Hiya, Wednesday. I am up at this unholy hour of 6 am because it's the only time I have to write a bit before super busy mode kicks in. As Depeche Mode said, "enjoy the silence". It's the only noise free time I have these days...
I promised you some fashion week dish, and I'll say this: the fall shows always seem to lack some color, yet I can't help but notice this season's shows feel more "noir" than ever. I'm not sure if American designers are feeling more macabre than usual, but wow, these collections feel a bit somber and moody to me. I for one have no problem with that, but wondering if the more than usual basic blah colors are indicators of a glumming effect due to so much insecurity about the future in these perilous times. I will say that burnt orange/sienna/rust seems to be the color of the week- it's a pretty one for Fall and is the new neutral, as far as I can tell (though the Rodarte gals did a collection not so much black, but very muted and very little house on the fashion prairie). That's another trend I noted, a folky influence from designers like DVF, who did bolero type hats and folky prints , to maybe take us back to a simpler time when we did not have I Phones, Pads, or any other capital Ps to distract us from authenticity as we used to know it (I adored DVF's collection PS. It was not for shrinking violets- think heart prints- but found it very fun and spoke to my Etsy loving soul as it spoke to my love of handmade soul. Oh and I love funky prints. You know this). Maybe all we need is love...and some DVF next fall. (PS loved the model with that very old school bob. Fabulous and very reminiscent of old Adolfo ads).
Donna Karan, one of my all time favorite designers, braodcast her Donna Karan collection live on Facebook- a beautiful if not "safe" collection of body con dresses- loved the knee length skinny skirts- very sexy- and the hair and makeup was simple and pretty- pink lips and pretty updos, with pearls around the neck. I still love Donna's draped silhouettes- she's great at a sort of urban swaddling, in a muted palette which prevailed at most shows, hers being varying shades of grey, taupey brown, olive, and camel. I approve. I simply love this woman and find her clothes effortlessly sexy and modern.
I'm also feeling an "art school chic" moment is rising, with designers like Chris Benz (floppy hats with thrift shop inspired couture) and Alex Wang (who went full goth) making clothes for creative gals that seem more Central St. Martin's than Ivy League (hair and makeup at Wang was one of my favorites of all- center parted, stick straight hair and very little makeup. Very pretty and cool). Marc by Marc Jacobs was a sea of vintage silhouettes, with a standout emerald green dress I could see wearing with frequency. And DKNY's collection of urban mods also felt arty and cool girl as all get out- and embraced another trend I'm seeing on all the runways- a return to a 90s, sort of grungy thing- note the striped Kurt Cobain sweaters. Here we are now, entertain us.Other designers doing a nineties thing? Tory Burch sent down a crimson tux that felt so Tom Ford at the height (remember the 90s collection I referenced the other day). And Derek Lam's collection skewed more 90s minimal than 90s Seattle, and he like other designers sent down a blanket coat that was super folky, another trend I noted from the collections. There were quite a few of those blanket looks around.
So if you are not so much a grunge gal and more into pretty and feminine, Peter Som had lots of options of nipped in shifts and suiting that will speak to your jones for ladylike clothes. One of my new favs, Prabal Gurang, sent out sexy look after sexy look. all with skirts just past the knee (the length of the season) or dipping to the floor. There were no minis anywhere, folks, though tights with patterns ruled the fashion roost with everything from swiss dots to stripes and back again.
And in one of my favorite shows of the week, Jason Wu, a favorite of Mrs. Obama, did a show that felt so grown up, so fantastic, and so sophisticated, that it took my breath away. Almost completely in black and white, these were clothes that displayed the brilliance of American design. With pretty and prim dresses a la Valentino, marabou laden looks for evening, and suiting that felt femme/dandy, his show felt very sophisticated to me, with clothes for grown gals who love fashion and understand true sophistication and glamour., and his skirts hovered above the knee, a preferred length for most of us (though the below the knee length is feels new to me). Probably my favorite show of the week so far. Oh and the red strapless as well as the black dress with the white crinoline to the knee are very Mrs. O, no?
And my favorite model of the week has to be Joan Smalls. She's just impossibly beautiful. LOVE HER.
All in all boys and girls, the shows so far have been cool but I'm not as stoked as I was for this past Spring's collections, as I was not super moved by most of the looks. Here's the Cliffs Notes though, or a primer for next Fall:
Get ready to rock some below the knee looks next Fall, like it or not. I like it but it is a weird length for some, though sexy and demure at the same time.
You best get a pair of sheer black hose with some sort of swiss dot, polka dot, or stripe. They were everywhere.
Folksome influence was palpable- blanket coats, prairie prints, and rust were all over the runways as we all begin to appreciate a sort of handmade aesthetic in the face of all things digi.
The 90s are back. Kind of. Rock at your own risk.
Not a lot of pants, gals. More dresses and skirts as far as I could tell, though some lovely suits around for you leggy types- pants are back to being slim.
Art school chic is the flavor du jour for the young set- look for PYTs to rock it all over urban zones next Fall.
There is a "safeness" on the runways in New York that prevailed. I am not sure if that's a reaction to our stress and anxiety but nothing terribly shocking to report. Guess we'll wait to see if Paris and Milan are equally as subdued, though we can usually count on London for some over the top looks.
I am commenting now on Marc Jacobs collection because it had me confused. Full of weird pailettes and polka dots and such. I didn't get it. Felt "off" to me. (DVF had dots too but with greater success, as did Jason Wu).
That's all I've got...is it just me or did these collections feel a bit meh? Let's see what our friends across the pond have in store. But bravo to Jason Wu- his collection was tops in my book. Pictured are looks from his collection. If you want to see everything else I talked about , go to fashionologie or
style.com for all the shows...happy hunting. And if you want me to post more pictures and edit for you, just ask. For you, I will do this. But now I must walk my dog, who is waiting patiently for me and wagging his blessed tail.
And that's what's up this heavily fashion influenced Wednesday in the MIA. Fashion rocks. And so do you. XO
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