After a Fashion

Couture - Autumn/Winter 2007-2008

2007-07-09T08:48:00.000-07:00

Since the last round of shows, I've had a baby. For the next few seasons, I can only imagine that I'll be delayed or completely incomplete in coverage.

Anne Valerie Hash - I've never really been a fan, but this collection looks just right. It's elegant and posh and a little too to be mistaken for RTW. Gathered shoulder seams and full sleeves, plunging necklines that maintain their class, jewel-tone satins, and sexy le smokings.

Chanel - Oh so right. Sexy, futuristic, sleek - which seems very un-Chanel, yet still pretty and luxurious and fantastic. Lagerfeld is always a surprise and the more I learn about him, the more he inspires. Feathers, fringe, gemstone beading, tight-fitting hoods, there's something very romantic to all the details, but the pieces themselves are so body-conscious and streamlined.

Christian Dior - Full-skirted fantasy, purely Couture. I dream less about having these clothes and more about having the life that would require something so beautiful and special.

Christian Lacroix - Bejewelled and beruffled form-fitting gowns. Mysterious romanticism, acidy colors, slightly toned down styles, but not lacking in opulence.

Elie Saab - Pretty pretty dresses, elegant but not stiff draping. The shorter styles are definitely best, with the longer a little cliched.

Giorgio Armani Prive - Beauuuuuutiful skirts, but not so Couture-y.

Givenchy - While troubled by the garish yak and leopard costumes (a leopard hat! yipes!), I found the Mad Max-ian trousers and straps and drapes to be quite fetching.

Jean Paul Gaultier - A futruristic, royal military with strange little hair-covered wire crowns. Sexy hard shoulders, skinny trousers, and corset dresses. Not a bit flirty, but completely sexed up.

Roland Mouret - While lacking in the showmanship and fantasy of Couture, some pretty dresses that I cant ignore.

Valentino - Pretty suits and elegant cocktail dresses, though a slightly older demographic than I was prepared for. A tad disappointing, what with all the Valentino hype at the moment. The final gown is gorge, however.

Karl

2007-03-13T14:19:00.000-07:00

If you have a spare half-hour, this is a truly excellent peek into Karl Lagerfeld's world.

Paris - Autumn/Winter 2007-8, Days 7-8

2007-03-10T10:02:00.000-08:00

Hermes - Luxe leather jackets and coats, of course, formal suits and dresses, but still a little motorcycle edge.

Chloe - This seems like a collection of Chloe knockoffs in sensible colors. The charm is gone, the detailing. Too simple, too minimal, too not that cute.

Martin Grant - Proper Hepburn-esque (both of em) trousers and skirts. Adorably wacky - but not cloying - cocktail dresses.

Antonio Berardi - Beautifully (and slightly dangerous) tailored suits and dresses, kimono sleeves and tight bodices.

John Galliano - Like creepy dolls found in the attic. Louise Brooks and Marlene Dietrich dolls. Lots of ruffles, rosettes, and dust.

Nina Ricci - A new label and a new look for Olivier Theyskens. Still long skirts, but less New Romantic and more Wood Nymph. Less costume (which is a negative to me) and more modern, natural beautiful woman.

Elie Saab - Are gothic french maids in our red carpet future? Full sheer sleeves and wide black leather belts are certainly not what I expected. Pleasantly surprised with the changes.

Collette Dinnigan - Nice, pretty clothes. Dresses and trousers for a serious girl.

Louis Vuitton - Non-flapper 20s girls in a long, lean silhouette. Wide belts and classy lengths, nothing overtly sexy, but everything overtly pretty.

Lanvin - Left Bank chic, without the 70s sexiness. Jewel-toned dresses over skinny black trousers. Black satin pencil skirts and ruffle-necked blouses.

Miu Miu - Full 50s skirts, proper skirt suits in improper leather and seriously improper sheers.

Paris - Autumn/Winter 2007-8, Days 5-6

2007-03-10T08:12:00.000-08:00

Stella McCartney - The first half was a little bland. Oversized shoulders on christmas sweaters and rather asexual (though mini) suits. Things started to look up with the advent of the party dresses, but ended far too quickly.

Emanuel Ungaro - Ohhh la la! Disco slink, sexy puffy jackets, grecian draped minidresses - a sexier Sophia Kokosalaki. The coziest fur pullover I've ever seen.

Celine - The perfectly icy Parisian woman. All-business wool or satin dresses with defined waists, an untouchably sexy black suit with black satin shirt.

Haider Ackermann - Painted on leggings, cropped 80s style jackets, lifeless dresses. All very Tilda Swinton-y. Weird yet boring.

YSL Rive Gauche - Elegant, meticulously put-together, but I feel a tad too *modern day* Catherine Deneuve. The sweet minidress take on le smoking, is wonderful though.

Jasmine Di Milo - So much going on, but so sexy and sleek. Definitely cool-girl. Poufy party dresses - maybe a tad over the top, but still fun, and slim little strapless numbers - just right.

Chanel - Perfect tweed suit dresses, borderline obnoxious leather and plaid separates, and gorgeous beribboned and be-laced cocktail dresses with funky little bib necklaces.

Sonia Rykiel - Dreamy sweaterdresses and much-too-sexy laces, ruffles. It's not hard to get excited again for Fall.

Giambattista Valli - White turtlenecks under sexy manly black suits, low-cut sweaters, and the most charming ruffles I've seen. Necklines and bodices and just elegant.

Rue du Mail - Serious little suits and dresses with funny little tipped or rose-gathered hems.

Bruno Pieters - Rounded hems, somber suits, glamourous 50s gold strapless.

Alexander McQueen - Molded bodices of the most impeccable tailoring, molded bodices actually made of sculpture. Fantastically nightmarish hoods and fabrics and Cleopatra-eyes. Dark dreamy.

Paris - Autumn/Winter 2007-8, Day 4

2007-03-09T15:58:00.000-08:00

Costume National - Gorgeous work-uniform dressing: pencil skirts, funnel-necked tunics, satin dresses. Curiously wonderful details.

Andrew Gn - Black and white tweed, feathers, and ruffles. A little hohum with some standout minidresses.

Akris - Polished workwear. Futuristic military suits and dresses, exaggerated turtlenecks. Slick and cool.

Valentino - Perfect fall wear for perfect ladies. Brown tweeds, quilted skirts, proper gloves. A balance of pure sexiness and utter elegance, as expected.

Dries Van Noten - Quilted satins, a limp silhouette, a tad depressing.

Christian Lacroix - Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous. Those full sleeves, defined waists, jewel and fur details. Cozy sweaters. The most covetable dresses and tiny jackets. Elegant and cooool.

Loewe - Leather and suede and stiff satin, but in a ladylike manner. Full sleeved tunics and sexy dresses.

Sophia Kokosalaki - I dont know the type of fabric she uses, or if it's the method of her draping that gives the satin so much texture. Beautiful dresses, sexy trenches.

Veronique Branquinho - Yawn. Expensive, polished-looking Mexican panchos. Pass.

Givenchy - Ooooh, those wide-legged trousers, almost sailor pants. Tight navy business dresses. Polished, but not stodgy.

Hussein Chalayan - Architectural dresses, fun stripes with mismatching striped aprons, pvc legging/boots, and one magically lit dress. Gorge.

Karl Lagerfeld - Some suits (nice), some dresses (ok), some excitement (no).

Paris - Autumn/Winter 2007-8, Day 3

2007-03-09T14:10:00.000-08:00

Balenciaga - WOAH. 100% departure from last season's C3PO. Not that I have a problem with this. The trousers look just plain perfect. I like a skinny leg, nerdy ankle cropping, and those roomy hip pockets. Oooh, that looks comfortable. Some more patchworking and bondage belts. Sexy and comfy.

Junya Watanabe - Sexy motorcycle jackets, cropped and wrapped and wrongly put together but so very cool cardigans. The dresses and plaids are nice. Though maybe I'd pass on the Gestapo-y leather trenches.

Vivienne Westwood - I cant fully figure out the pieces that make up this outfit, a skirt? leggings? corset? cardigan? But dont you want to look exactly like this, exactly this cool, this sexy, all the time??

Or this?

Jean Paul Gaultier - If I hadnt double-checked, I would think this was the Vivienne show and her's was the Gaultier. Both are hot though. Lotsa plaid here and spygirl trenches and did I say how hot this is?

Ann Demeulmeester - If I overlook the world's ugliest models (and, yes, I realize that *some* of them are men), some gothy dramatic high-necked coats and beautiful pouf skirts.

Commes des Garcons - I love every bit of this - even though it's a bit Springy. Skin-tight knits, ruffles, stuffed hands, black bunny ears, fluorescent eyeshadow. It sounds like a recipe for disaster, but instead it's comfy, sexy, fun, and funny. What more can you ask of something as silly as fashion?

Christian Dior - 40s suits, full but womanly skirts, exaggerated fur details, defined waists. The colors, the dresses, the drama. Just perfect. Wearable straight off the runway. A hint of the decadence from the Couture show, but less dreamy and more realistic (except, I'm sure one's ability to buy them).

Paris - Autumn/Winter 2007-8, Days 1-2

2007-03-05T18:41:00.000-08:00

Balmain - Feathers, fringe, and metals. The best are the Balenciaga-futurism minidresses with sculpted shoulders. The lowslung trousers look sexy and comfortable, though a little overdone and not very new.

Rick Owens - More sleeping bags, but this time with the actual silhouette of wearing a sleeping bag over your shoulders. With Himalayan yak boots. Ok, I dont actually know if it's yak fur, but you'll see what I mean. The sculpted cropped jackets toward the end are a bit more interesting and could really be great paired with someone else's clothes. Leather is his strength, just dont get too Free Tibet with your look.

Dice Kayek - Dramatic shoulders and sleeves, pinched waists, and full pleated skirts. A mix of hard-edges and dreamy curves.

Wunderkind - 30s English countryside, with hair in frizzy loose buns and what seem to be ankle length golf pants. The winners are the slinky gowns.

Isabel Marant - At first glance, just looks like more frumpy layers. On closer inspection, there are some great pieces. The pleated minis are just the right amount of volume, the boxy jackets are great Fall coverups, and some cute minidresses hidden around.

Maison Martin Margiela - Giant David Byrne boxy shoulders. These spongy Mos Eisley pocketed capes could be interesting (though maybe not suitable for subway cars).

Undercover - Cozy-looking space age knits and boxy jackets and maybe the worst use of feathers I've seen. Oh, and coordinating earmuffs, of course.

Viktor & Rolf - Due to the built-in spotlights, it's difficult for me to imagine how many of these clothes will actually hang on a body. The lower parts and prints are quite nice, but it's difficult to make an actual observation. The capris and high-necked plaid blouses look new and flattering, while the blousy wide-collared white shirts look expensive and polished.

AF Vandevorst - A bit of a Native American shaman vibe - with the makeup, feathers, and blanket coats and wraps. Also, prairie necked blouses and loose shirt dresses. An unsexy and un-charming Anna Sui, perhaps.

Yohji Yamamoto - Logo-ed leather trim and trousers, full layered ruffled cancan skirts over cuffed trousers. More body-conscious and wearable (less concept-y) than usual.

Milan - Autumn/Winter 2007-8, Day 7

2007-03-03T22:53:00.000-08:00

Gianfranco Ferre - Strong suits, love the kimono jackets and oversized sweater sleeves. Spacey, but manages to sidestep any camp. Grownup but not Old.

Luisa Beccaria - Proper dorky/pretty. The sorts of things we'd see on Maggie Gyllenhaal. Though some uncharacteristically elegant ballgowns at the end. Pretty, all in all, and I think the designer herself is the best model and representation of the clothes in the end.

Blumarine - Sexy and womanly. The colors and fabrics are definitely grown up, the puffy sleeves keep a bit of the girlishness we're used to in place. Love this entire collection.

Missoni - A bit of a shakeup with the classic prints, a lot of solids, some nice details, but a whoooooollllle lot of furtrimming and uglification. Some definite unwearable levels of gaudiness. For instance, could there be more going on (and wrong??) in this photo??

DSquared2 - Post-apocalyptic assassin? shop girl? A lot of hard edges and zippers, though surprisingly uninteresting. Apparently feathers will be in surplus after the world ends.

Iceberg - Lovely draped and wrapped minidresses, though with the occasional cargo-gear detail that seems a little out of place with the otherwise simple and pretty looks.

Gianni Versace - I'm in love with the eyemakeup - smokey but with a hint of teal? Those strapless dresses are To. Die. For. Easy, wearable glamour.

Milan - Autumn/Winter 2007-8, Day 6

2007-03-03T22:20:00.000-08:00

Emilio Pucci - I applaud the use of solid colors in the show (Pucci colors, mind you. Those signature prints, moreso with Missoni, can get a little headache and boredom-inducing), but the fur chubbies, overly obvious 70s influence, and geometric print sweaters (similar to a terrible hand-me-down I had in 6th grade) turned me off.

Dolce & Gabbana - Sexy waists - bondage belts and exaggerated sleeves and skirts. Lace and shine and metallics, spacey sexy modern gaudy. Not bad at all.

Fendi - Lotsa fur. And leather and befeathered suits. Ehh. Not a single identifiably covetable item.

Belstaff - Stop with the Claude Montana!

Moschino - Oh just so pretty. With a side of wackiness that I never believe exists in fashion. Have you seen a more perfect sleeve?

Alessandro Dell'Acqua - Bandagey Bondage or loose and lovely. Flattering all around.

MaxMara - The proportions here seem all wrong. Too long jackets and and too blousy of a trouser, then too short jackets and too tight for trousers but too loose for leggings seem very outdated. And fringe can never be right.

Daks by Giles Deacon - The proportions here dont feel quite right either. The shoulder wraps and long skirts appear frighteningly uncomfortable (not to mention unflattering). Or maybe I dont like weird for the sake of being weird - or wackiness without a hint of humor.

Milan - Autumn/Winter 2007-8, Day 5

2007-03-03T21:48:00.000-08:00

Ferragamo - Utterly glamorous. A hint of 30s mystery, but very modern on the whole. The trenches make me un-bored of trenches, the dresses make me want to dress up, the wide leg trousers make me want a cigarette and think of YSL.

Roberto Cavalli - An Italian Michael Kors, with less talent and a lot less crush-worthy. I do have to applaud him for a collection that is 62% less gaudy than usual.

Emporio Armani - 101 photos?! Holy fuck, why cant someone edit his shows?? Some *adorable* dresses though - surprisingly edgy and witty in places (and surprisingly spring-like in others - not bad, but just seem seasonably screwy. Perhaps designing for those who will be wearing it off the runway *this* spring?).

Marni - Use of an odd plastic-y loose fabric is questionable, but the black tights, peep-toe platform sandals, belted coats, and tailored tunic pieces are definitely in.

Gucci - Dramatically sexy dresses for day and night. Very feminine. Not even remotely Tom Ford-esque, but very pretty and old Hollywood reminiscent of some of this designer's (Frida Giannini's) earlier floral accessories. A good direction, I think.

Anna Molinari - I cant say no to minis and black tights. I prefer Anna when it's all too-much. Her serious, stripped-down pieces are kind of a bore, but she does girly dressup and sequins perfectly.

Milan - Autumn/Winter 2007-8, Day 4

2007-02-26T07:52:00.000-08:00

Etro - Rather boring colors and prints. Older woman who likes to blend in.

Alberta Ferretti - Elllllegant work clothes. The day dresses are impeccable - classic but perfectly fitted. The evening - classic but with the right amount of dreamy - beaded/studded/furry/unprecious ruffling. Possibly perfect coats.

Jenny Packham - Minis and sequins and psychedelic Indian prints and thoroughly luscious satin - it would be hard not to get excited here. So much fun.

Bottega Veneta - Understated but obviously luxe work pieces and renaissance princess evening pieces.

Pollini - Rifat Ozbek - 80s Space Age. I feel like I'm viewing a Claude Montana show.

Prada - Long, lean, and loose. Loose shag carpeting sweaters, loose scrunched silk pencil skirts, double-breasted coat dresses (leather or wool). I'm not quite sure what to make of it. The standard ugly-pretty applies, and the silhouette is definitely comfortable, but polish (even a wrong sort) does not seem evident. I think this will take some getting used to.

6267 - The label everyone seems to be talking about has me thinking of Claude Montana again. This isnt a compliment. There are some winning dresses, however. I like the tailored bust looks.

Jil Sander - Austere and minimal, but with a hint of quirk (a cape here, lamé there).

Milan - Autumn/Winter 2007-8, Day 1-3

2007-02-26T07:16:00.000-08:00

Schumacher - Smart separates and dresses. Utterly wearable and put together without over-detailing or preciousness.

D&G - Micro-leopard print and slouchy tuxedos. Not the usual overtly sexual, more buttoned up 60s with bow-front high-necked blouses, Chanel-esque belted minidresses, and lotsa polkadots. Unnervingly nice.

La Perla - Adorable tiered/banded skirts and ultra-form-fitting waists. The tailored looks work a lot better than the drapey freeforms.

Giorgio Armani - Less boring than usual. Puffed skirts and sleeves still seem a little old, but the satin 30s coats are perfection. The fishnet sleeves are sexy and provide a youthfulness that is usually missing.

Just Cavalli - Too much eurotrash cheesy sexy. Like a bad D&G, but with exaggerated shoulders and a fake toughness. Plus, the world's worst mens looks.

Maurizio Pecoraro - 30s tunics, hats, hair, makeup. So chic, but classically dramatic.

Burberry Prorsum - The hardest, edgiest, military jackets. Sexxxy dresses that are borderline scary. Bondage, belts, gloves, and boots. Studded platform sandals. Definitely gorgeous, but are you tough enough to pull it off?

Pringle of Scotland - Grown-up full pleated skirts - nothing cute about them. Perfect, plus pockets! I could wear these dresses everyday.

Criticism

2007-02-22T10:40:00.000-08:00

My friends and I have been having conversations about the state of fashion. I dont know if they realize that's what we're discussing, but it's all got my brain working.

Today's New York Times Thursday Style contains a surprising amount of criticism towards the Fashion Industry. This is a too rare event in fashion coverage. It is difficult during the Fashion Weeks to find a single bit of a critique for a show. American Vogue is more apt to do so than British Vogue (particularly of British designers) and the newspapers tend to be a bit too harsh - I feel often missing the point of certain shows to showcase a sort of fantasy, not to be a look book of the new season's wares. Perhaps I'm mistaken about what most shows should be. Also, a tenured designer seems to get a pass in the face of bad design, when a lot of new designers dont even get reviewed. The internet has helped in making almost anyone with a pair of scissors (or who can hire someone with a pair of scissors) capable of staging a show and getting their photos online, but I dont really have any hard data about how that translates to success or even sales.

One article talks about the state of Italian Fashion. On one hand, it is dated and stuck only on the success of their established designers, with no interest in cultivating and supporting new talents. On the other, what is passing for fashion is often just dumbed-down overtly and overly sexy club gear. A new denim line is not the next Valentino or Miuccia Prada. I dont think such problems are limited to Italy, though. Yes, American Vogue is very much a champion of *certain* small labels, and yes a lot of effort is put into documenting a lot of shows for labels that maybe should not be staging shows. But is that really American Fashion? Is that how people are dressing? Who is influencing whom? A celebrity wearing clothes right off the runway instantly dates that designer's entire show. Who wants to buy the dress at full price that we saw on the red carpet six months ago? How does that attitude affect sales? And if it doesnt? Then *why* does that person want to own that dress? Is it because of the quality and timelessness or even the "now"-ness? Or is it just of accruing *things* and displaying wealth? There's nothing wrong with a consumer feeling either way, but it pains me to see the entire industry accepting the latter.

In my opinion, what passes for Fashion is the disposable kind found at the mall and H&M. I dont want to be a snob, because honestly I wont even pay H&M prices oftentimes, but I dont feel that is the way to build a wardrobe. [And if such an idea bores or horrifies you, then what are you doing reading this?] That seems the perfect way to just spend money. Quantity and effervesence.

Just yesterday, my friend brought up this concept. How much should be spent on a quality, lasting wardrobe? She had spent the weekend with an 80-something friend, sorting through her extensive collection of dresses from the 50s and 60s - including a Nobel Prize dinner evening gown, and was wondering how much money she had spent then and how much it translates to today. I would not even know where to begin. Money does not translate into quality. An expensive dress can still be made from cheap fabric or sewn on a machine in a factory in China. (Not to say Made in China means a lesser quality). I feel that proof of quality has to come from helping to pick the fabrics and finding someone to make your clothes by hand. This doesnt have to mean Couture. And maybe it just means having fewer clothes and more accessories. Deciding on the items that you are willing to sacrifice quality for...

I think with all good things, moderation is key. As well as the mantra "Buy the most expensive X that you can afford, just have a lot less X."

What do you think?

London - Autumn/Winter 2007-8, Day 5-6

2007-02-18T16:40:00.000-08:00

Gareth Pugh - Yikes, you can remember this fella, right? I still havent figured him out yet. I think I'm too freaked out to.

Nathan Jenden - There will certainly be no shortage of cute party dresses this fall. Cute, wearable, hardly groundbreaking, but you cant fault nice.

Giles - Ignoring the comically oversized scarves and sweaters, some of the most comfortable and dramatic and dreamy dresses around. More party invites, please.

Central Saint Martins - A lot of pictures to review here, and unfortunately I dont know the designers' names, but I love this dress (shirt?).

Jens Laugesen - Somber but beautiful - puffy skirts and sleeves and ruffled high-neck collars. Still party-ready, but more serious-minded.

Marc by Marc Jacobs - Showing in London for unknown-to-me reasons, the alpine iceskaters and bookish minis and separates are still exciting prospects.

London - Autumn/Winter 2007-8, Day 3-4

2007-02-18T16:30:00.000-08:00

Paul Smith Woman - A none too thrilling,yet entirely acceptable Great Gatsby look. Long strands of pearls, tennis cardigans, low-cut and loose dresses, menswear pinstriped suits.

Christopher Kane - I have been quite excited for this show. I'm still swooning over last season's dresses. This time, the same verve in leather and crushed velvets. I miss the neon, but welcome the metallics and am impressed by the Renaissance Fair-inspired dresses and coats. His world just looks like fun.

Sinha-Stanic - Quiet suits - all rounded shoulders and short jackets - and sexy minis. The metallics came across a little old and dated in some looks.

Marios Schwab - More quilted sleeping bags - but still in a trim silhouette. I can really get behind the quilted dresses and soft, sexy sweaters.

Roksanda Ilincic - Tulle-d ankles and collars, ruffles, and satin bows. It comes across best in minis which arent being overtaken by the details.

Preen - Oh yeah. The excitement I was hoping for at Christopher Kane. Pleats everywhere, on bodices, on shoulders. The shoulders appear to be missing bits of a suit of armor, just recreated in knits and wools. Neon that looks so cool for cool weather, and super sexy hooded sweater dresses that I guess are actually good for cool weather.

Hamish Morrow - Even more sleeping bags! I'm going to call this an under-the-radar trend. Not one that just anyone should pick up on, if perhaps you need to worry about puffy pieces making actual parts of you puffy. Laces, satins, and complicated draping and wrapping. Nicely serious, futuristic sexy.

Aquascutum - So many lovely looks. Fitted dresses, corsets, rope-accented sweaters, drum major jackets and capes, little trenches. Just lovely.

Biba - Youthful and wearable, but entirely appropriate flirty-skirted dresses, sexy trousers, and buttoned-up blouses.

Jonathan Saunders - Center of the body focus - with zippers and contrasting fabrics on slim dresses and coats. The colors are just beautiful (especially the gradations) and so very dramatic. Especially on such simple and elegant pieces. I think my London favorite, so far.

London - Autumn/Winter 2007-8, Day 1-2

2007-02-18T16:00:00.000-08:00

Ben de Lisi - Pretty metallics and laces and draped dresses, with a bit of an 80s touch.

Noir - Elegant, yes; but a little off, not in the right way.

Peter Jensen - Rather shapeless and ugh on the whole, but with some adorable plaids and suits.

Duro Olowu - The best prints - a sort of modern African look. Perfectly mismatched pieces.

Richard Nicoll - Bibbed front shirts and jackets that remind me of a modern pirate. Some fun alternatives to ruffles and minis.

Erdem - More great prints and ruffles and minis. Blousy coats. Just pretty and cool.

Todd Lynn - Fairyl ugly menswear.

New York - Autumn/Winter 2007-8, Day 8

2007-02-18T15:27:00.000-08:00

Ralph Lauren - Swingy fitted coats, funnel-necks, 40s dresses. Sedate.

Carmen Marc Valvo - Classic dresses, tailoring and pleating.

Dennis Basso - Fur and floaty, ruffly sheers and laces. Pretty and luxe.

Brian Reyes - Fairly unsexy. Fairly blah.

Donna Karan - Sexy dresses and crisp pleating and corset accents.

Daryl K - Pretty much what you'd expect. Rock girl dresses and shiny leggings.

Tommy Hilfiger - Too much mens. Ugh. Very nice primary color accents, pretty plaids. School girl jumpers and dresses.

Costello Tagliapietra - Sophisticated working girl dresses. Beautifully draped dresses and blouses.

Chado Ralph Rucci - Odd and overly fussy without being pretty clothes for old women. Bah.

New York - Autumn/Winter 2007-8, Day 7

2007-02-13T20:34:00.000-08:00

J Mendel - Obviously lots of fur, some sexy leathers, and chevron tweeds. I am in love with the 40s shoulders and thick satin waistbands and belts.

Badgley Mischka - Elegant suits, funnel necked jackets, rich strapless shifts. Beautiful and luxurious collection.

VPL - I guess an artistic take on modern military/guerilla gear.

Phi - Quilted satin jackets, cool belted minis.

Neil Barrett - Nice suits. Ok.

Malo - Wacky chunky sweaters with lots of fur and feather accents. Sexy menswear pinstripes.

Vera Wang - I've never seen her looking so young or so unprecious. Still rich, but a little of the wrongness and freedom of expression that I like and find much sexier. Pretty much gorgeously cool.

Y & Kei - Fitted strapless dresses in jewel-tone silks or grey wools, the perfect baby doll hip-length jacket, and silk applique details. Nice.

Myself - A mix of 60s tailored shifts and wrong feather and fur jackets and dresses.

Calvin Klein - The most elegantly tailored dresses I've ever seen. Just perfect.

Tory Burch - I cant help but like such wearable, pretty, tailored, almost vintage looking dresses and coats. Just a classic look.

Cynthia Rowley - Pretty party looks, in the most intense colors and intensely decorated and fabrics.

Zac Posen - Pretty ruffles and origami and smocking - perfect dresses.

New York - Autumn/Winter 2007-8, Day 6

2007-02-10T20:38:00.000-08:00

Peter Som - Easy dressing. Pretty dresses, cool trousers.

Michael Kors - Jet set best. Always the yummiest sweaters.

Richard Chai - Double-breasted (but floaty) jackets, ruffly dresses. Pretty, but sometimes a little awkward (again with the patchworking!).

Carlos Miele - Growing a little bored of the drapey satin 70s dresses. Not bad, just bah.

TSE - The best are the high waisted skirts and the softest-looking knits.

Zero Maria Cornejo - Wacky, avant garde knits. Very cozy Fall gear, actually.

Malandrino - A little modified mod. The colors and buttons and sweaters are nice, as are the slinky dance dresses. I really liked this collection.

Proenza Schouler - More origami pleating on pretty cool girl dresses, slouchy suits, and statement coats. Pretty solid.

Diesel - Lotsa leath-ah. And high waists. Yikes.

Vivienne Tam - Beautiful pieces that sometimes feel old, but are essentially exquisite. The fabrics and details are just beautiful.

Anna Sui - Classic hippy Anna dresses. Funky prints, some a little too old for me.

Michon Schur - Ethereal 40s-tinged dresses, sometimes surprisingly sexy and sometimes very boring.

Y3 - Loooooong. With wayyyyyyy to much Mens (they have their own Fashion Week!). Lotsa sweater layers and legwarmers.

New York - Autumn/Winter 2007-8, Day 5

2007-02-10T11:31:00.000-08:00

Monique Lhuilier - Just plain gorgeous. Severe and sexy and metallic. Disco without a hint of vintage. The ruffles (!) and draping, just perfectly done. I am loving the hair and makeup too.

Bill Blass - Technicolor coats and dresses. Beautifully fitted, grownup clothes. *Perfect* hair and makeup.

Chaiken - Cozy jerseys, sharp dresses and trousers.

Derek Lam - Uncharacteristically dull. Weird patchworking. Mismatched draped fabrics.

Behnaz Sarafpour - I think her strengths lie in skirts and blouses. Her dresses are a bit too shapeless here.

Rodarte - Very pretty details, but as a whole look it's overdone and bordering on ugly. Ugly, but made from the prettiest pieces. Too too too much. The simple things are almost perfect though.

Narciso Rodriguez - The impact of his minimalism is so much greater after the sensory-overload of the Rodarte show. Just pretty and 100% wearable straight off the runway.

Temperley - Story-book heroine dressing, with adorable dresses, ruffles, and lace appliques. Gorgeous.

Betsey Johnson - Of course, fun dresses. I have to love any show that features aprons, even in jest. Perfect party wear.

Doo Ri - S-E-X-Y. A little Tom Ford Gucci. Best example of layering and draping done right.

Philosophy - Weird prints and lace overlays. The dresses and coats are standouts though.

Jason Wu - Pretty pretty dresses. A nice mix of off-colors and metallics. Stiff, formal fabrics, but the pieces seem so easy.

Heatherette - I'll let this photo explain this show and let you ponder where their funding comes from.

New York - Autumn/Winter 2007-8, Day 4

2007-02-10T10:31:00.000-08:00

Peter Soronen - The classiest sort of Audrey sexy.

Carolina Herrera - A little too muddled. Clashing bits of not very appealing fabrics. Herds of fur. Some pretty dresses, but too much of the other.

Isaac Mizrahi - Dramatic necklines, cozy jerseys, and stiff proper crinolines. Nice. Though very Spring?

Jill Stuart - Sailor pants and double breasted jackets (seeing a lot of). 60s shifts (a lot of these too). Nice blues with black.

Staerk - A mix of drapey 70s chic and polished tailoring. Nice but hohum.

Thakoon - Oh those fabrics - the blue and black again. - love. A slouchy sort of put-together. Not messy or boho, just easy and nicely made.

Adam & Eve - 60s shifts and peacoat suit jackets. More Sophia looks.

Marchesa - What we'll undoubtedly grow tired of on the red carpet. Not sure the poufy bust lines will work. Seems a little over-done. Not a fan.

Chris Benz - A quad-breasted jacket? Diaper pants? The colors are nice. Very much for the scarf-wearing passionates.

Jovovich Hawk - Old Hollywood (movies, not red-carpet). Difficult to get a good look at the pieces I really wanted to see though.

Oscar de la Renta - Lady-luxe and ski bunny femme fatales. I want to wear that midnight velvet gown all winter.

Marc Jacobs - It feels like a fashion show from "Funny Face". Some truly hideous prints and sweaters. The work suits and dresses are a little too Margot Kidder too, but the minis are adorable. The show seems so serious, but the clothes are difficult to take seriously.

Jeremy Laing - Interesting folding and pleating. Nice shapes.

Reem Acra - Seems old. And I'm not referring to all the flapper influence. Just for a much older woman. Or someone with zero interest in sex-appeal - unless you count the bared breasts at the end.

Luca Luca - Techno ski-bunny. Skinny and tapered trousers - please dont fall for this! The dresses are a much better choice.

Max Azria Collection - Heavy. The fabrics, the colors, the references. Everything is heavy-handed and not very appealing. If you're hoping to look like a roll of carpet in the Fall, I've got the label for you. I do like this one dress though.

New York - Autumn/Winter 2007-8, Day 3

2007-02-10T08:36:00.000-08:00

Lela Rose - Boxy but sometimes sweet dresses and blouse/skirt combos.

Reyes - More uniform dressing, but this time with a utilitarian/military (current! not antique!) details. Less sweet, less my style.

DKNY - I wouldnt consider myself a Donna Karan fan, but she always seems to whip up exactly what I want to wear. I guess she's got the understanding and experience of making clothes that actually sell. The color scheme is nothing short of gorgeous - all charcoals and purples - and the tweed dresses and suits are so covetable.

Naum - The avant dresses and coats are impressive, but the rest was too Flashdance-ian.

United Bamboo - Proper pieces with paper-folding-technique tailoring.

Sari Gueron - Loose drapings, easy-to-wear Winter office gear. Very Sophia Coppola.

Luella - I think she's pushing us to fox-hunting or into forming a band. She's always so very cool. Stuffy suit jackets and coats, with wacky twists seem to be another theme for Fall.

Philip Lim - A little frumpy and bland, with some nice jackets and skirts mixed in.

Tracy Reese - Metallics, tans, dusty pinks, and black. Super smart dresses that rank with the sophistication and prettiness of Chanel to me.

Erin Fetherston - Pretty, dreamy dresses and ruffles! Love that dove grey, with a little shimmer.

Diane von Furstenberg - A harder, more cerebrally sexy look than we're used to from DVF. I'm not sure I'm won over.

Issa - Modern woodland prints on simple dresses make for a nice theme. Something is a bit dungeons and dragons here that I cant place, but I do like.

Naeem Khan - Romantically regal. Sophisticated and sexy. Exactly the gala wear you'd want in this weather.

Tuleh - The sexiest trousers I've seen. That's quite a lot of fur though.

Matthew Williamson - A little too heavy on the 70s Mrs Roper. Fun injections for the Winter, if you're the brave sort.

New York - Autumn/Winter 2007-8, Day 2

2007-02-08T11:58:00.000-08:00

Do you know the perfect antidote for winter? Morrissey's "My Love Life".

You will instantly be transported to a convertible, driving around on a perfect LA day. I promise.

(a missed one from the first day)
Douglas Hannant - Sexy sweet dresses, a more wearable futuristic bent. I'm becoming a real fan of these cobwebby laces. Ruffled hems and edges seem to be an emerging trend in NY. Feminine but not sugary. So much good stuff here!

Lacoste - They're trying to sell you denim suspendered walking shorts, but dont fall for it! Go for the mismatched layers instead. Dorky Librarian is always head and shoulders above Dorky Mom from 1984.

Karen Walker - Dorky belted everything and 70s Secretary tweed suits, but her trenches and dresses are fun and modern.

Ruffian - Inspired uniform dressing - with bits of satin and pleather and ruffles. Simple without ever being boring or classic and personality without being obnoxious. Would be perfect in almost any workplace.

Toni Maticevski - So many looks and lacking a clear theme, but some really fun individual pieces. The day looks were a tad Circus Emcee, but the evening looks were either sleek (sexy columns), girly/sexy (short, stiff organza), or cozy (sleeping bag ballgowns) - look much better than they sound!

Alexander Wang - If I concentrate really hard, I can half-manage to forget the Caroline Brady Rap gold-studded baseball cap. I'm not sure it it's worth the effort though. More suspendered shorts (I'm not falling for it, I'm telling you for the last time!) and skirts...nothing that excited me.

Threeasfour - They're staying true to the ugly appliques, but I do like the shredded ruffled one-shoulder gowns.

Bruce - Fairly bland, with a few winning office looks. I think I'd just give up if this is all Fall had to offer.

Alice Roi - Loose, untailored pants and skirts, with sweet jackets and sweater dresses (god, I need a sweater dress now).

Alexandre Herchcovitch - Lots of coat dresses, either trench-inspired or free-form (sometimes to the extreme free of a Hefty bag). I'll ignore the Heftys, as this coat and these boots are too beautiful to pass-over.

Abaete - 60s Bond Girl, flirty flounces and rusching. The best minis so far.

Sass & Bide - Lots of gold and black. I like the silhouettes, but the actual clothes dont inspire me much.

New York - Autumn/Winter 2007-8, Day 1

2007-02-08T10:56:00.000-08:00

There are funny things going on this Fashion Week, have you noticed? It seems that every half-assed celebrity gossip site is now updating us on the daily fashion news. I think this has something to do with fashion shows as another papparazzi moment and the feeling with certain designers that the celeb contingent is maybe more important than the people who actually *buy* their clothing or who have an actual understanding of style and fashion (I wont even mention the fact that more than a few seem only concerned with the celeb side and none at all with the actual business of making clothes. Ahem, BabyPhat. Ahem, Heatherette).

Ok, down with the (severely delayed! sorry!) business:
Yigal Azrouel - Loose, sedate layers that would be very much at home on a Williamsburg girl or an Olsen Twin. Feminine, not necessarily messy, but not a girl that needs to look sexy or put-together to be cool. The almost vintage looking jackets and dresses are my favorites.

Rag and Bone - Sexy menswear, with some boxy 60s bits. All in beautiful suiting. The trousers look so comfortable and so flattering.

BCBG Max Azria - Moderately fitted pillowcase dresses that unfortunately fall a little too far into the Solid Gold Dancer Realm or perhaps a particularly low-budget episode of Dr Who. An attempt at making simple dresses interesting that feels a little ridiculous, if you ask me.

Nicole Miller - Peruvian officewear, which feels a little early 80s Ralph Lauren to me. I much preferred the evening looks, with truly new-looking prints.

Couture - Spring/Summer 2007, cont.

2007-01-25T14:59:00.000-08:00

Christian Lacroix - OHHH RUFFLES! Whimsical skirts and technicolor prints and shredded lace flowers, life would be so much happier if we could wear this every day. I cant pick a favorite. The polka-dots are perfect, the gowns are divine. Just have a look for yourself.

Givenchy - Kind of a downer and hard to get past the gigantically ridiculous hats, but there are some attic-finds and surprisingly sophisticated gowns.

Jean Paul Gaultier - Like all the Madonna con Bambinos in Italy, but a bit more fashionable and fitted. Simple gorgeous. From the simplest dresses to the most stunning gowns - and the most heavenly headgear.

Armani - Perfect for the upper-class, 55-year-old, Dynasty afficianado. Gems to be found, of course, but his overly-long shows always bore the bejeezus out of me.

Couture - Spring/Summer 2007

2007-01-23T11:59:00.000-08:00

Anne Valerie Hash - Puffed long sleeved blouses with neck bows and mini pleated cheerleader skirts are fun and playful, but I'm a little confused with the Grand Ole Opry jackets and cheesy space-age gear. Particularly the back of the jacket in this photo:

Chanel - Black tights. Coat dresses. Long ribbon skirts. And some feathery confections stolen from an MGM Musical. Part severe in structured/tailored dresses and jacket, part dream in feathers and shreds. Lovely.

Christian Dior - Ahh, the dreamer is back. Painted fabrics and faces so extraordinary and extravagant that I'm having a hard time picking my jaw off my keyboard. Kimono jackets, but so very Western. Origami decorations. Electric color combinations - very Lacroix. I am fairly certain that I have never seen clothes so elegant, so beautiful, so extravagant, so perfectly Couture - such individual works of art. You have to look at every single photo, I cant post them all. If you have the means, how can you not afford to order it all??

Elie Saab - Perfectly lovely dresses that will look great on Beyonce, but I never see much difference from season to season or RTW to Couture.

Valentino - Always beautiful and feminine. This season, a 60s kitten. Soft and lacey and pretty and sometimes half a step to the right of 70s sex siren.

Paris - Spring/Summer 2007 - Selections from days 7 and 8

2006-10-27T17:20:00.000-07:00

Chloe - The Vogue reviewer really ripped this collection apart, but I see quite a few things that I like. The label is awaiting a new designer, so this collection is just a holdover from Fall. Knowing that, and knowing what sells, yes- there's nothing new, but I feel like the same can be said about many other collections all with a celebrity designer.

Martin Grant - Elegant and sporty. Sort of ageless. I really love piping and the heather knits look oh so comfortable. I want to look like this all Spring:

Hermès - A little Paradise Island...but the plaids, leathers (obvs), and leopard prints are nice. The non-leather fabrics appear as light as a scarf. Just easy, but not very exciting.

John Galliano - Very unshowy again, but with slightly garish (in a good way) liquid jerseys, some high-impact painted metallic skirts, and then with some horrifyingly gimmicky evening gowns.

Elie Saab - Gold lamé is a little overwhelming and garish (in a bad way), but the gold satin coat is gorgeous. Unfortunately, it's mainly lamé everywhere else...

Antonio Berardi - Sexy sexy sexy.

Louis Vuitton - Cozy jackets, cute blouses and dresses with lots of flounces and flowers, with a bit of the British (and sometimes MilkMaid) eccentric. And hello, how gorgeous does Marc Jacobs look??

Lanvin - Shiny YSL-style uniforms - a futuristic touch. Sophisticated draping for surprisingly comfortable evening dresses.

Miu Miu - On paper, it all sounds wrong: stiff satin tunics, high waisted pants, tiny rounded collars, tribal print dresses. But they are surprisingly sophisticated and surprisingly unlike most anything this season. Simple designs, but high drama colors.

And that's the end!

Paris - Spring/Summer 2007 - Selections from days 5 and 6

2006-10-17T18:29:00.000-07:00

Stella McCartney - More of the sackdress phenomenon, but these are cuter than most. The rompers are a bit awkward though.

Emanuel Ungaro - Definitely love or hate, but I like the wacky Moschino-like print pairings (or late 90s Versus, if you will) and the Dynasty-esque jackets and minis. The expensive divorcee version of this whole 80s thing.

Celine - Trenches. Sheerness.

Yves Saint Laurent - The runway! Field of flowers! Gingham! Fishnets! Ruffles! Sorta-frumpy jumpsuits...the skirts and jackets were nice though.

Chanel - Pleats! Black and White! Classic plaid tweeds remade into a sexy farmgirl buttondown. I'm going to ignore the seriously wtf men's looks.

Sonia Rykiel - Cozy chunky clean white sweater dresses and cardigans, decorated with big knit flowers and smiling models. Weird handy-craft ruffles and wooly mammoth coats.

Christian LaCroix - Very serious dressing, even though moments were quite wacky. There just doesnt seem to be any actual humor behind it.

Alexander McQueen - Drama! Corsets, laces (though one freeeeeaky see-thru belled catsuit), razor-sharp tailoring, bubbles and poufs and tulles, and some over-sized hips.

Paris - Spring/Summer 2007 - Selections from days 3 and 4

2006-10-10T16:05:00.000-07:00

Balenciaga - Robotic body consciousness with an 80s Tron slant.

Vivienne Westwood - Lazered lace and hems, ties and wraps and corsets, and plenty of graffiti.

Jean Paul Gaultier - Who knew 30 years? Key looks from the past, acid colored babydolls, some funny "nude" dresses.

Dior - If I can manage to tune out the horrendous hair, I find myself...bored. The suit-of-armor detailing on frumpy suits is I guess interesting. The dresses at the end managed to be pretty, though far less structured than what we're accustomed to finding with Galliano.

Sophia Kokosalaki - Soft and pretty and innocent. Loose pleats and drapes that look so flattering and comfortable.

Akris - More softly pretty. Very unstatement-y, but rather just beautiful and flattering clothes. With pockets!

Valentino - And the prettiest and ruffliest of all! Delicate laces, lingerie slips, layers and layers of tulle. I also liked the rolled hem suits and jackets.

Hussein Chalayan - Just magical.

Paris - Spring/Summer 2007 - Selections from days 1 and 2

2006-10-10T14:38:00.000-07:00

Wunderkind - His simple menswear pieces were elegant and look as comfortable as a pair of pajamas. The girl frills and stripes are nice when he keeps them simple. The floral suits? Horrid.

Balmain - Futuristic grecian bubble minis. Pretty, soft.

Junya Watanabe - Ruffly shirts, dramatic tailcoats, straight leg cropped trousers. I really like the pieced-together long skirts best though.

Viktor & Rolf - I love love love their sense of humor. Vogue chided them for their committment to silver stars, yet I dont remember a problem with Miuccia Prada's use of them last Spring. I adored the stars and the trompe l'oiel ombre tuxedo. I can even get behind the silk fringe. But maybe not the nude sparkly shirts.

Milan - Spring/Summer 2007, the rest

2006-10-03T06:32:00.000-07:00

Emilio Pucci - A more water-colored, muted version of the classic prints. A less day-glo palette, but still psychedelic - just milder. Thick satin rolled cuffs on pants and shorts, 70s beach chic silk jersey dresses - good for after-swim, and plastic geometric dresses that sometimes act as an overlay.

Dolce & Gabbana - It's not up on American Vogue and the pages are broken on British Vogue...I'll check back.

Fendi - Silver, black, and white. Short dresses and jackets. The chunky sweaters are gorgeous - I particularly like the knitted chain hems. Some bubble hems and thick statement belts.

Blumarine - Fussy, girly, extravagant, pretty, but with some hard-edged sexy glamour that keeps it from all being precious. Like a tougher Chanel girl.

DSquared² - A Michael Kors-y American JetSet. Silk jersey slink, tight denim, big hair, man's shirting and tie prints.

Gianfranco Ferré - Sexy overall minis, blousy jackets, cropped jackets, kimono jackets...pajama-y trousers and the sexiest laces. Sexy sexy sexy.

Roberto Cavalli - A little YSL, a little Chanel, La Croix, Gucci...of course the collection is nice when you steal from the already successful.

October Vogue

2006-09-28T20:05:00.000-07:00

Can we discuss for a moment the Sandra Bullock cover? Given, she looks nothing short of stunning, but Sandra Bullock? I am actually a secret fan of "Practical Magic" (I even love Miss "Jillybean" Nicole Kidman in it. This is admitting a lot.)

Milan - Spring/Summer 2007, day 3

2006-09-28T19:21:00.000-07:00

Alessandro Dell'Acqua - Super cool hard-edged feathers, if that's possible. Sequined mini-dresses with bubble sleeves. Weak, unconfidant animal prints.

Alberta Ferretti - Slinky, pretty, silky, frilly. Tight bow belts. Womanly and elegant.

Anna Molinari - My favorite proportion of skinny pants is ankle length. I love the leopard print shrug - even though it's probably the least flattering thing I could ever try. Love it, except for those runaway ruffled shoulders.

Gucci - The Vogue reviewer didnt much like the collection, but I think they're being a little hard on Miss Not Tom Ford. I think the collection was fun, a wacky take on folk, and full of personality without sex-appeal-overkill and disco and ladylike. All of those things can be nice, it's just we've seen them on every runway, good and bad. This Gucci collection is a little off and not perfect, but it's different and brave and will be fun to recognize on the street. Plus, I have a pair of pants almost identical to these.

Milan - Spring/Summer 2007, day 2

2006-09-27T19:14:00.000-07:00

6267 - Slinky silk pajamas. A little bit unstructured for me.

Bottega Veneta - Crisp dresses, fitted bodices, ruffled and rushed sleeves. Princess gowns with nary a bit of lace or color or sparkle. Subtle.

Etro - Slightly obnoxious prints and some seemingly ill-fitting pants, though some pretty paisley dresses and jackets. A 60s vibe and black tights.

La Perla - Elegant 60s, a la Catherine Deneuve. The first dress is just plain gorgeous. Most of the rest of the dresses are gorgeous too, but when they branch out of lace and dresses not so much.

Marni - Never been a huge fan and this season did no converting. Sloppy designs with too much pillowcasing and drab olives and umm leggings with sport stripes?

Moschino - Sparkles and petticoats and 50s cocktail and holy terrible tanning! Wacky long sleevess tossed of short-sleeve shoulders. Cute and costumey - just how I like things.

Pollini - African and Island prints on 60s shifts and 3/4-sleeve jackets, with huge shell buttons.

Prada - Ultra mini shirt-dresses and 40s style mid-calf dresses. Blousy-bubbly bodices and shoulders and sleeves. Pleated hot pants? I dont fully get it or even like it, but we all know that wont matter eventually.

Milan - Spring/Summer 2007

2006-09-26T19:39:00.000-07:00

Belstaff - Deconstructed motorcycle jackets and thongs? Hmm.

Burberry - Some trenches, some other trenches, and then some trenches. But really, I am a fan of those bell sleeves. Oh and also some fairly unflattering and unexciting dresses.

Ferragamo - Easy pretty springy dresses and full pleated skirts. And dear god the shoes.

Giorgio Armani - I have issues with Armani. His shows tend to be a 100 photos long, incredibly bland, and seemingly the same each season. Variations on a suit and a hat. His couture is another story. But this is not his couture show. Here are suit jackets and here are fedoras and here are some retardedly binding scarf/wraps/somethings over some suit jackets. Here are silk pajama pants. And here is one gorgeous gown.

Maurizio Pecoraro - A little Marc, a little Prada. Certainly not bad, just too familiar. Maybe he's more affordable.

Pringle - Pufffed sleeves and pillowcase dresses. Easy and pretty, but a little too Kirsten Dunst-y.

London - Spring/Summer 2007

2006-09-20T18:07:00.000-07:00

Danielle Scutt - Single boobed dresses and bathing suits, high hair, and sneering red lips. Punk so-cal.

Noir - Dangerous Sandy-at-the-end-of-"Grease" leggings (or are they super-skinny trousers?). Very tough and hard.

Peter Jensen - The prepster who gets things a little wrong and trashy. I really just like the backdrop on the runway.

Biba - Love the shoes and I have a secret obsession with knickers. Especially blouson-y ones like these. In 2nd grade, I had some blouson-y blue corduroy ones. Sigh.

I think we've discussed my jumpsuit love too.

Slickly vintage.

Gareth Pugh - I will have nightmares over these characters, I'm sure. Seriously cool clothing.

Paul Smith - American sportswear with an English eccentricity. Classic Paul Smith colors, but few prints. I'm dreaming about the shoes.

Preen - Dresses with exaggerated hips and shoulders are probably a bad idea, but the jumpers have the right mix of sexy and sharp and nerdy.

Jonathan Saunders - Sophisticated styles, quirky Prada minimalist prints and color pairings.

Basso & Brooke - Psychedelic flapper dresses, skin-tight gold lamé trouser/leggings.

Aquascutum - Trenches, ho hum, but I'm in love with this print:

Christopher Kane - My first thought was electric neon Hervé Leger derivative. But I pushed through and I am finding myself strangely in love. The dresses look sexy and easy and pretty and fun. The colors, the laces, the chains. This is the first show that really has me excited and dreaming.

Giles - Smart little dresses, some big puffy skirts, sick black bell bottoms. Sort of anti-what-is-expected-for-this-season, but on the whole, totally likeable and wearable. Especially the giant chain prints.

Hamish Morrow - Sharp, futuristic without being minimalist.

New York - Spring/Summer 2007, part 4

2006-09-19T19:19:00.000-07:00

Nathan Jenden - Stiff, girly, crisp bedding.

Oscar de la Renta - 60s Liz Taylor, dramatic colors and florals. Gorgeous lace, precious suits, jaw-dropping formals. As per usual.

Rodarte - Someone went mad in a fabric store...I'm not a fan of most of this - it's all a little much and a little trying too hard to be the American Viktor and Rolf, but it's the first collection in quite a few that hasnt bored me to tears with the predictable prettiness or the predictable godawfulness or the predictable "why the hell did this collection need a runway show?"

Ruffian - Love the organdy ruffles and crisp satins. Very vampy angelic.

Three As Four - The least concept-y show I've seen of them. Spacy, floaty, amorphous shapes and prints. Everything looks comfortable and mesmerizing. I'm actually most moved by the bathing suits. A beautifully dreamy collection.

Tuleh - Beautiful girls and dresses. Sharp suits. Ladylike. I'm glad they stayed true to their aesthetic. Borderline older divorcee, though.

Vera Wang - No one is ever going to admit this, but this is a frumpy, overdone, mess of a show. Trying so, so hard to be edgy - like her new perfume bottle and ad campaign. Yikes.

Y & Kei - Ultra pretty and polished. A little overdone, but springy and wedding cakey in a fun and funny way. Actually, I would have guessed this to be Vera Wang...

Zac Posen - My first thought was "Yves Saint Laurent". This is sexy and tailored and disco and confident.

New York - Spring/Summer 2007, part 3

2006-09-17T15:28:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the delay - hectic week. I'm behind and the number of covered NY shows borders on the ridiculous. Therefore, my comments will be reserved for the shows that produce strong reactions (good or bad)...which goes against a lot of my beliefs, but at the same time, I think a lot of designers spend money on shows that would be better off spending the money on...

Anna Sui- I'm in a footwear state of mind, and ohhhh the Pirate boots and ripped fishnets. Anna Sui's dresses are, as per usual, fantastic and on-the-surface girly and sweet (oh but tulle petticoats!), and the shoes are tough and easy and sexy and rough.

Behnaz Sarfpour- How we all would like to dress, when we're in a classy girly mood. Very rich-girled-down versions of fashion-forward, but as with Oscar and Carolina, it's hard to criticize perfectly pretty and elegant and respectable (not sexy).

Bland, boring, dated, or old. I'm not getting excited. These sheer and simple straples dresses are quite appealing, though the remainder of their designers' collections are not too exciting.
Chaiken:

Derek Lam (pretty good collection actually):

Jason Wu (pretty party dresses):

Marchesa (pretty party dresses to be worn by Miramax actresses):

Michon Schur:

Monique Lhuillier:

Is it just me or are we seeing a lot of late 90s Helmut Lang?

Doo Ri- Futuristic, comfort, pretty girl uniforms. Skinny knit pants (almost leggings, but sexier and more now), loose but sophisticated blouses, sexy dresses.

L.A.M.B.- I'm really itching for leopard print and I can always feel wide-leg trousers. The dresses look easy and dressy and only minorly obnoxious (unlike some of the casual stuff...eep).

Lela Rose- More pillowcases, but pretty pretty.

In how many shows have we seen this exact coat though? I didnt like it the first time.

Marc by Marc Jacobs- Those sandals! Those 60s pillowcases! They come across as more vintage and casual here. It looks wearable and easy though the danger of frumpiness is extremely high (though I do think it's on purpose here).

Marc Jacobs- 30s glamour mixed with 30s safari/flight/desert-gear. Often in old-lady sparkles. And more 90s Helmut Lang?!??!??

Matthew Williamson- Classic Matthew dresses in loud, colorful prints. This season the prints look so fresh and appealing. I'm even digging those loud leggings. I'll ignore the insanely ugly sweaters.

Are you disappointed yet?

New York - Spring/Summer 2007, part 2

2006-09-11T14:44:00.000-07:00

Carolina Herrera - Gooooorgeous fabrics (particularly the acid pink toiles), elegant lines, belted and fitted - but not too tight or short or spindly. Extremely work-place wearable and just plain pretty.

Jenni Kayne - It's hard to get past the eye makeup and heavy tans and the sheer dress with bear fur patches (???) and the vision-impairing hats, but the majority of the looks are easy and post-beachy.

Jill Stuart - Lace pillowcases. Fairytale princesses underpinnings. They're not bad, just a little repetitive and not really flattering on most.

Does this really count as design?:

Josh Goot - Slinky silver and white pieces tied with obi-belts. Crowd-pleasing trenches, springy blues and yellows and greens. Pretty and easy. Maybe just bras next time, k?

Jovovich Hawk - Quirky, frilly, girly, cool. A little too layered and sheer. Old fashioned lace and vintage in-a-good-way, but very very simple.

New York - Spring/Summer 2007

2006-09-11T14:12:00.000-07:00

Alexandre Herchcovitch - An unsurprising combination of super skinny legs and pillowcase torsos. The skinny legs come in the form of super tight knee high boots or super skinny pants. The surprising parts are the unappealing primary-colored-and-too-busy prints and LaToya Jackson-worthy captains' hats (IN THE SAME PRINTS).

As horrible as it seems, I'm oddly attracted to the skinny overalls. Then again, I have a secret passion for skin-tight jumpsuits.

Alice Roi - Butter yellow, black, khaki, and cream separates, a little Prada nerd-chic, and a little disco slink. Skinny highwaisted leggings or saggy wide-legged trousers, platform black ankle boots. Basically, what we were expecting to see, just in a simple and pretty manner and not too uglied up.

Costello Tagliapietra - Everything belted! Wearable dresses that are loose fitting and textured to provide ample camouflage. Perhaps a bit too vintage looking in an 80s-not-good-way.

Diane von Furstenberg - Easy and sexy as always. She can do the pillowcase proportions, but somehow pull off sex appeal too. Dramatic and happiness-bringing color combinations and prints. I love that pink. 60s prints, grecian gowns, 80s hard-edged glamour, bubble skirts, 50s beach picnic dresses. Love it.

August Harper's Bazaar

2006-07-17T05:01:00.000-07:00

If you're not a subscriber consider yourself lucky, as this is what tumbled out of my mailbox on Friday[image from PITNB]:

Yipes.

Update!
I forgot to mention, in the accompanying interview, some choice quotes:
"I go to [her baby's] closet and just bleach everything."

"Preston's just like a rocker kid...Hopefully next year we'll have a fashion show, maybe at Disney World or something like that. We'll have them onstage, and they'll have mini guitars. Everyone needs a mini guitar."

Holy Christ, the mental images. What is she bleaching? Will the line include acid washed jeans? Mini guitars. Babies with mini guitars. I'm willing to bet there will be some backwards denim baseball caps in that show.

Autumn/Winter 2006 Couture, part 2

2006-07-09T07:17:00.000-07:00

Christian Lacroix - The new, fuller silhouette, electric tights, ribbons and sequins. Beyond elegant with sumptuous fabrics and furs - as classic as Chanel, as vintage feminine as Anna Molinari, and ballgowns like extravagant nightgowns.

Elie Saab - The usual: elegant, sheer, body conscious, pretty. Perhaps just a tad more intricate in the detailing than Ready to Wear. The beaded lace (or beading that appears to be lace) is quite lovely.

Eric Tibush - Smiling models can be freaky. A 20s-30s look with feathers and furs and wasp waists. I cant decide if it's the model or the dresses that have a bit of a tough muscle vibe.

Galliano - Ok. Hrmm. I dont get it. We know that Galliano knows what Couture is, so what the hell is this? I feel like I'm looking at a Heatherette collection. Someone explain, please.

Givenchy - Models with facial hair are scary. Elaborately sleeved jackets (I know that sounds odd, but have a look), exotic skins, shaved furs, serious glamour hidden behind the serious religious?/tribal?/weird? looks.

Jean Paul Gaultier - Luxe and playful (sometimes sexy!), wacky but classic. Gorgeous cuts and opulent details. Looooove.

Valentino - Sophisticated glamour with a dash of Dynasty edge and wit. Just beautiful.

Autumn/Winter 2006 Couture

2006-07-06T17:02:00.000-07:00

Anne Valerie Hash- Frilly french maid skirts and hot-pants length bloomers give this collection a Spring feel.

Ruffles, bibs, girly suspenders, bubbled and banded skirts (how to describe??)

I feel like this is a really great collection, but for Spring. I'm trying to be more open-minded for Couture. I was just rereading an old article with Alber Elbaz discussing the original intent of Couture. I think of it as opulent and decadent, but really it was intended as a luxury of individuality. The runway should give a direction and idea for the wearer, but over the course of her fittings, the look is modified and tailored exactly to her own taste and body.

Armani Prive- Zigzag 40s glamour.

Exotic skins and feather details are not my cup of tea, but it adds to the richness. Elegant, a little old-fashioned, but I guess that's what you'd invest tens of thousands of dollars in though, no?

Chanel- Ladylike tweed suits with oversized buttons worn over skinny, skinny jeans and denim boots and denim fingerless gloves. Forgive me, while I like the aesthetic, the actual items are rather cheesy. And a bit too reminiscent of Mr Lagerfeld's look. I think I can safely declare that not many women are angling to look like him. The dresses are rather sweet on their own, however. The beading and bows and embroidery are simply breathtaking (when one ignores those damn boots).

Christian Dior- Definitely fantastical. Definitely surreal. Definitely reminiscent of Viktor & Rolf.

A little late 90s Kate Moss bleached punk hair and heavy black eyemask makeup. If we force ourselves to think of this as merely the dream before the clothes...I just wonder what the ordered pieces will look like.

What would you like to see here?

2006-06-19T18:54:00.000-07:00

I'm having difficulty deciding what to write about during non-fashion weeks...Let's brainstorm.

April W - For the Kate spread alone

2006-05-09T18:00:00.000-07:00

We have to take a moment of silence to mourn W's decade-long streak of disappointing me by putting low-rent tabloid fodder on its cover. Jessica Simpson.

Ads:
The ubiquitous Ralph Lauren ads are working on me. I'm positively drooling over the Ricky bag. It's $3000+ price tag (for calf!, not croc!), not so much.
St John - are those scars on Angelina Jolie's arms? cutting?
Prada - oh how i love knee socks and sandals! justified!
Coach - as much as I hate Coach (a bad experience), they have some of the most unfailingly appealing ads. These black and white - I just want to be this girl.

News:
McQueen has a new diffusion line, McQ. Priced 40% below the signature line.
A little late, but just a name to remember: Frida Giannini is the sole designer of Gucci now - formerly the accessories designer.
Paper Denim & Cloth has lowered their prices from $150-240 to $100-160.

Layouts:
Performance - Photographed by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott - Kate Moss in a blonde wig, heavy liquid black liner, and a pink pout. An absolutely gorgeous Marilyn Monroe. I'm ripping out every single photo (30 pages!). If you missed this issue, this layout is worth hunting down. Particularly the yellow-toned sleepy shot (how wonderful is flickr??).

Les Demoiselles de la Nuit - Photographed by Juergen Teller - A 26 page supersizing of the Marc Jacobs ads that have been forced upon us for the last few years. The heavily medicated random shots in luxury hotel/apartments (i cant tell) in 1984. Overly bright, small photos centered on a white page. Lots of red-eye and sprawled women. I'm sort of over this aesthetic, though the girl in the closet photo is sufficiently creepy enough to rip out.

May W - a little delayed

2006-05-08T16:59:00.000-07:00

I am sometimes overwhelmed by my subscriptions and find myself a few months later ripping out articles and layouts. My hope is to create a regular posting of those of note in order to keep on top of the talk.

W - (the Lindsay Lohan - Meryl Streep cover)
Ads:
I'm getting tired of the Louis Vuitton ads - even with Giselle, it seems like the same look for seasons. The denim is hot though.
Naomi Watts in David Yurman - Can she close her mouth? She's so very pretty, but also a little generic. I had to think about it for a minute before I could place her.
Tiffany: Gehry Collection - Pretty wood/resin pieces.
Nars - I love this makeup brand so much - particularly FunnyFace lipstick and the disco pencils - but the ads are beyond boring. A sullen model - never a favorite - with very natural makeup without airbrushing (I can see the hairs above her lips)

News:
LL Cool J has a women's clothing line called Todd Smith. Not urban - very 7th Avenue. We'll have to keep an eye on this.
Converse and John Varvatos are teaming up for a clothing line. Casual contemporary sports-inspired apparel. Apparently theyve been doing Chuck Taylor designs for a while now.

Fall-Winter 2006: (to keep you excited in the interim)
Poetic, dark, sober, crusades, gothic. Prada - aggressive knitted knights' caps, furs, and bustiers. Christian Dior - goth warrior, big belts (though not the Heavyweight champions of past seasons). Gaultier - wild and ghostly. Dolce and Gabbana - Napoleonic embroidery and faux military. Alexander McQueen - fitted suits, edwardian collars, accessorized with feathered hats. Chanel- ghostly white lace with long black lace gloves, black hair ribbons and high collars. All. Very. Belgian.

Runway Makeup and Hair: (if you have, say, a Sephora gift certificate burning a hole in your pocket)
Bright rose blush - seen at DVF, McQueen
Crimson lips - Lancome Behnaz (available in the Fall), Red Stiletto - seen at Behnaz, Tuleh, MaxMara
Brown eyeshadow - Chanel Cinnamon (available in August) - seen at Temperley, Marni, Chanel
Dark nail polish (not Vamp, like Boot Black) - Wet n Wild Caribbean Frost - seen at Monique Lhuillier, Alice Roi, Versace

Layouts: (the real delight)
Cornwall - photographed by David Sims - Pagan rituals and altar still lifes, windblown hair, cresting waves over craggy rocks, black and grey wool dresses and sweaters, velvet trimmings, and touches of laces and corsetry. I'll rip out the nature photos, but I'm not crazy for the models or the styling.
Morph - photographed by Inez van Lansweerde and Vinoodh Matadin - layers and layers of pants and thigh high boots and leggings and dresses. And mulitple bobbed wigs. Very anti-pretty and very wrong. I will rip out the photos with tulle skirts and skintight leather boots. Again, not crazy for the styling.

Interviews:
Matthew Barney
Lindsay Lohan + Meryl Streep

To Start

2006-04-21T13:43:00.000-07:00

"I write entirely to find out what I'm thinking, what I'm looking at, what I see and what it means. What I want and what I fear. " -Joan Didion

Assorted

2006-04-18T15:19:00.000-07:00

I guess the article really shook me to my core, as today I am sure to be fired over wardrobe choices. I'm wearing nude fishnets, 40s-style t-straps, a (fake) Burberry plaid tulip skirt and fitted black mock turtleneck, with a vintage 40s white full slip on top, and a black grosgrain ribbon in my hair. I'm only cursing myself for never having acquired a black snood.

I dont think I slept a minute last night with non-stop dreaming and a neighbor's dog barking most of the early morning. I dreamt that my mom and I went to a tanning salon where I had a screaming match with one of the workers. Later, a group of us evaluated my parents' home (the one I grew up in) for places where a robber might enter, then went to a Wizards game with a friend and her uncle. I know you are freaking about the tanning salon bit, but rest-assured that it was for the application of a spray-on tan. No tanning beds allowed, even in dreams.

Do you still apply wallpapers to your desktop? If so, I'm fond of the monthly calendars at French Vogue. You have to be careful though, as some months are not so work-appropriate.

Here's an interesting article on a team of photographers tasked with shooting the Karl Lagerfeld runway show and creating a dvd of promotional materials within 90 minutes to distribute to the editors and reporters in the audience.

Blood Boiling

2006-04-17T15:23:00.000-07:00

Argh. This post about fashion in DC has me on fire. I have so much to say, but history tells me that when I post on such sites I only make myself angrier. So I will tell it to you instead.

First of all, people complaining about fashion are always ridiculous because I'm fairly certain that they would not be considered fashion-forward (or even "current") in any city they chose to live. Second, an abundance of stores does not create fashionable people. Third, fashion can be expensive, but style is not related to price. Fourth, style is completely relative to time of day, location, etc. Stylish in the office could mean a sharp suit with a scandalous sheer blouse hidden underneath. Sylish at the gym could be a futuristic silver sports bra and a tennis skirt. If you have a job in an accounting firm, when you dress for work, you will never be as stylish as the girl heading to work at Commander Salamander. There's nothing to lament, because at 5pm you can pretend that you work at Commander Salamander. Occasionally, dressing shocking or fashionable gets boring, so it can be a nice change to completely WASP yourself up in a polo and loafers. Be sure to order a wine spritzer in that. I think being fashionable means keeping yourself out of a rut (though I could also argue in favor of the the chicness of a uniform), occasionally taking risks and looking ridiculous, but it's only fashion.

Paris - Autumn/Winter 2006-2007, OK - this really is it!

2006-03-07T15:24:00.000-08:00

Lanvin-
We're not seeing all the tricks on display - fronts dont match backs, but I'm loving the simplicity of the dresses and the silliness of these gorgeous boots, that are a bit trompe l'oiel ankle strap heels:

I like the puffy but still streamlined jackets and little jewel-tone and tulle dresses, ok I like everything.

Louis Vuitton-
Slouchy everything. Leather, trousers, sweaters, hats. I'm not sure if I can condone hot pink velvet trousers. Cuddly sweater dresses, blousy suit jackets make Fall seem a relaxing dream. I'm never fur crazy, but those little puffball skirts look heavenly. Nothing incredibly covetable, but a nice mood to create on our own.

Miu Miu-
Short skirts, knickers, bare shoulders, red lips. A sort of innocent-sexy. Always a bit 60s and Mediterranean.

Valentino-
Almost scary levels of sophistication and confidence. White shirts, black bow ties, flawless gloves and structured handbags. This is for the well-groomed girl for whom cheesy can not even be found in her vocabulary. Full skirts, ribbons everywhere, virtually flawless.

Paris - Autumn/Winter 2006-2007, I think this is it!

2006-03-06T15:26:00.000-08:00

Akris-
Dark colors, funnel necks, deep v-necks, puffy sleeves: austere, yet dramatic. A sort of unromantic renaissance look.

Alexander McQueen-
Eccentric Edwardian British Birdwatcher Murderess. All feathers and ruffles and tweed (and plaid!) (and lace!). A little spooky and a little magical - goes nicely with my Edward Gorey planner.

And how cool is a hologram-Kate appearance???

Antonio Berardi-
Again with the austerity! Sharp, buttoned-up-sexy suits and coats. And nurse hats. Ok.

Chanel-
The uszh Chanel suit, with mini skirt and thigh-high boots this time. Great, but I could go the whole rest of my life without seeing a man wear one. Especially with the ruffle shirt. Ick. Big belts, brooches, Edwardian collars, plaid, blah blah blah. I did like the ribbon-corseted dresses and jackets and the stained-glass-looking beading and the black hair ribbons.

Chloe-
Borderline-boring, but Chloe always manages to make things look cool (and, in this case, seriously comfy). Loose jumpers that I know I've seen on 'Eight is Enough', mixed with modern baby dolls and pin-tucked and belted work clothes. Missing the usual flash and must-have-or-die piece.

Christian LaCroix-
The black and red cuts and 80s style harsh glamour, on this side of edgy rather than Dynasty though. Strapless paisleys and little mini-dresses bring on a chic-er and less-done 60s vibe.

Comme des Garcons-
More freaky headcoverings! Over-sized coats, ruffles, men's trousers, simple white oxfords (shirts and shoes, actually). I adore this sweater (but draw the line at wool panties):

Ok, I've discovered an issue on the Brogue site- they've mixed the show with the Kenzo show. I think the sweater is Kenzo. The runway changes after page 2 on Comme and also, I was certain the designer is Japanese.

Elie Saab-
Still pretty, but as per everything else this season, more sedate. Beautiful black and white laces, sometimes with burgundy and gold accents.

Giambattista Valli-
New Look dresses and coats look right out of Hitchcock. Dresses swirled across the body - sometimes demure and sometimes disco - and more feathers (evidence, the runway)!

Hermes-
An evermore modern take on the sexy equestrian. Supple leather dresses, cut-up Fair Isle sweaters, asian silk jodhpurs, fur capelets, and a riding crop or two.

John Galliano-
American history as told through hats and washed out Americana. There's some Quaker buttoned-up, some Johnny Reb tatters, denim of course, prairie skirts, and even some Native American blanket prints, and a carpetbagger-turned-dress or two, but I cant say that I'm too excited.

Junya Watanabe-
More scary headcovers!!! Aaaak! Paratrooper-punk-chic, with totally covetable jackets and fishtail skirts.

Kenzo-
Oh wow. Most of the season's key elements, with a needlepoint/grandmother vibe.

Is this virtually the same sweater as above by Comme des Garcons??

I like this one better, though:

Ok, I've discovered an issue on the Brogue site- they've mixed the two shows. I think the sweater is Kenzo. The runway changes after page 2 on Comme and also, I was certain the designer is Japanese.

Martin Grant-
Sexy sexy severe. I would almost guess them to be Gucci.

Martin Margiela-
A lot of satin and rollergirl and explain the netting and furniture tags?

Nina Ricci-
Mix of hard(er) and soft - tulle and corduroy. Making his pretty perfect girl a little more reckless. More knickers (yay!).

Sonia Rykiel-
Decadent knitwear, rosette dresses, the most beautiful hair on the runways, more sexy cobweb laces, black and neutrals have never looked so un-boring.

Paris - Autumn/Winter 2006-2007, cont cont cont

2006-03-02T15:27:00.000-08:00

Every year, as Fashion Weeks grow to a close, I become thoroughly exhausted by fashion. It's a shame, too, because the best shows are to be found in Paris. I'll try to keep the enthusiasm going!

Andrew Gn-
Vintage luxe. Lace, beading, and fur seem straight out of the Hitchcock costume department, but are added to intrinsically modern and pretty pieces. All about the details, but not in a precious way. This is a girl who is definitely sophisticated, but just maybe a low-pro-ho.

Celine-
Pure luxe gorgeousness. Hard sexy Galliano-esque lace-up boots, with croc coats and fur sweaters. The shapes are structured and fitted, but with some soft and sexy chiffons and delicate spiderweb sweaters thrown in.

Dries Van Noten-
The best part is the gold leaf runway. The clothes are a little old and baggy and bland.

Emanuel Ungaro-
Sculpted and drapey, sexy and chic.

Givenchy-
You had me at nerdy glasses (on Naomi Campbell!) and red lace. Very French and womanly.

Hussein Chalayan-
Surprisingly sensible coats and suits. Perhaps borderline bland.

Paco Rabanne-
Sexy futuristic edgy. Perhaps a little overdone.

Rochas-
Fantastic cuffed trousers (knee or normal length) and spooky cobwebbed lace and chiffon gowns. Romantic and sensible. Chimney sweep colors and eyeliner and ladder straps and headbands.

Sophia Kokosalaki-
Pretty dresses with her signature draping (nice gold shoes too). Make a note for chiffon blouses and lace-up boots.

Stella McCartney-
A few comfortable looking sweaters and dresses, but I get the sense the inspiration was a more-structured muumuu. Uncharacteristically unsexy and unwitty, particularly when pressed on the most unflattering jeans I've ever seen:

And that's on Daria! Picture those on the average model-skinny woman with six-figure clothing allowance! Shudder!

Veronique Branquinho-
Sombre dresses, concepty suits. Yawn-inducing up until the knit corsets and lace detailing. Have I mentioned lace? Definitely add lace to your list too. I think she could have done a better job with fitting.

Yves Saint Laurent-
Hard-edged career-women or conservative dominatrices (what is the plural of dominatrix?). Girlish and glittery tunics over cropped skinny pants and sheer harem pants help the collection to seem softer and less clichèd. Beautiful blouses and bows and rosette capes help us remember how wonderful YSL is.

Paris - Autumn/Winter 2006-2007, cont. cont.

2006-03-01T15:28:00.000-08:00

Balenciaga-
More equestrian looks and of course more plaid. Full blousy coats with gently pleated mini mini mini skirts and the requisite black tights and/or cropped skinny trousers. So incredibly cute and exactly what I want at the moment.

Christian Dior-
Wow. I'm thoroughly unimpressed. It's possible that the black background and mirrored runway is making it hard for me to see detail, but I'm not bowled over by anything here. The jackets are so-so, the belts with oversized buckles are ick, the silk Axl bandannas we're just not even going to discuss. This doesnt look modern to me, it just looks boring. The color scheme seems to be a carryover from the Couture show, but the excitement certainly didnt come over too. I'm actually pretty close to hating the whole show.

Costume National-
Comfortable basics, nothing too statementy, but everything looking dead right. Remember to stock up on black tights, christ.

Jean Paul Gaultier-
Tim Burton Gothic. Fitted - sometimes corseted - trenches, heavy lace and chiffon dresses, sometimes very crazy old lady (but not in the way that i'm usu fond of).

Here's why we dont like our models to smile on the runway:

Yikes.

Vivienne Westwood-
Tattered layers, psychedelic and African and proper English tweeds, 80s and Edwardian, and a dash of Paradise Island. No one else could make sense of such hodge podge, but it works here. I'm crying for the lone model wearing a bag on her head. Whose idea you think that was?? Was it some sort of model hazing??

Paris - Autumn/Winter 2006-2007, cont.

2006-02-28T15:29:00.000-08:00

Undercover-
The scariest models in history, but also some really great jackets. I'm on the fence about the charmed dresses though.

Viktor & Rolf-
I looooove these guys. There shows are always so theme-oriented, with crazy bits, but always completely wearable forward-thinking clothes. It's never about sex - which, let's be honest, can get a little boring and clichéd - only about style. Circle skirts (with lots of crinolines, i assume), trenches, belted sleeves (hard to explain), perfect black dresses...

Paris - Autumn/Winter 2006-2007

2006-02-27T15:30:00.000-08:00

Rick Owens-
Never a fan, but this time, I'm attracted to the animal-pelt-cum-jacket. I guess it's more of a bib and not really animal pelt, but the Mad Max quality has me imagining the couturier using a sharpened rock to chisel out these beautiful pieces. I am also cuckoo for the biker boots. No surprise.

Yohji Yamamoto-
Holy. The show that never ends. Loooooooooots of boring double-breasted trenches, oversized, forever, in black. I'm not alone in the boredom: WP blog. The first two pages are marginally cool though.

Milan - Autumn/Winter 2006-2007, this time with more feeling

2006-02-27T14:36:00.000-08:00

DSquared-
Horsey high-society. Instead of jet-setting, these girls ride their Range Rovers out to the country house. Denim knickers, layered and fitted jackets and vests, regal dresses and sweaters. Like a richer Ralph Lauren.

Menichetti-
Almost too simple and staid, but with a few standout dresses and suits.

Missoni-
Ugh. The color scheme and florals are so unappealing to me. Nothing too thrilling or even flattering, for instance:

Whyyy???? This is by far one of the ugliest and most disappointing shows of the season. If you're not very innovative, just stick with pretty!

Roberto Cavalli-
Big furs, rich fabrics, flapper dresses mixed with 70s sharp sexiness. Never a fan, but some things no one could turn down.

Some truly hideous atrocities committed against leopard print and sequined dragons and more than a few ill-fitting unflattering bits. Again, stick with what you know when youre not that talented! Just stick with straight up Russian/Italian/Euro-trash Sexy! Forget fraud, he should be jailed for this:

Versace-
Donatella's been toning down the cheese (and coke) for a few seasons now, and this foray into 70s space-age (is that a style? it's like 60s graphic and space-age, but with a lot more sex appeal) is getting me excited. Hyper-modern sexy dresses, draped and swathed across the body only add to the case that Versace is relevant. This, of course, leaves me totally confused.

Milan - Autumn/Winter 2006-2007, cont cont

2006-02-23T15:37:00.000-08:00

Emporio Armani-
Pretty textured suits - either with ruffles, pleats, or alternating fabric stripes. Very formal, but confidently sexy.

Gucci-
Disco, jet-set, a little sleazy. In case you were wondering, now's the time for perfect legs. All about draping and leanness.

Jenny Packham-
Grown-up and vampy glamour gowns, with a slight dusty vintage edge to them.

Jil Sander-
Yawn. Dont waste your time.

Marni-
Similarly tunic-styled dresses, jackets, and blouses; wide-legged trousers; boxy cropped jackets with 3/4 length sleeves. A very proper collection with enough "off"-ness to make it totally wearable and covetable.

Philosophy-
Prim dresses and coats, with the occasional nip of a waist or flash of skin. I'm thinking you cant go wrong with little 60s/70s hostess dresses (well, would that ever be wrong?).

Pollini-Rifat Ozbek-
You cant say you feel a 60s vibe here, these are full-on vintage dresses. That said, I love them and I love the prints and matching boots.

Prada-
Structured pieces, but not too formal. More naturally pretty than previous collections, but also a bit tougher. These cool girls know what's going on, and they definitely know it more than you.

Salvatore Ferragamo-
Love the brown tights, blue shoes, green gloves. So unexpected in color, but classic and cool in shape.

Milan - Autumn/Winter 2006-2007, cont.

2006-02-23T14:39:00.000-08:00

Alberta Ferretti-
Modernized and shiny-fied hostess dresses. Dramatic styles that look effortless to wear. Dresses dresses dresses. Do you feel compelled yet? I'm in love with those webbed tights too.

Blumarine-
The coolest Italian snowbunnies, who have no intention of touching snow (you really cant in silk brocade with fur trim or in a strapless dress with a cardigan). Maybe the perfect things to wear to get out of the back of a Towncar, with a driver holding an umbrella.

Etro-
I'm not really feeling the boxy coats and jackets - we've seen it better on other runways. These just seem sort of middle-aged JC Penneys (no offense to JCP). The dresses are nice, on the whole, but the prints seem a little dated and faded. I think I'm looking for more richness - a little more of this:

Milan - Autumn/Winter 2006-2007

2006-02-22T15:40:00.000-08:00

Bottega Veneta-
Pretty wool suits and dresses. More than anything, I'd sell you out for one of their handbags.

D&G-
Loooove the snow on the runway. Dorky/wacky snowbunny gear, but wearable sweaters and dresses. Very cozy. I'm going to draw a line a cable-knit panties though.

Pucci-
Adorable dresses, dorky-cute bows.

Armani-
Vampy skirts, cancan ruffles, surprisingly interesting and sexy.

London - Autumn/Winter 2006-2007 cont.

2006-02-20T15:42:00.000-08:00

Ashish-
Cute skirts with rather shapeless blouses and jackets. Not so flattering.

Boyd-
Pretty coats and dresses. I definitely want to fulfill my dress search this year - no luck last year.

Katarzyna Szczotarska-
I'm all for the looser silhouette, but I dont know if I can get behind potato sacks.

Tata-Naka-
I'm a sucker for trompe l'oeil, but a lot of this is a little too Minnie Mouse Dynasty.

I'm just not that excited by London.

New York - Autumn/Winter 2006-2007 cont. x5

2006-02-13T15:43:00.000-08:00

So apparently I'm now covering Ugly Day on the Runways. Today's photos are a sampling of the hideous things I'm seeing - except for the Boudicca, Matthew Williamsons, Strenesse (mostly), and - gasp - Sweetface.

Boudicca-
Deconstructed tuxedos. Shirts and jackets and trousers-cum-gauchos. It actually works. Harsh and edgy in black and white and multiple textures and layers.

Catherine Malandrino-
Quilted jackets and 60s space age, folk, and obnoxious prints, but not in an obvious copy or reintroduction. Subtle influence on fluid and fairly unstructured pieces. And Mary J Blige. Huh?

Donna Karan-
Some very old-lady-looking suits and some sheerness that we will not speak of because then we will cry. Just take one quick look and scroll down. Cliched kimono jackets...frankly, this all just seems very dated and ugly.
ICK:

Lagerfeld Gallery-
I have never understood how this label can be soooo wrong and Chanel can be so right. I guess he is just trying to keep them separate, but poor LG ends up with all the bad ideas. Feather cuffs?? Grey puckered bits of fabrics randomly affixed to black sweaters?? Dual satin fanny packs worn under the boob??
Exhibit 121 of Bad Bad Bad Clothing Ideas:

Matthew Williamson-
1972 Jetset Hostess Wear. I like the collars and 3-button belts of the jackets (especially when you later see them filtered into a sweater and a blouse), the ugly color combinations that just seem right, sailor pants (though a tad long and billowy), the nickel-sized silver and gold sequins, the sash belts - all smart ideas that can be pretty safely incorporated into our wardrobes. I feel like his garishness has grown up a bit, which is a nice change and separates him from a lot of what younger designers are attempting. Or maybe it's just a better balance of the ugly and pretty, the garish and the classic.

Nathan Jenden-
Sexy power suits but with big weird bows, awkwardly slashed blouses, and the puffy short sleeve. Oh, and some of the worst models I've seen. I'm feeling not very generous today. While some of this is definitely unusual, it also doesnt seem very inspired or even attractive.
Worst Model/Outfit/Hairstyle in History:

Ralph Rucci Chado-
Would you say leather pants and floor length fur is too much? I am never impressed by his designs, but now I see that his boring plain stuff is better because at least you dont dry heave on sight. Seriously old-lady. Even the furs are ugly. And his prints are actually making me nauseous.

Strenesse-
Simple but pretty basics. Pencil skirts with satin slips peeking out and wide collared coats. Things got a little ugly at the end, with a not very appealing floral print and acidy sheer dresses, but nice work clothes otherwise. The show could have been a lot shorter if you cut out the skirt/trousers and turtleneck monotony, but this is probably how we'll be dressing come Fall.

Sweetface-
Without the retarded spectacle of a $1million but still very ghetto show, JLo's label seems surprisingly sweet. Hooded sweaters, belted everything are flattering and wearable. Surprisingly demure sexiness makes me forget that I just said that I liked JLo's clothes.
I want to wear this outfit every single day:

Fashion Critic

2006-02-12T15:43:00.000-08:00

I would never claim to be a critic. I have never been to design school, I cant recognize fabrics on sight, I dont get most references (although, to be fair, the references are often given in pre and post show interviews with designers and in show notes, which I have no access to), so it's hard for me to make intelligent and insightful comments on the shows. I like to think that I'm giving useful information to you guys, so you can decide which shows to look at fully or skip completely or what things to look for on your next shopping spree.

There's an interesting article in today's NYT by Cathy Horyn - a critic I enjoy reading because she seems to give pretty level coverage while maintaining a foot on the side of realism. Most magazines no longer give any negative critique of shows, I guess in fear of endangering million dollar ad sales, so reading honest praise and criticism is rare and very educational. The article makes me realize that I need to concentrate on seeing a show as a whole - recognizing the themes and seeing general flaws and directions, rather than focusing on individual pieces. I tend to fast forward over boring looks and shows, and I'm missing key elements and directions by doing so.

Not that any of this matters! I cant help but feel like this is my job, even though I know most of you have grown to hate fashion weeks! But, like my boxes of magazine tearouts, maybe one day they will be of use to me. In what way, I have no idea at the moment.

New York - Autumn/Winter 2006-2007 cont. x4

2006-02-10T15:45:00.000-08:00

Calvin Klein-
Plain ole same ole, but with lace and sheer and fur in place of the standard knits.

Derek Lam-
Chains, modest ruffling, one-shouldered no-shouldered and strapless gowns without even the hint of cliched disco. So classy but so bold.

JMendel-
Luxe. Classic. A little boring. Surprisingly pretty cocktail dresses and gowns and non-roll-of-carpet furs.

Phi-
Quirky prints, sharp tailoring. Anna Sui-ish dresses. I like it. They seem like things my mom would make me (a good thing).

Proenza Schouler-
A tad more sedate than usual. A boxier, less fitted cut. I'm really digging this print too:

And these totally surprising sequins:

Temperley-
Oooooh the dresses! And prints! A little 80s, a little 60s, all totally fierce.

Vera Wang-
Surprisingly somber suits and dresses. Maybe she's trying to dress us for all the important events of our lives? Bridesmaid, wedding, funeral? Still very beautiful and posh and appear extremely well-made.

Wunderkind-
Seriously cool. Sharp suits, modern animal prints, futuristic-folk dresses. I like it.

Zac Posen-
Skinny pants! Mini skirts! All manners of skirts, actually!

Zero-
Nice prints, but a little Padme's Street Clothes.

New York - Autumn/Winter 2006-2007 cont. cont. cont.

2006-02-09T15:45:00.000-08:00

Anna Sui-
Always just Anna. A little western, a little Native American, a little 60s. Lots of cute dresses.

Brian Reyes-
More pretty socialite wear - this time with sheer blouses! Not boring, just pretty - deserving of a show, I think.

Daryl K-
Repetitive. Shapeless dresses and tunics...not feeling the color palette.

Michael Kors-
More plaid (see??), skinny pants, layers and layers of clothes, sweater dresses, big belts - All the big trends for Fall but with Kors's signature jetset twist. All are suitable for boarding your private jet. And can I even express how much I'm loving the argyle knee socks?

Peter Som-
Bubbly hems and sleeves, skinny pants, . To me it seems a confident YSL. Very nice.

Richard Chai-
Have I mentioned the gloves? I dont think you'll see many girls with them on, but they are def the accessory of choice. Oh and either funnel-necked or high-collared jackets.

Rodarte-
Ho hum. Feathers.

Trovata-
Very Marc Jacobsy. Swedish Ski Lodge wear. Quirky trousers and skirts and jackets. Love it.

Y3-
Please. No more panchos. Please Please Please. Yohji, you of all people.

New York - Autumn/Winter 2006-2007 cont. cont.

2006-02-08T15:46:00.000-08:00

Behnaz Sarafpour-
Tight, crisp, cool. More plaids, red lips, never overtly sexy. Just cool.

Bill Blass-
Sexy but girly, with that 70s silky vibe. Smart suits, big belts, pencil skirts, opulent coats - with and without fur.

Chaiken-
Classics with an edge, but a boring show. How many black suits and black dresses do you need to show?

Costello Tagliapietra-
People are saying exciting, I'm saying yawn.

Luca Luca-
Pretty in that Vera Wang, Behnaz, Carolina way, which is never bad but never daring. Totally wearable and covetable.

Marc by Marc Jacobs-
Longer and leaner than the MJ show, but still ragamuffin/grungy with a lot of denim. I like the boxy jackets and skinny layering.

Monique Lhuillier-
Elegant and pretty, but not super-simple. Some flash and poshness, but always expensive and pretty.

Narciso Rodriguez-
Pretty but a little repetitive. And not too thrilling regardless.

Thakoon-
Adorably playful, wearable, quirky but not outlandish, a touch of Paris without the pretension. These would definitely be a reason to get out of bed. [you didnt know that, did you? i've given away too much. the only thing that gets me up in the morning is the challenge of getting dressed and picking out a lipstick (which will promptly disappear 1/3 of the way through my morning camomile and I will forget to reapply).]

New York - Autumn/Winter 2006-2007 cont.

2006-02-06T15:47:00.000-08:00

Sass & Bide-
Sort of a 35 year old cool girl. Not terrible, but very low-key with hints of personality - a little girlishnessness, a little buttoned-up businesswoman, a little reformed punk.

Carolina Herrera-
Ladylike, as always, but not that Hepburn/JackieO look. Modern, rich, classic. The prints and those blue ribbons are gorgeous.

Marc Jacobs-
I'm thinking plaids are the key prints for Fall. Everywhere. Here we have a vagabond version of the ladylike looks from Doo.Ri. Very modest, with little figure-displaying let alone skin-revealing. Boxy jackets, followed by loose and flowing jackets and wraps. I'm not too keen on any specific look, but it's growing on me for the last few seasons (he's definitely been pushing away from the tailored and baring). I do welcome the idea of dressing without care of perfection or matching or prepackaged "looks". It's an individual style, which can never be wrong.

Max Azria Collection-
The hair, the knee socks, the glasses, the dress. Cool girl. Totally basic and wearable, but just a little off - which is perfect. Looove the black patent boots too.

Oscar de la Renta-
It seems that the 70s YSL Russian look is back too. Those sleeves - what are they called? - and luscious sweaters and a really great shearling jacket are totally on my wish list. As usual, his clothes are an absolute dream and he's one of the few designers that I think one could acceptably wear for her entire life. He's neither young nor old nor classic nor trendy. He's just exquisitely right.

TSE-
You might want to add a sweater dress to your shopping list. I'm seeing it everywhere too. And look how easy and chic it can be:

Y&Kei-
Very nice dresses and suits in jolie-laide lamés and metallic threaded fabric. I imagine that if IOC had any talent, they would like their clothes to look like these. Modern/space-age disco.

fyi- I prefer British Vogue's coverage, but American Vogue uses the same pictures but labels each photo with the model's name. So you might want to check it out as well. They also often cover different shows.

New York - Autumn/Winter 2006-2007

2006-02-06T14:48:00.000-08:00

I dont think it will be possible for me to devote much time to the shows this season. Here are some of my favorite looks.

Alexandre Herchcovitch -

I've never been one to say no to black boots, but I'm thinking I cant say no to pirate boots again. Looove. I'm liking the accessories more than the clothes here. The dresses are filmy and pretty, but they are also a bit of potato-sac-y. And the florals are my most-despised Grandma-friendly. Laura Ashley Gypsy is not on my list of Fall identities to recreate.

Badgley Mischka-
Dramatic midnight blues and burgundies with gold detailing. From boys who only know pretty, this is some heavy Opium-era YSL. I love the bordello wallpaper prints and rich-gypsy styling.

Diane von Furstenberg-
Polished I Love Lucy, but a bit more English countryside. Exaggerated plaids and herringbones, mismatched and overdone. So wearable and so office-perfect.

DKNY-
I guess I like the clothes (those I can make out), but just not very exciting...Simple dresses with quirky details, an occasional shock of color. Black tights and boots - probably how we'll all actually end up looking next season.

Doo Ri-
From the first photo, I'm in love. Wide leg men's trousers, blouson tailored jackets and blouses, gloves (or the skinny forearms that give the illusion of gloves).

I love the juxtaposition of formal suit fabrics draped and cuved as if they were knit.

Jenni Kayne-
Some great jackets, but mainly seriously boring cropped pants and tanks. Very ho-hum and not-needing of a runway show.

Kenneth Cole -
Tippi Hedren suits are never wrong, but havent we seen enough? I do like the dove grey and the somewhat-modern collars, but wearable and pretty, but not necess inspiring.

The body-hugging jersey dresses are nice and a tad bit surprising, but not really "new" - just new for him.

Lacoste-
Loooove the colors, sweaters, stripes, and shorts. Not ground-breaking, by any means, but fun. Despise the puffy boots, however.

Lela Rose-
Beauuuuuutiful dresses. Sixties JackieO, but brought up to date with more sexiness. A prettier Prada. Soon to be seen on every Nicole Richie and Lohan in hollywood.

Luella-
Lucy Ricardo filtered through 1982. Punk-influenced prom dresses. And the Ultimate in Skinny Pants. I have looooved her last two seasons, so maybe I should hop over to Target to check out her new line there.

Ruffian-
Nothing particularly bad, but that 70s style loose that is rather boring and lazy too me. Too much satin and too much fabric. Some nice disco office gear though.

Sari Gueron-
Simple and cool. Not terribly thrilling, but it all looks very comfortable and polished. And this looks like the world's most comfortable sweater:

Tuleh-
Glamour 50s girls. Hitchock heroines. Of course it's pretty, of course it's covetable, but is it new?
This sweater/wrap looks nice:

i want i want i want

2006-01-27T15:49:00.000-08:00

I've become unhealthily obsessed with these:

I *need* them, dont you understand??? Fortunately, Marc will never understand and would never allow me to spend $645 on shoes.

I will also consider these:

For a mere nine hundred and seventy five dollars.

Paris Couture Spring-Summer 2006, cont.

2006-01-26T15:52:00.000-08:00

Elie Saab - As usual, unfailing prettiness and dramatic entrance-making dresses. An absolute dream of confections and clouds, with just the right amount of disco thrown in to sex it up.

Givenchy - It is hard to make out the details, but there's something futuristic and clean about these nerdy/sexy, ugly/pretty clothes.

Later in the show, things get a little Miss Havisham...decaying luxury...and then a bit of a new bordello. I like both in a haunted sort of way. But I really just love this ruby skirt.

A really cool, spooky museum show.

Jean Paul Gaultier - I actually cant say that I understand the show or the theme. I get the hair and the cigarettes in cigarette holders, but I'm really not sure how it all ties together. The Grecian-holiday/Jackie O is definitely there, and I like it. There's also a bit of Genie and some truly hideous suits. I like quite a bit of it though.

Paris Couture Spring-Summer 2006

2006-01-25T15:53:00.000-08:00

Anne Valerie Hash - Spooky gothic ghosts and modified hunting suits. Strangely sexy but frumpy. The random closing gown is a stunner though:

Armani Prive - Suits. Some stylish, some stylish for old ladies, some bland. Some gorgeous dresses made from either tight or frilly fabric bandages.

Some seriously 80s rhinestone numbers that are only saved by being strapless. The reviews call it "perfectly Armani". I think that's code for "boring" and "sells well for the 60+ demo". Not that there's anything wrong with that. To be fair, that's probably the demo of couture anyway.

Chanel - Oooooh. Gorgeous suits. Cropped jackets with 3/4-length sleeves in white. Exaggerated hip demure skirts. Flat heeled boots. Girlish, but with romantic lace blouses underneath. My favorites are the dresses though.

And the negligee-jackets.

Alternately simple and over-the-top, I cant decide which is more modern or more beautiful...

Christian Dior - Bloody, scary, Marie Antoinette-y. In other words, brilliant and so at-odds than the Pretty-Pretty we're so used to. It very much reminds me of JPG, though.

Just far too short!

Christian LaCroix - Impossibly elegant and fun.

Prints and colors and textures that in any other hand would be wrong.

I'm dying of happiness in all this lace and tulle.

I need to just paste in the whole show here.

Revillon - Dour greys and blacks with fur trimmings from this fur house. Did they not realize it's the Spring-Summer collection?

No, not edgy. Oh righ, I forgot. The current designer is Mr Bland Bland Bland Boring Rick Owens.

Valentino - Vampy, but demure - perfect for a woman of a certain age. I hate the muted/dated florals though.

French Kate

2006-01-11T15:14:00.000-08:00

I finally have the issue in my freezing cold hands. Curse my inferior French-translation skills! There are so. many. Kate articles in here too. More than anything, though, the photos are *amazing*. I will try to get around to scanning the whole damn thing for you to peruse. A gorgeous black and white layout - where the covers came from, a fantastic snapshot of her sticking her head through the sun roof as she drives by the Grand Canyon post-rehab, two separate retrospectives of her career, and papparazzi photos comparing her style as inspiration for individual designers. The depressing part is that her role in the issue would have been much larger had she not been forced to rehab after the scandal.

Elles ont le goût incroyable!

The Cherry-YUM-DIDDLY Dip segment of my Lik-m-aid FunDip exploded and it is taking every last shred of willpower to not lick my desk and my Snoopy lunchbag.

Can You Understand the British Vogue Thing Now?

2005-11-23T15:54:00.000-08:00

Oooooh. British Vogue has put up an archive of their past covers (though not complete - I mean, there's not even a 1996). Much better covers than our US ones, though I would say that Harper's Bazaar is always satisfying (if not a little tedious, at least for the subscriber version. It irritates me that I always like the newsstand version so much better).

This is my all-time favorite. I have it filed away in the attic. The gold stars clinched it for me.

An incredible Kate:

Oh my god. They let you search for covers by model. I've officially lost the next 4 hours of my life.

Another from my files:

I dont like poor Kylie's face on the cover, but the art direction and concept are great. Why wouldnt you buy this issue?

Can you imagine a fashion magazine doing a cover like this today?

I bought this issue on my last day in New York (2nd time). I was carrying two bunches of flowers from my birthday - daffodils (from my mom) and some pink tulips (from Maria) that matched this cover perfectly.

There have been some missteps. For instance, I almost didnt buy this issue because the cover sickened me.

They used this typesetting on an issue a few years ago. I like when they play with the logo font.

Oh, and the $15 issue:

I think it was worth it.

Paris - SPRING/SUMMER 2006 - Valentino to YSL

2005-11-01T15:56:00.000-08:00

I cant get Gwen's "Harajuku Girls" out of my head while viewing these...

Valentino - I'm quite the fan of ankle-length pants (though mainly because my clothes are fairly ill-fitting) and with girlish blouses and flats, I cant think of an easier Spring work wardrobe. Along with the usual full circle skirts and a mini-er version of the boxing champion belts. The florals bored me a bit, but the black and white gowns are gorge.

Veronique Branquinho - I love the nighttime landscape prints and the cool-girl understated chic. And black leather fingerless gloves. Oooooh.

Viktor & Rolf - Ha! The inverse of each of the evening looks is almost as fantastic as the correct one. Disco-fabulous with slinky satins and over-the-top ruffles. I'm wondering now why I've always found side-ponytails so disdainful.

Vivienne Westwood - Does rag-tag late 70s punk styling ever get old? Not really. Especially mixed with some bright colors and mesh fabrics.

Yohji Yamamoto - Totally digging the way-too-cool trouser suits, partic in camo. Ooooh and some more Mos Eisley gear. Perfect for Ep3 viewing tonight!

YSL Rive Gauche - Ruffles! Gorgeous suits, hints of safari and Spain - utterly YSL, just toned down and slightly unsexed.

Paris - SPRING/SUMMER 2006 - Nicolas Andreas Taralis to Undercover

2005-10-28T15:57:00.000-07:00

Nicolas Andreas Taralis - Disco-sexy. If you miss Tom Ford - or actually Daryl K, this is a good name to know.

Nina Ricci - Super pretty cool girl - I'm thinking the new Marc Jacobs. I like the vague Swiss Miss vibe too.

Paco Rabanne - Futuristic ladies who lunch. Love the colors and sleekness. Sleek without that cold, edgy, sexy. That's a good thing sometimes.

This is the coolest coat in history:

Rick Owens - This gives me the creeps a little bit. I just keep thinking about the serial killer in "Silence of the Lambs" and making clothes out of skin. Ick. Severe to the point of freaky.

Rochas - Angelic matrons with a spanish vibe.

Sonia Rykiel - Quirky french girls. With incredible shoes.

Sophia Kokosalaki - More cool french girls. The technique here is so eye-catching - esp with the matching twisted fabric shoes.

Stella McCartney - The classic Stella girl. Sexy rompers and strapless dresses.

Tsumori Chisato - Pucci-esque prints, vibrant colors, cute styles.

Undercover - Spooky. Deconstructed. Done before. Except not the futuristic nun part.

Paris - SPRING/SUMMER 2006 - Hussein Chalayan to Martin Margiela

2005-10-24T15:58:00.000-07:00

I couldnt find, pay, or threaten a single person into eating lunch with me yesterday, so - completely out of character - I went to Fuddrucker's alone (save for the November Allure). It was actually quite heavenly. I DONT NEED YOU GUYS! HMPH.

I love Allure for its die-hard love of hair and makeup, but also for their How-To section. This month has "How to Look Like a Million Bucks" written by Michael Kors. I loooove him. He would make the best best friend ever. "Disregard the Weather - Strappy sandals in winter, sunglasses on a cloudy day - these are signs of the glamorous life...But if it's snowing, wear mink gloves for goodness' sake." "Keep the nail lenth short enough to suggest you go horseback riding."

I also felt vindicated for my salad-eating ways with this bit from "How to Seduce a Man with Food": "On the side, do a Caesar salad (which was originally meant to be eaten with fingers)..."

Hussein Chalayan - The lightest suits and dresses. So much detail, but still so simple and easy to wear. This is maybe the most wearable collection I've seen of his - even with the Mos Eisley Cantina bits.

Jean Paul Gaultier - Cool farm girl, and luckily not very cowgirl. Part eastern-european boho, part english countryside dandy, and part widow fatale.

John Galliano - A little scary. I think the theme is contradictions - old and young, black and white, short and tall, and fit and fat...The clothes themselves are slick film noir, with a bit of sci-fi. A vampy, seedy underworld of dramatic clothing and characters.

Junya Watanabe - Someone's been watching Degrassi Old School. I will die for these skirt/shorts. Die.

Kenzo - Avant Sailore. How can you say no to so much fun and stripes and knitwear?? Love the jackets, dresses, shoes...antithesis of minimalist without a single rhinestone.

Lagerfeld Gallery - Mannish deconstructed white shirts, die cut hems and necklines, not too much excitement.

Lanvin - Perfect little dresses that could easily become your uniform for spring. Suits with little white gloves, without even a hint of retro. So modern and luxe, but ultimately very simple. The fabrics are just thick and fitted and perfect. Wide obi belts and ribbons, dont forget.

Louis Vuitton - With Lanvin, the chicest, sleekest looks for spring.

Martin Grant - Prim suits and dresses, but in shiny fabrics and modern detailing. I love the full skirt and bomber-esque jacket. I thought this is totally what I dont want for Spring, but my mind is definitely changed.

Martin Margiela - Modern sexy Broadway star partying it up disco-style.

Paris - SPRING/SUMMER 2006 - Dior to Hermes

2005-10-22T15:59:00.000-07:00

I've been sick all morning - a mild hangover segued into an excruciating migraine. Marc and Stella are amazing though - Marc with the chicken broth and rice and water and Stell for never leaving my side. She's the best friend you could ever hope for when youre sick. But because I'm single-mindedly retarded, I'm here looking at shows. For *you*.

Christian Dior - Nude fabrics and torn lace and fishnets, very much like the gorgeous dress Kate Moss wore to the CFDA awards a month or so ago. Jaw-droppingly minimal - not showy in any way. It was all so beautiful, but I'm just not sure what to think of a non-costumey Dior. I cant criticize change, especially when it still looks so good.

Christian Lacroix - Oooooh, the scarves. Oooooh, the dresses. Perfect yacht-wear - a 30s yacht sailing down the Nile. So pretty and sophisticated.

Commes des Garcons - Concepty Queen and lots of plaids. Kind of unneccesary.

Costume National - A little cheesy. Jersey-girl hair. Sexy that's trying too hard.

Dries van Noten - Kimono-tinged suits, tie-dyed satiny silks. Very grownup and avant garde, but "normal" enough to wear to work.

Elie Saab - Ensuring our celebrities will still have sexy pretty and beadazzled dresses to wear on red carpets.

Emanuel Ungaro - Crazy ruffles, but not in a good modern way. Toned down a tad, it could be good.

Giambattista Valli - For a modern Audrey - classy, sophisticated, simple, but confident.

Givenchy - What a new Givenchy! And more wrestling champion belts! Not Audrey, just cool and pretty and interesting.

Hermes - A slightly bland Havana. I will take a handbag, of course, and anything scarf-printed.

Paris - SPRING/SUMMER 2006 - AF Vandevorst to Chloe

2005-10-21T16:00:00.000-07:00

AF Vandevorst - Shoulder-baring loose knits. Looks comfortable and very anti...I will have pirate-motorcycle boots this year if it kills me! I like the layered and textured whites best - or at least they photograph best.

Akris - Simple, sedate. Something for someone a little bland but pretty, like Claire Danes.

Alexander McQueen - Like Karl Lagerfeld, I think McQueen makes very forward, wearable, but not ever too boring or too simple. Theyre statement clothes that arent costumes...clothes for rich girls who dont need to look like anyone else. Here he combines romance with space-age and a little bit of ancient Greece. I could picture a goddess wearing this on an average day:

And, dear Lord, I just want to be this:

This is just pretty much everything I'd wear for a vacation to Paradise Island. The more I drool...are those heavy-weight boxing champion belts?? Loooove it. I love the designer's "we love you kate" t-shirt at the end the most, though. Poor Kate.

Andrew Gn - Clean black and white laces (trend?!?!), puffy sleeves with super-tight wrists, sparkly and/or lacey minis. Very very good. Dont like the colorful stuff quite so much.

Ann Demeulmeester - Hrmm. No photos. Weird.

Balenciaga - Oh sweet Jesus, so beautiful, so cool. Funny egg-shaped 60s dresses, the ultimate edwardian jackets and blouses, perfect skinny trousers - they should measure your cool quotient before they allow you to purchase. I'd hate to see these end up on - horrors! - Paris Hilton or something godawful like that. Thankfully, Balenciaga does not court celebrities and you just have to have respect for that sort of dedication to real fashion and, uh, financial intelligence [Begin long, meaningless tirade on why designers suck celebrity dick, give clothes away the second theyre shown on the runway, so that when they actually arrive in stores 6 months later, no one wants to buy them cuz theyve all been seen on every tabloid cover on some second-rate talent at whatever envelope opening. They say that it's free advertising, but to exactly whom? The people watching red carpet reports that cant afford the clothes? Or the people who can afford them that dont want to ever be seen in US Weekly's "Who wore it best?"? Or the people who are on red carpets who can afford them and who wear them but who dont pay for anything? Oh, but you see, I'm not thinking about perfume sales! Getting the name out there, so that the people who cant afford the clothes but who do spend outside their means will spend $90 on their perfume that, the last I checked, really had nothing to do with fashion. In the interest of full disclosure, I'm certainly not averse to buying designer perfume, but that's not my point...End tirade.]

Bruno Pieters - Audrey-simplicity - pretty and prim.

Celine - I think I will miss Kors...similar air of jet-setting luxe, but with a slightly more obvious and obnoxious Paris Hilton tone to it. Celine under Kors was extravagant, but never obnoxious - or at least more tongue-in-cheek. This is like Cavalli's version of Celine. Ok, maybe not that obnoxious.

Chanel - Girlishly street denims and dresses easily transform into career girl smarts with the right shoe and accessories. The color combinations are a bit too damaging to my sensibilities though. And I dont think I can personally jump on the knee-length denim and/or lace short campaign. Or men wearing Chanel tweed suits. Modified and shortened kimono jackets sound like a good plan though.

Chloe - Quirky Prada-y, but with a committment to being pretty. Prada is all about being so cool and so confident that you can push the envelope of ugly, but this is def a pretty girl who wants to be pretty, but push the envelope of what is kooky. Note: ties seen on Chanel and Chloe? A trend that comes and goes, so if you want in do it now.

Milan - SPRING/SUMMER 2006 - Menichetti to Versace

2005-10-19T16:01:00.000-07:00

You know what I think is funny? These totally meaningless obsessions we all have and the agreed-upon importance of different features of the obsession. For instance, last night we became the last people on the planet to watch "Sideways", and all of the totally not-even-very-classy and seemingly ill-mannered ways to sample a glass of wine. I wonder how each of the quirks came about - yes, they're all very practical in the information that they obtain - and how they became acceptable ways of doing so in public. Similarly, at a fashion show: the catwalk, the unsmiling model, the catwalk strut that bears no resemblance to an actual human's walk, even the model's figure. How were all of these things decided on? Yes, some are practical, but how did they become the unquestionable standard?

Menichetti - Surprisingly somber for a Spring collection - only a few pale dresses and spring coats to clue us in.

Missoni - Light and fun - the signature patterns are hard to take too seriously. I like that their clothes inherently appear vintage. Whatever fabric or thread that they use has that polyester-in-a-good-way sheen. Floaty florals and laces are a nice addition.

Miu Miu - Omg. I love the normal-sized glasses and the stars and the color and the white t's underneath everything. Love love love.

Moschino - Not-quite-as-ugly cowgirls, but some nice prints and skirts and shoes. And I'm a sucker from trompe l'oeil and capes!

Philosophy - It's hard for me to focus on anything more than the bad wigs - which are a cute hairstyle choice for some and a hyper-obvious and unflattering choice for others. A little too bland and a little too ladylike-and-with-zero-irony for my tastes. Or maybe it's just the wigs?

Pollini-Rifat Ozbek - Yawn. With a cute dress or two...

Prada - Ready to see what they'll be carrying at the gap in 4 years? Apparently old Helmut Lang! Nothing flashy (except for shoes and, uh, clear visors). Simple fabrics, solid neutral colors, little decoration, thin belts - everything loosely fitted, but exposed nipples are still OK and maybe some gold lace too. Likeable but not earth-shattering to my lust, though perhaps earth-shattering to fashion.

Roberto Cavalli - At the other end of the fashion (and respect and talent and good taste) spectrum, we have garish glam glam glammed up and living-like-it's-1999-or-maybe-1986 Cavalli. I do like this shirt/skirt/dress?:

Trend note: big black gingham is everywhere for Spring (and like *crazy* on this partic runway, but even if you hate Cavalli like I do - it was also seen on much better runways too).

Versace - Surprising pretty and sexy and lacking all manner of obnoxious - nude and caramel shades on body-hugging-but-covering dresses and shorts and suits. Very grown-up YSL - I'm actually a little proud of stupid Donatella.

Milan - SPRING/SUMMER 2006 - Pucci to MaxMara

2005-10-18T16:01:00.000-07:00

Emilio Pucci - Pucci prints (duh) mixed with electric blue and purple and white - an easy solution for Summer.

Emporio Armani - Yikes, another 100 photo show. And most have two models in the shot. I'm not sure I like the Hawaiian prints, but the pleated one-shoulder dresses look very new. Hammer pants and french sailor sweaters definitely do not. Some nice suits and separates and I'm cukoo for Italian sunglasses, but otherwise not impressed.

Etro - More electric blue! It *could* grow on me, but I've been scared of it since 6th grade when I splurged on this electric blue mock crock slouchy handbag and just a few weeks later I was embarrassed to carry it.

I'm dying for this blue satin blazer!

Fendi - Belts really seem to be a theme this season...

Giorgio Armani - I guess last season was a fluke...Armani is boring me to death again.

Gucci - While I did love the Tom Ford years, I think it's easy to see that Gucci is now being designed by a woman. The sexiness is still there, the edge, but there is something softer too. And not just the use of florals. There's more of a sense of humor - a mix of ugly and pretty. There was no giggling at the old Gucci.

Jil Sander - Quietly weird.

Marni - Recycled Prada. Even down to the skewed color scheme and accessories. Not pretty enough for me - kinda ugly and dorky.

Maurizio Pecoraro - Simple clothes with a lot of decoration that I liked right off. Especially the shredded scarves and dove greys. A good mix of pretty and weird.

MaxMara - Slouchy mom-wear and wayyyyy too much linen. A velour bathrobe jacket??

Tomorrow, the big guns! Prada, MiuMiu, Missoni, Versace!

Milan - SPRING/SUMMER 2006 - Alberta to DSquared2

2005-10-18T15:02:00.000-07:00

I'm skipping London for the moment, because there's really not a lot that I want to see there.

Alberta Ferretti - Innocent without being prim, though the colors and prints are a little bland to me. I always picture her clothes for the young widow or virginal fiancee...lingerie inspired dresses that somehow lack sexiness.

Alessandro Dell'Acqua - Sexy Gucci-esque LBDs. An intimidating sexiness, but the lip belts are making me laugh.

Anna Molinari - I like Anna and her Blumarine line for the same reasons I like Diane von Furstenberg. There's something girly but sophisticated about their clothes that I think would just make you feel at ease. It's forward-thinking without being concept and not really tied to any season or era. While I like costumes, I think these would be easy clothes to pull on and feel utterly confident and not worry about them being too recognizable.

Belstaff - Safari and military gear done up in gorgeous Italian leathers and suedes.

Blumarine - This line is always so exquisite - similar to Libertine in the hodge-podge Desperately Seeking Susan, but with antique laces and heirloom jewelry instead of junk. This season - vampy flappers - dangerous!

Bottega Veneta - Beautiful browns and (obviously) gorgeous leathers. Full trousers and belted cardigans...actually belted everything.

Burberry Prorsum - Beribboned everything. Pretty yellows and browns (do you see a trend?). Girlish suits and dresses that are almost ladylike, but with a bit of wrongness - a crocheted cap or platform sandals or spy-girl trenches. Maybe a tad monotonous.

D&G - Ooooooooh, sexy white lace - not even close to virginal. Victorian-inspired, but not a hint of repression. After discovering the price of lace in wedding dress fabric shopping and then in Burano, I have a whole new appreciation...

Dolce & Gabbana - Holy crap - 100 photos??!? Ohhhhhhh, but the lace and that gorgeous red...Similar theme as D&G, just a bit more posh. Loooooove it. I also like the full-skirted gown-version of their classic sexy slip.

DSquared² - Arrestingly ugly cowgirls. Ick. Tight denim capris, full-length leather aprons, awkwardly tilted cowboy hats...actually, the whole thing just seems awkward and done-before-better. Like every few years, one foreign designer has to do a cowboy collection. Who knows? Maybe it's a gimmick that sells really well? I do like this dress though:

New York - SPRING/SUMMER 2006 - Only 14 more shows left!

2005-10-17T16:03:00.000-07:00

Cynthia Rowley - Pretty party dresses.

Derek Lam - Cool girl dresses and separates. Nothing earth-shattering, unfort.

Donna Karan - Mmmm. Loving the obi-tied dresses and jackets. So polished and easy - the color scheme totally speaks to me too.

Jenni Kayne - Simple clothes built only for willowy girls, but i love this dress:

Libertine - There's just something with the label that I love. It's all junk jewelry and Desperately Seeking Susan, but that is an ideal fashion for me...it's something I can actually adapt for myself. Pure inspiration in a totally attainable way - and what kind of person cant embrace lilac tights? A wrong person, that's who. This season is a little D&G, which is always right by me. I can only pray that I end up as cool and wacky as the old ladies on this runway.

Michon Shur - More pretty clothes for willowy girls...

Myself - Former As Four label goes from too-concept-y to yawn-inducing, but throws in some Vera Wang to throw me off.

Narciso Rodriguez - Damn you, mens clothing, for ruining the flow! I think I can get behind this all-white, especially with a little Spring coat. I'm not sure about those long jumpers though. Are they maternity?? Ho hum.

Peter Som - Charmingly wrong sailor pants and high necked shirts for cool girls who dont need to wear clothes to look sexy. And dresses that Narciso *should* have made...

Phi - Fun party dresses and daring work clothes.

Wunderkind - 70s dandy trouser suits and blouses. Not for me. Bell-sleeved baby dolls. Getting interested. Gorgeous gowns. Ok, I'm here.

Y3 - I'm not sure what to say or why this is on a runway...sorry, Yohji, disappointing.

Zero - Serious dressing for the unconventional but not risk-taking girl. I like this fabric but loathe this neckline:

New York - SPRING/SUMMER 2006 - Only 28 more shows left!

2005-10-17T15:04:00.000-07:00

Boudicca - On certain days, a little kitten mask is exactly what I need. Futuristic and blade-shape edge gives Tom Ford a run for his (old) money. Maybe just-right for that dream law firm, as well.

Catherine Malandrino - Girlish and wearable, with the slightest amount of edge and sex appeal.

Ralph Lauren - All-American working girl - or at least a girl who pretends to work and owns a yacht. Yawn.

Ralph Rucci Chado - He's back to boring me to tears...

Richard Chai - A wearable kind of boring. With a big ole bow on top.

Sari Gueron - Simple and semi-pretty. If cinched bags are pretty...

Sass & Bide - A very ugly take on pirate-dressing...and a little bit old Anna Sui. Not horrible, but not my favorite either.

Stephen Burrows - A little DVF-cool-girl. Fashionista suits and dresses when you dont want concept or too simple.

Strenesse - Serious suits, but girly (and surprisingly WASPy) dresses. Pretty brown/gold laces too.

Thakoon - Spring for little girls - but in a funny cool-girl-who-doesnt-give-a-shit-what-you-think way.

Tommy Hilfiger - My eyes are burning from the sight of those hideous checkered-is-that-quilted??? pants...the checkered shorts, on the other hand, are adorable.

Pretty much retread Ralph Lauren - your typical WASP-wear.

United Bamboo - Little girl gear, but with some easy summer dresses (esp this tuxedo-bib one) and good-Marc-Jacobs girl.

Vera Wang - Surprising edge from someone I boxed-in as only Pretty. Downtown Cool mixed with Uptown Deb - a luxer Daryl K.

I'm really glad she's branched out from Bridal - she has so much to give. I'm really digging this puffed-sleeve blouse. Actually, I'm loving every bit of this.

Willow - A ballerina's street clothes. Floaty but bondagey dresses.

New York - SPRING/SUMMER 2006 - And a little bit softer now

2005-10-17T13:05:00.000-07:00

Ok, the 43 shows in NY alone left to cover are giving me some agita...

Project Alabama - Perfectly fitted jackets, petticoats peaking out. A cute but womanly collection.

LAMB - I'm scared!! Everyone knows how much I adore Gwen, but fashion forays never go that well. My first thought: Oy! The makeup is atrocious! My second: Is this going to really be about tracksuits? You have maybe 50 looks to show and you throw away this many opportunities on tracksuits? I'm also conflicted about how to feel when, for the last few years, you've been associated with Dior and Galliano and Westwood, and I see that influence a little too clearly. Maybe to the point of ripping off and dumbing down. I found it a little boring. And Miss Gwen looks *beat*.

Anna Sui - I dont think I can get behind the calf-length leggings under dresses or the style of pants and dresses I wore in 1987, but I do think I'm in love with her floral prints and embroidered satins. She long ago stopped inspiring me.

Badgley Mischka - Grownup, half-a-step from bland, covered up and formal, but with a few drop-dead gowns thrown in to make my pulse race.

Behnaz Sarafpour - Reminds me a little of Tom Ford - something in the severity. A little too 70s and very out of step with how I want to dress right now.

Marc by Marc Jacobs - Layers, leggings, frumpy jackets. A pastel and boring 80s nightmare, with some pleated denim to ensure that I vomit. I do like the little caps though.

Monique Lhuillier - I'm predictable, but I cant say no to pretty dresses and suits. I'm a sucker for anything an icy Hitchcock blonde would wear. She's very Oscar and Carolina and that is nothing to criticize. Not everyone should be concept and forward-thinking. My only complaint is not everything seems well-fitted?

Michael Kors - MK just makes me happy. Yes, his brand embodies everything I hate (conspicuous wealth, jet set, stereotypical blonde rich bitch), but I always feel that he's in on the joke. I mean, a camouflage gown? Not crazy for the mexican/safari prints and styles and I could never condone a highwaisted belted bikini bottom, but I love his dedication to travel and theme.

J Mendel - I am continually impressed by the RTW from this fur designer. I could even be coerced into wearing new fur if I could only have this:

Wouldnt you die to hug me in that? So simple, but not too sweet. These are ageless pieces that you could only be accused of being too pretty in...not too young. Light as air dresses and suits, but still structured enough to be taken seriously.

Zac Posen - Gold, brown, and various nude shades continue to be my favorites for spring/summer. So good with that fake tan. Pretty, but lacking any soft edge. This is how Naomi Campbell might dress to seem more girly. Not as jaw-dropping as one has come to expect...

Roland Mouret - An avant garde I can get behind. Perfectly serious asymetrical suits, romantic dresses, alternating prim and harsh looks. This seems like a wearable Yohji, which sounds like a smart business angle to me. I loooooove it - I dream of being a lawyer in a hip firm so I could rock each of these.

Calvin Klein - More stuctured and light pieces, which I think may be perfect for Spring and perfect for investing in...

Bill Blass - Blandly pretty, but nothing that grabs me as NEW and NOW...a little too Oscar retread, with an obvious slant toward woman-of-a-certain-age prints.

Diesel - Someone has watched the pussycat dolls one too many times! So sexy, so Italian - I have a renewed love for such a look. And, oh!, I'm going crazy for the little 40s military caps:

Actually, I've decided just now that I may die if I do not own that hat. Oh, and I loooove the makeup. Looooove that lip.

Matthew Williamson - The simplicity of Calvin, but with confident and sometimes campy details. I can perfectly visualize his ideal woman, and while I'm not her, I wouldnt mind being her during the workweek. Plus, his blues are just gorgeous.

New York - SPRING/SUMMER 2006 - Days a Few More

2005-09-13T16:07:00.000-07:00

BCBG Max Azria - Treading on some Michael Kors territory...How can you go wrong with Rich JetSetter?

The influence of Marc Jacob's voluminous silhouette is apparent. It's a fairly easy risk, as most magazines - after the initial shock - claimed it to be the groundbreaking/beginning of a new era...

Carolina Herrera - The sportiest I've seen her. I do so love the primness of her designs, but I also like how modern and un-trashy it usually is.

Ohhhhh, and the gowns. Mmmm. Some 80s atrocities that could work on the right girl...

Some overly fussy things that dont quite work...

And some drop dead gorgeous...

Jill Stuart - Delicate lace, Victorian shapes, and pretty party dresses. Borderline boring to me - I dont like things that are too precious and antique, but the simple appearance and complex fabrics keep things interesting.

Marc Jacobs - A weird sort of sloppy stiffness. Very unfitted and slightly mis- or de- constructed mixed with very prim and stiff jackets. Like a not-at-all-sexy schoolgirl...though I'm all about sexy girls in not-traditionally-sexy clothes. Much prettier than I expected...he seems to have reined in the ugly-pretty and gone for a more Oscar than Prada sophistication. (And actually a little minimalist Calvin for the evening wear).

Oscar de la Renta - Some more of the ethnic-y appliques, gorgeously simple suits and trousers, and surprising colors. This gold looks so wearable. I think I'm definitely lusting after oversized sleeve blouses for Spring...and those signature lace frocks. Sigh...I really like certain pieces, but it's a rather diverse show. I'm not sure what the message is.

Proenza Schouler - Marc Jacobs-y anti-sexy. A little Balenciaga schoolmarm. Lots of visible technique. This isnt draping fabric on a mannequin.

Temperley - Heart-wrenchingly pretty dresses! So romantic, so unexpected. Girly drama, but built for fun.

Tuleh - Celestial and floral fabrics, breezy cuts, a tad simple and bland - except when paired with horrid fabric combinations - then just ugly. Not so impressed (except the first photo below).

New York - SPRING/SUMMER 2006 - Days a Few

2005-09-09T16:08:00.000-07:00

Naum - While having the worst name I've ever heard (very close to NARM, which I know not from watching "Six Feet Under", but because it swept the internet a few weeks ago), it's not as bad as you might expect. I'm reading a lot of complaints of 'designers' seeming to only drape fabric on a mannequin and call it fashion, but I do think in a way that is the silhouette of the last season and - apparently - this. At the very least, it looks easy and comfortable.

Diane von Furstenberg - Classic pretty party girl. I like it, though I'm a little afraid we'll soon be seeing Paris fuckingHilton in all of these. With the same hair. The prints are fantastic, of course.

I forgot how much I love navy and fushia...

Alexandre Herchovitch - A little Anna Sui. A little ugly. I still like this dress though.

Costello Taliapietra - Halston-y, Calvin Klein-y...

Brian Reyes - Simple work clothes, mixed with the most horrid sheer blouses. Does a mom's vacation button-up really need to be in sheer black? With pockets over the boobs, of course?

Doo Ri - The barest, most simple at first look, but on the second the detail and excitement are clear. I'm not sure what kind of undergarments one could wear under such drapey fabric, though I'm pretty sure you shouldnt have any curves in them regardless.

Imitation of Christ - Now, I do think Scarlett Johannson is maybe the prettiest person ever, but I'm not loving her look here. It could be the clothing made by a talentless hack though. Do a quick double-take. Is that or is that not Anna Nicole Smith? Maybe in something Bobby Trendy styled? Ok, I'm being mean. That was a horrible image to put in your head. To be honest, it's not nearly as horrible as it usually is. Maybe because of the heavy denim flavor. I cant say no to denim. I'm Texan.

I just want to know how she manages to make shows that are spectacles, but look seriously un-fun. The florals are beyond bland. Blah.

Kenneth Cole - Breezy, work wearable. I'm slowly coming around to the idea of shorts as formal and business wear. I'm only half kidding. I'm still undecided on above-waist pants. No, actually, I think theyre awful. Unless, perhaps, you have a 39-inch inseam.

Lacoste - Marc's signature label. I'd loooove to get him this:

But, goddamn, those women's hats and kneepads are giving me seizures.

Luca Luca - Ooooooh. Ive found my favorite. Supposedly passe ladylike looks, but more in the vein of Lucy Ricardo. How can I say no?

Luella - My jaw is on the ground and I want to cry with wanting all of this so much. I want to be this:

Ridiculously cool, confident, irreverantly pirate. The hair, the sequins, the colors, the heels...

Nicole Miller - Thank god Nicolette Sheridan and baseball wives will always have a place to buy clothes. I do like this though:

Paris Couture Autumn-Winter 2005-2006 Day 3

2005-07-11T16:09:00.000-07:00

Elie Saab - Starting the show with a bride? How daring! I've decided it is my new mission to make veils appropriate for not just weddings and funerals. Anyone with me? The standard figure-hugging dresses we are used to...not so different than RTW. After scouting laces for my own wedding dress and reading an article on couture lingerie, I am now schooled in the levels of lace. There is most certainly a price jump for couture laces, so I assume these are just more delicate or hand woven fabrics than usually used. While all very pretty and covetable, I still like more fantasy.

This dress would be perfect for Wonder Woman (or perhaps she's just on my mind, "in her satin tights")

Watch out for the few godawful ones though.

Imitation of Christ - Most certainly no business in couture and panties and bras are GOOD THINGS. No shame, I promise. I do like this dress though, but you cant tell anyone:

Jean Paul Gaultier -

A fur pleated skirt! Is there anything more unnecessary, but at the same time, is there anything cooler?!?! And with those tight black blazers. Ohhhh. Very Mongolia-Chic. Dramatic trench coats, furry tight boots (not even remotely MukLuk/Ugg, dont worry), leather belts. These are pieces you can imagine spending tens of thousands on because they are so strong and so wearable. They dont look tied to a trend, they are just pieces you would want to wear forever.

Paris Couture Autumn-Winter 2005-2006 Day 2

2005-07-08T16:10:00.000-07:00

Anne Valerie Hash - Floaty romantic jumbles of fabric are not what I'd pay $20k. I just dont see an impressive technique (other than those gorgeous shoes!) or the drama that I expect from couture. I think statement and breathtaking and a little risky, this collection is none of that - even though I like a lot of it...if it were ready-to-wear.

Chanel - The description of the show is better than the photos, which is the unfairness of not attending. The suits seem a little old and a tad boring, but the cocktail dresses are fun - with the occasional Dorothy from "Golden Girls" here too. Is it just me or do the models look very Olsen Twin-ish?

It's very disorienting to see 14 year old girls in your grandmother's (well, if your grandmother is a Chanel couture client) clothes. But perhaps that is their client-base?
This dress is giving me the heebie-jeebies:

This dress is interesting:

The general idea of the last two dresses is nice, but maybe in real life they would be better realized:

Christian Lacroix - Exotic and surprisingly demure suits, gorgeously beaded eveningwear - I think a better mix of youth and sophistication than Chanel.

The most gorgeous white blouse:

The most beautiful coat I have ever seen. The embroidery and the stiffness of the fabric make the most statement and the red ribbon and fur cuff details push the whole thing over the edge. This is a coat for a Russian princess, but perhaps not in a Russian winter, especially with those gorgeous shoes.

The whole collection is rich-gypsy, which I can get behind a whole lot better than the current lazy peasant-style that's become impossible to get away from. I cannot even make out what this outfit is, but I still want it:

And the fabrics that dont at all go together, but somehow make the most breathtaking piece of art (and again! that red ribbon, mmmm!)

It's just too exquisite, I may die:

Christina Aguilera was apparently in attendance, shopping for wedding dresses. I would recommend:

Givenchy - A new designer, and apparently one *not* haunted by the ghost of Audrey Hepburn - perhaps maybe a little Helmut Lang and Tom Ford though. I'm most struck by the sleeves in each piece. Very bondage-y here and very antique over there. Sexy and tough clothes with the sharpest detail. Not often seen in couture, but perhaps there is a client just waiting for such things. I would be in the market, most certainly.

I wish the photos were brighter and the clothes easier to make out...this is why a show should never contain black clothing! Sell it later in black, but there's no way it will come across in photos. My only qualm with this collection is that it goes from fussy to minimalist and back and I feel like you have to commit to a look - you cant just cover all the bases. That's not risk-taking, that's mass-market.

Paris Couture Autumn-Winter 2005-2006

2005-07-07T16:11:00.000-07:00

Oooooh, the best time of the year.
Christian Dior - Oh la la chiffon. Dramatic corsets and full skirts of see-through lace, gorgeous bustles of easter egg satins make full trains. I love the layering and draping and the suggestions of antiquity over very modern and sexy minis and moulded busts. Also what we're seeing is the progression of couture gown. The underpinnings, the tailor's pincushion, the wireframe (literally) ball skirts and each model made up as dress form.

Galliano makes every show a learning experience and just pure drama. Looooove. Oh goodness, photo 9, the illusion herringbone suit!

Oh, this is just so fantastical! Stripping away the solid fabric really makes the workmanship so evident. Adding color highlights the detailed beading and embroidery. The photos and the show report are making me cry at the thought of being able to witness this. The most amazing couture show I've attempted to imagine. Ooooh, from Peru, we're transported to old Hollywood - with old Supermodels. Man, Linda, Naomi, and Eva look beat *up*.

Luckily, we move quickly back to ballet, with still some Peruvian influencing in colors. Is there anything more dramatic or gorgeous than photo 38?

Or this??

Giorgio Armani - Such a different world from Dior, but I am again surprised at how much I'm digging Armani.

Maybe I'm becoming bland? The 40s-style trousers and hats and suits and is fur really so bad? ;-) Here it looks luxe, not obnoxious.

Valentino - Simple sophistication, simply pretty. And, again, is fur so bad?

I do have to say that's some terrible hair though.

Maybe a tad dull...for couture. Maybe.

Summer Office Wear

2005-05-09T15:18:00.000-07:00

I'm suddenly worried that no one will take me for a serious professional, especially considering that I'm now wearing silver heels with white ankle socks. For god sakes, at least theyre not Uggs or flipflops like a few of my office mates have been sporting. My seriously out-of-touch friend Paul used to lecture me on the importance of appearing professional back when I was remotely interested in my career. I can only imagine I'd be dead or some sort of corporate middle-manager by this time if I'd only followed his advice. I think I'm much happier with my soul.

Shopping Spree Fantasy

2005-04-29T16:12:00.000-07:00

I tried to resist for sooooooo long, but I think I might kill myself if I cant obtain a pair of the Adidas 35th Anniversary shoes. It's funny, my friend Vivian's boyfriend owns a sneaker store in Long Beach (and hopefully in Tokyo soon) and I am always amazed at the lengths they would go to for pairs and the prices people are willing to pay. And now I've caught the lust, though luckily not the spare funds to purchase.

I'm also dreaming of a pair of ridiculously expensive jeans. I've always been a hardcore Levi's girl, but the hyper-flattering call of Joe's and Rock & Republic is just too hard to ignore. Who knows where all this label whoring is coming from. I just havent bought anything fun and anything for just fun - that isnt house-related - in so long.

I miss being fashionably dressed.

Fall Winter 2005-2006 Paris Day 7

2005-03-08T17:10:00.000-08:00

Junya Watanabe - Nice plaid tweeds used in an almost Betsy Johnson whimsical way.

The skirts are freaking me out a bit, as I've been dreaming about a mini-blind sort of attachment to a skirt for several years now - changing the length and style of the hem as you please.

Kenzo - Did I really complain earlier about a lack of color? In between the almost-day-glo 70s swinging hostess, there are some nice finds. I can see Maria in most of these, actually.

Lanvin - Couldnt ask for more elegance and not in a costumey way. These clothes would do nothing for a bland girl, but can take a fabulous girl to the next level. On a bland girl, you'd see none of the detail - just a black dress.

Louis Vuitton - Just gorgeous. Modern suits with a 60s feel, elegant skirts dresses with an Eastern European vibe. Perhaps a tad somber, but hard to criticize.

Martin Grant - So pretty! Not at all boring, just nice.

Lovely use of color and satin.

Valentino - Mysterious, sexy...variations on a tuxedo.

True glamour, true innovation.

Yves Saint Laurent - An uptight European secretary...is this sexy? Maybe? Not that it has to be, of course. It's just such a departure from the Tom Ford years. I think this is more conservatively eccentric, subversively sexy, more YSL.

Fall Winter 2005-2006 Paris Day 6

2005-03-07T17:09:00.000-08:00

Chloe - Standard Chloe: kinda sexy, kinda dowdy...basically your mom in 1972.

Comme des Garcons - Scary ass ghost brides are even scarier in victorian laces and unmatched suits. I know I should understand this, but I dont. The coats and bell-sleeved dresses will probably nice once they hit the stores.

Collette Dinnigan - So pretty. The sweetest laces on 40s dresses and vintage slips.

Sloppy suits and loose dresses keep things from being too perfect.

John Galliano - Tough Marlene Dietrich, though maybe slightly more Francais.

Modern minis (thank god) to keep me happy:

I like them especially when theyre not used to be S-E-X-Y. Gorgeous coats that I would never remove:

Hermes - Terrible hats, luxe suits, the to-die-for accessories. Simple clothes from the label the epitomizes you-can-only-dream-of.

Maybe just this side of early 80s Ralph Lauren. Scary.

fall Winter 2005-2006 Paris Day 4 and 5

2005-03-06T17:08:00.000-08:00

Akris - Serious clothing doesnt have to be bland. Perfect office clothes, with none of the sugar-sweet ladylike look of late.

A nod to 70s swing, with some interesting sleeve proportions:

Alexander McQueen - All manners of the 50s screen queen, Grace Kelly to Brigitte Bardot. Modernized Hitchcockian suits to sexy sexy hair and vavavoom dresses. My only criticism would be perhaps a little too costumey? The suits and gowns are classic McQueen however - sleek, modern, crazy.

Ann Demuelemeester - A little bad 80s romantic. Possibly a Cinderella video (was that their name? the band?).

Cacharel - Fabulous prints on nice dresses.

Celine - Less jetset, more prettiness.

But nothing really new.

Chanel - A lot 80s, a little ski bunny, tweed golf pants, legging/legwarmers, a lot disappointed. The hair is making me think I'm viewing a collection circa 1999. I am digging the bows above the knees though. Add more ribbons to the shopping list.

Christian Lacroix - Rich widow - possibly mad or just plain eccentric, fantastic hair.

Big entrance-making gowns.

Hussein Chalayan - Dark, bad lighting, nice coats, interesting beading and feathers?

Nina Ricci - Light, gorgeous, definition of the word floaty. Clothing for an intelligent girl, a cultured girl.

Ooooh, and ribbons above the elbows.

Start to finish, amazing.

Paco Rabanne - So modern, so simple. A little random, but still very nice and very confident.

Fall Winter 2005-2006 Paris Day 3

2005-03-03T17:08:00.000-08:00

Dries Van Noten - Weird, random, Victorian attic finds that are strangely modern (or maybe just Asian).

Bright bathrobe jackets, sashes, dead flowers, and the random hot pinks...it's all sooooo cooooooool.

Emanuel Ungaro - More modern Japanese, by way of Audrey Hepburn. Actually, it reminds me of this dvd we have: Branded to Kill - not that these are costumey, theyre just plain cool.

Lagerfeld - Grecian, laid-back, sexy...maybe a tad bullfighter-esque. Sharp.

Loewe - A Spanish Michael Kors. Rich, sexy.

Those shoes!

Rochas - I'm wondering why we bothered looking at the other cities. Today alone, the most gorgeous clothes, most forward, most inspiring...the best. Now, Rochas. So romantic, so edgy, so expensive, so timeless. The closest to perfection I've ever seen.

Again, some obis. You know what to do for Fall. I want satin boots too!

Stella McCartney - A surprisingly well-executed collection. I picture Uma Thurman in all of these, which is not a bad person to emulate. (Have you seen her Louis Vuitton ads??)

Veronique Branquinho - Too dark! I cant see anything!

Viktor & Rolf - Dear god, is that Tori Amos?? Ok, I'll try to soldier on. The place to go for fantastic white blouses. I wish I could own them...they just never stay white with me. I'm a very dirty girl.

Ooooh! And suits and jackets!

I always loved their concepts more than their actual clothes, but this season, I'm in love. In love with this entire day of shows.

Fall Winter 2005-2006 Paris Day 2

2005-03-02T17:07:00.000-08:00

Christian Dior - S'more Frankie and Annette Villian Girl. Hrmm. A few fierce jackets, but I feel like we just saw this a few weeks ago at the couture show. And I didnt get excited about it then, and now with the addition bell-shaped minis and overalls?? I do like mini-dresses/blouses over pants.

Though it all seems a bit random...I'm not seeing the overall (har) theme.

Costume National - A little too...costumey. Particularly from a 1972 Russian Espionage movie.

Issey Miyake - Paris is seeming very boring. I guess I'm not in a minimalist/deconstructionist mood.

Jean Paul Gaultier - I will spend tonight dreaming only of metallic disco pants.

Something so wrong has never looked so right. Slouchy, sexy jackets over tight little sheath dresses put me in a clubbing mood. And then one perfectly glam-punk dress to ensure my total desire.

Rick Owens - This show is why you have to remember to keep an open mind with fashion. I am always so bored and so clueless as to why he is such a favored designer, but this collection is oh so stylish. (Of course, still no theatrics, but I'll let it slide). It seems very Japanese to me. Extra-long sleeves and padded jackets are very extreme, but would also be very comfortable and flattering.

I could totally do without all the stupid men's stuff. THEY HAVE THEIR OWN FASHION WEEK!!

Sophia Kokosalaki - First of all, loooooove the runway, lighting, hair, and makeup. Second, the fabrics (like Rick Owens) look absolutely comfortable. Third, there is so much personality on such simple, neutral pieces.

The jersey dresses are so exquisitely tailored and do not fall in the cliche category.

Undercover - Hrmmm. Deconstructed gangster suits and hodgepodge dresses. Apparently a waist is not part of the silhouette theyre selling. I dont think anything is very flattering and doesnt seem like a lot of skill went into the making or designing. But who doesnt love three dueling marching bands to close a show? What the hell.

Fall Winter 2005-2006 Paris Day 1

2005-03-01T17:06:00.000-08:00

AF Vandevorst - Wacky but chic. A little of the Mad Max deconstruction, but retaining a softer edge. A future that doesnt look so bleak.

Balenciaga - Military jackets and the absolute sleekest trousers make for a sexy, hard edge but not in the icy Gucci way...a little more fun and vintage.

I also love the sleek dresses with silly/fuzzy/flowery accents

or with just some fantastic draping.

Bernhard Wilhelm - Waaah. I just dont know what to say. I just want to curl up in a corner and cry.

Just remember, someone *paid* for this show and these clothes to be made.

Bruno Pieters - So stiff and precise and modern (though maybe a bit too Helmut Lang-y). He's best in non-knits:

Vivienne Westwood - Her clothes always seem better in hindsight, which I suppose says a lot. Or perhaps it says that I never like her shows themselves, the way things are presented. For instance, this reminds me of the Dolce&Gabbanna Pax show from a few years back - cheesy. If I concentrate really hard on the clothes, I can make out how great these dresses are, so feminine, but so mannish, so punk.

I can also see what a sense of humor she has. At first glance, it's a girl in a suit. On second, it's a pair of sexy low-rise pants over a pair of dorky high-waisted, elastic band pants and a waiter's double-breasted under a sleek satin suit jacket.

Yohji Yamamoto - Ooooh. Maybe the most perfect selection of winter coats:

I think if I were to ever splurge on a designer suit, I'd go Yohji. My Benettons work just fine for classic. I'd spend serious money only on something truly mind blowing, and that is a Yohji jacket. Also, it's so far from being classic that it can never be out of style. It was never in...that's a good thing to strive for in any part of a wardrobe.

Tomorrow I will introduce a word other than "sleek" into my vocab.

Fall Winter 2005-2006 Milan Day 4 and 5

2005-02-25T17:05:00.000-08:00

Blumarine - This collection gives me a new appreciation for nude fabrics.

Understated prettiness that's not too precious. Sofa printed mini-dresses and romantic layering...I see a trend.

D&G - Love the gold runway. And dear god, I love miniskirts.

I'm just sort of tired of their fake-punk club gear - that's *heavily* influenced by all of Vivienne Westwood's career. But maybe this is all that's expected of this label?

Gucci - So covered up, but still so sexy.

Some def cheese, but still the standard, cold, dominatrix you've grown to love - now with rhinestones!

Jil Sander - Severly sad. Ditto Fendi.

MaxMara - Ooooh, let's go to Gstaad! Very Audrey Hepburn in 'Charade'.

Not so crazy about those cinched pouf skirts though.

Missoni - Italian jetset. I like the cropped trousers, loud jackets, and ribbon sandals (for fall?!).

Weird florals and asymetrical halter tops, not so sure of...

Miu Miu - A dream wardrobe for spending the semester abroad.

These clothes were made for libraries and house parties at the prof's. Alternately, perfect for a young, Italian widow.

Moschino - Ugh. A little too cheap Desperately Seeking Susan.

Roberto Cavalli - Just as you expected, though I abs love the blue china prints:

Versace - Impressive. It makes you wonder who's designing now...or has Donatella had a change of attitude after rehab? Less sex, more restraint, actually new ideas instead of endlessly recycling her brother's? A perfectly modern coat and boots:

A few embarrassingly cheesy dresses, so we're not confused as to which show we're viewing. I sort of miss the colors and prints though. How comfortable and easily sexy and pulled together does this look:

I want to look like that for the entire winter.

Fall Winter 2005-2006 Milan Day 1, 2, and 3

2005-02-22T17:04:00.000-08:00

Bottega Veneta - Hitchcock-prim suits and peacoats, an occasional Gucci-bondage accent. I pray crushed velvet really doesnt catch on. That said, I will still take any offerings of BV handbags.

Emporio Armani - 109 photos? Umm no. I do like the pleated jacket:

Marni - So very Prada, though a little less dorky. A few truly hideous prints.

Anna Molinari - More Hitchockian looks, but this time with sexy bondage boots. The orange plaids are so appealing.

So completely not a fan of lacey leopard though, or actually any of the rest of this...random rows of lace...

Burberry Prorsum - Dark and dull, but the military jackets are nice. I like how tight and bound they appear. I feel I've seen this show a million times before.

Alberta Ferretti - Wow. Fantastic. Elegant like Oscar, but cool and romantic like how Anna Molinari usually is.

Emilio Pucci - Sexy, 70s YSL, so light...modernizing Pucci from its usual 60s style.

Giorgio Armani - 101 photos??? Blah. Go look for yourself.

Prada - Hmmm. Dark blah colors, doilies as pockets, kind of staid but 50s suits...I'm not totally sold, but some of the simple individual pieces are difficult to deny. Like the perfect tank dress - pieced together to give a clean look and hide most flaws:

Too many coats and too many coats that didnt excite me. Or maybe I just cant see the details, what with all that black!

Menichetti - I like their whole no-nonsense, business-cool look. Nothing earth-shattering, but nice layers, nice thick-almost padded jackets, nice tuxedo shirts.

A little like Helmut Lang but pretty and less concept-y. Wearable and relaxed - making the ladylike looks seem less like costumes, with just enough tailoring to keep it elegant. Woah, but what the hell is up with how the designer looks?!

Pollini-Rifat Ozbek - The dorky, almost homeless, mix of fabrics and layers reminds me so much of AnnMarie!

So busy and wrong, in less-confident hands, these would be a joke. Instead, these looks are a good inspiration for more mixing...more mixing that doesnt work, but with the right tights, does.