a beginning of a new chapter, as light and promising as a dainty pink cloud at sunrise. And I can't wait to see where this new day leads Marc Jacobs.
New York Fashion Week continues with favorites old and new.
Here's the low-down on some of my favorites:
J. Crew
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| J. Crew aka What Would Jenna Lyons Wear? |
Personal favorite J. Crew is at it again with the preppy-cool shenanigans. The preppy sportswear brand's collection line has basically turned into a presentation of all the outfits Creative Director Jenna Lyons wants to wear come next fashion week. And Jenna Lyons has basically become the Woman We All Want To Be Like.
Because Jenna Lyons is pretty darn cool, if you ask me. She's got great, no-fuss style; not to mention she made her acting debut on Girls this Sunday, which is like the epitome of cool. With her J. Crew isn't just the wardrobe for Ivy League WASPs and polo players - it has become more (ugh, I hate this word) hip. People want to wear J. Crew. Which frankly I so love.
Anyways, their fall collection is full of clothes fit for every type of woman, from the dressed-up feminine lady to the downtown-cool tomboy. There's enough prep in here to stay classically J. Crew, but there's a youthfulness to the clothes that Lyons introduces that has really revitalized the J. Crew brand. I used to only get basics from J. Crew (plain T-shirts and solid skirts, that sort of thing) but now I enter their store looking for statement pieces. That's a big shift in brand identity if you ask me.
Proenza Schouler
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| Proenza Schouler gets wild! |
The boys at Proenza Schouler are not afraid of a little experimentation, and each collection with them seems to be an intriguing exploration of cuts, textiles, and styles. For fall it appears there has never been a more appropriate time to use the term "Urban Jungle" when describing a collection, as these clothes were made for tackling the bustling streets of New York in style.
Jack and Lazaro are experts of balancing proportions and in mixing unexpected patterns together to achieve a spontaneous but put-together look, if that makes sense.
The use of zebra stripes and other loud patterns in a cool, sophisticated way is probably what the Rodarte girls were striving for for their Spring 2014 collection, but here it works because these sometimes tacky prints have been applied to incredibly modern silhouettes and not to equally as tacky shapes.
And if for some reason you are absolutely loving the whole Birkenstocks and ugly sandals trend (preferably with socks) the designers at Proenza have got you covered - well, at least your feet - with loafers that very closely resemble those water booties they make you wear when you go rafting.
Michael Kors
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| Neutrals never looked so good at Michael Kors |
If the boys behind Proenza Schouler are mad scientists of clothing experimentation, then Michael Kors is a distinguished professor of history. You cannot get more classic American clothing than Kors, and you're never going to see him try something that is wayyy out there. And that's okay. Kors has perfected classic American sportswear and it is so darn good, why would he want to change any of that?
For fall Kors stuck mostly with neutrals and soft metallics, but it was always cool and never boring. Kors makes clothes that are sexy without being slutty, historically inspired without being outdated, masculine without losing that feminine edge that makes them so desirable. He may walk a fine line but he never falters, and that is why he consistently makes people fall in love with his clothes.
There's a rich luxuriousness to his clothes but at the same time I wouldn't feel like I had to limit myself from running around in them or going out into nature because I was worried I would spill something on my slip dress or tear my oversized knit sweater. Kors makes clothes that are meant to be worn and lived in which I truly find refreshing. Clothing can be as beautiful as a Renaissance painting but they aren't really valuable if you feel afraid to wear them.
With Michael Kors, these clothes are calling to me, asking me to wear them. And it's taking everything I have to resist them.
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