Posts filed under 'Women'

Fashion Week Notebook | J Mendel

Key Takeaways: While much of this collection catered to the gala dinner set–J Mendel’s primary clientele–it also featured unusual pairings (shearling with sheer pleats) and cocktail dresses with barely-there layers that will no doubt show up on A-list celebrities this spring.

Color Palette: Ice Queen colors–pearly pastel blue, pink and purple–and beiges.

Silhouettes: Fitted jackets with dress shorts or flowy skirts; wispy gowns; shearling jackets; ruffled column dresses.

Accessories Report: With barely-there dresses, skin was the accessory of choice.

What’s Wearable: The singular suit of the collection, a brocade, half-sleeve skirt suit.

What’s Not Wearable: Tank tops with randomly attached fur.

1 comment September 24th, 2005

Fashion Week Notebook | Derek Lam

Key Takeaways: While Lam is considered one of fashion’s fastest-rising stars, we were disappointed with this boring collection. We expected to see something new and exciting, and what we got was a lot of childlike dresses in dowdy shapes.

Color Palette: Lam’s collection was focused on white, with black and neutrals as supporting colors.

Silhouettes: Babydoll dresses and shift dresses. We didn’t know what to think about the Overgrown-Easter-Sunday-Dress look.

Accessories Report: Our favorite accessory was the fresh-faced makeup seen on Lam’s runway models. They possessed a dewy, youthful look.

What’s Wearable: Lam’s fortuny pleasts–they were one of the few highlights of this collection.

What’s Not Wearable: Babydoll dresses. We don’t want to revisit the early nineties.

Add comment September 23rd, 2005

Fashion Week Notebook | L.A.M.B. by Gwen Stefani

Key Takeaways: Eclectic collection touching on a number of themes from past seasons: ethnic & embellishment, military, and nautical, to name a few.

Color Palette: Neutrals were accompanied by yellows, oranges, mint green, and forest green.

Silhouettes: The big story here was belted looks. Gwen Stefani showed a number of long straight skirts on dresses, shorts hitting at the knee.

Accessories Report: Belts were huge. Also important were slouchy boots, belted boots, knit caps, and fedoras.

What’s Wearable: We appreciated Stefani’s colorblocked drapey dresses in particular.

What’s Not Wearable: See through dresses (clearly). Or being covered in logos from head to toe. Stefani’s collection was styled theatrically for dramatic effect—if you try any of these outfits head to toe, you’ll likely come off looking more like a fashion victim than fashion forward.

Add comment September 20th, 2005

Fashion Week Notebook | Brian Reyes

Key Takeaways: Detail-oriented sportswear collection featuring classic silhouettes in neutral colors.

Color Palette: Neutrals such as white, grey, beige, brown, and black, were interspersed with bright primary colors: red, yellow, and blue.

Silhouettes: Mostly fitted skirts, skinny pants and shorts, with a couple of more voluminous skirts thrown in for good measure. On top, fitted bodices alternated with slightly more blousy styles, in line with the controlled volume theme.

What’s Wearable: Absolutely everything. Reyes didn’t stray far from classic shapes.

Add comment September 20th, 2005

Fashion Week Notebook | BCBG

Key Takeaways: Max Azria combined elements of minimalism with the exuberant embellishment of the last few seasons. Our favorite runway looks included a Marilyn Monroe style halter dress with a full skirt, and a blousy top over short shorts with a sweatercoat coverup.

Color Palette: Neutrals included black, white, beige, and greyed out colors. Azria added to this neutral palette primary colors—red, blue, yellow, as well as purple and gold.

Silhouettes: Key trends out of this show included controlled volume on blouses, skirts, and even shorts, short shorts, wrap styles, and horizontal stripe detailing.

What’s Wearable: Blousy tops tend to be forgiving, and we love that Azria’s tops aren’t shapeless.

What’s Not Wearable: Be careful with wide horizontal stripes, even if you’re Amazingly Tall. More petite women, in particular, should opt for narrower lines that don’t visually cut the body into sections.

On another note, short shorts should only be worn with toned legs.

Add comment September 19th, 2005

Fashion Week Notebook | Monique Lhuillier

Key Takeaways: A ladylike collection of eveningwear and cocktail-appropriate dresses. Lhuillier’s collection had an old-world type of charm–very pretty, but not overly embellished. While she clearly follows in the footsteps of Vera Wang, some of her cocktail numbers channeled Oscar de la Renta.

Color Palette: Neutrals (white, black, and shades of beige) were accompanied by yellow, lilac, sky blue, moss, and fuschia.

Silhouettes: Cocktail wear featured fitted bodices and mostly A-line skirts. Lhuillier showed bodices in three classic shapes: high-necked, strapless, and bra-top styles. Evening gowns ranged from drapey bias-cut styles to poufy voluminous looks.

What’s Wearable: Just about everything. We’ll no doubt be seeing some of these looks on the red carpet.

More specifically, we’re a big fan of the A-line skirt’s almost universal figure flattery. Also, Lhuillier’s monochromatic high-necked styles will be flattering to petite women for their elongated vertical line.

What’s Not Wearable: Watch your step in Lhuillier’s poufy evening gowns. For tall girls only.

Add comment September 19th, 2005

Fashion Week Notebook | Donna Karan

Key Takeaways: Karan’s collection was inspired by art, such as Pollack abstract expressionism and Mondrian colors. She also experimented with combining volume and strong, geometric shapes.

Color Palette: Black, red, yellow, beige, brown, navy.

Silhouettes: Pleated, full skirts; dresses with tulip skirts; cropped jackets; jackets tied with bows, empire waists.

Accessories Report: Dramatic cat-eye makeup, hairbows, and oversized necklaces of linking geometric shapes:

What’s Wearable: Deconstructed jackets and cocktail dresses.

What’s Not Wearable: The oversized, overly geometric necklaces.

Add comment September 17th, 2005

Fashion Week Notebook | Ralph Lauren

Key Takeaways: Lots of Nautica + Military + Bohemian = Pirates?

Color Palette: Navy and white, grey, gold, maroon.

Silhouettes: Military jackets with nautical-striped tanks; mermaid skirts, both long and short; skirt suits; ruffles.

Accessories Report: The collection was not complete without the necessary accessories: aviators, solid gold and netted bags, skullcaps, beaded necklaces and long, dangly earrings.

What’s Wearable: Every individual piece in this collection. However, we spotted a perfect skirt suit for work.

What’s Not Wearable: Skinny pinstripes with wide pinstripes, unless you want to look like a candy striper.

Add comment September 17th, 2005

Fashion Week Notebook | Zac Posen

Key Takeaways: Zac Posen’s apparel was more intricate than that of his fashion peers. Some highlights included jackets and dresses with cutout designs and slouchy, cuffed hot pants.

Color Palette: The rainbow. A plethora of pastels, plus royal blue, wine red and Madras plaid.

Silhouettes: Form-fitting outfits with flared skirts, muumuus taken down a notch, and short or cropped trenches.

Accessories Report: Oversized floppy hats, python-print bags and fringed suede bags were in abundance.

What’s Wearable: A beige leather cutout bolero.

What’s Not Wearable: Giant pitch tents the width of an entire runway.

Add comment September 15th, 2005

Fashion Week Notebook | Vera Wang

Key Takeaways: Gathered taffeta; asymmetrical skirts and dresses.
Color Palette: Typical black tie event colors, plus taffeta in paprika, lavender and iridescent chartreuse.
Silhouettes: Poufy sleeves, bubble skirting, ruffled hems, and gathered or shirred fabrics.

Accessories Report: Obi sashes around the waist.

What’s Wearable: Rose and forest green, an unusual but fresh color combo.

What’s Not Wearable: Overly fussy and asymmetrical taffeta ensembles.

Add comment September 15th, 2005

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