Uptown Girl

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

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

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

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

(images from style.com)

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NYFW Recap: Part 2

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

Derek Lam

Derek Lam has been long heralded as the king of California minimalism and in a way I have always understood his take on minimalism much more than other designers. For fall he went for a very sleek yet youthful vibe that really showed his attention to detail. 

Tommy Hilfiger

For Hilfiger's "Town & Country" the designer drew inspirations from country clubs and Park Avenue apartments. The entire collection was pretty stellar, but what really got me going was the assortment of fabulous leather coats. The rich colors, the plethora of buttons, and the box shapes all made me smile.

Marc by Marc Jacobs

Marc Jacob's signature line was also a success, which I will most likely talk about later, but his diffusion line deserves some credit too. As a teenager I've always been a fan of the urban youth feel of Marc by Marc, and this collection was full of everything I love about Marc. And really, who doesn't love a girl in a dress and combat boots?

Philosophy

Alberta Ferretti is usually a very romantic designer, so it was nice to see her go back to basics for fall. She showed a true mastery of outerwear in soft neutrals that will be sure to fly off the shelves.

Proenza Schouler

After a disappointing spring show, it was so good to see Proenza Schouler back in winning territory. I loved the shapes and the colors and just the vibe of the whole show. And don't even get me started on that Japanese print. 

 

Thankoon

Thankoon is just so much fun. He really understands what the youth want. We want bright colors and leather jackets and fun dresses and he gave it to us. And really, who else could mix fuchsia, highlighter orange, and maroon so expertly?

(all images from style.com)

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Catch Me if You Can

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

(all images Tommy Ton for style.com)

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NYFW Recap: Part 1

So far there have been some really stand-out shows at New York Fashion Week. NYFW is never really my favorite, but the designers that I do like have really wowed me this season. Even minimalists like Alexander Wang -and you know how I am hesitant to embrace minimalism- have produced excellent collections. Here are my favorites so far.

Catherine Malandrino

I love the rich hues and the strong silhouettes. Malandrino always gives off such cool girl vibes but this season especially is so fancy and sophisticated. Give me a shrunken varsity jacket and a pout to match and I'm hooked.

Giulietta

I was getting good vibes from this show. The red number on the left gave me Olivia Hussey as little orphan Annie vibes. The peach suit gave me 70s businesswoman vibes. The yellow dress is totally Faye Dunaway in Bonnie and Clyde. And the green dress is fifties prom queen. I love it all and hope Giulietta gets the recognition it deserves for an awesome show.

Jill Stuart

I like that there's something for everyone in this Jill Stuart collection. For the simple, relaxed girl you have a sweet peplum tee and trouser combo. For the romantic one there's a daring lace and pencil skirt look. For the mysterious girl there's a chocolate coat and maroon leather skirt. And for the girly-girl, there's a sweet cutout dress with floral print. 

Prabal Gurung

My, how things can change in a year. Last year I was raving about relatively under-the-radar designer Prabal Gurung and his red-filled fall 2011 collection. Now Prabal is the cool kid on the block with a cheerleader in Anna Wintour and every bright young thing lining up to get one of his designs. He went from the mean reds to the fighting blues and ended with gold gowns that only reminded me of the golden year he's had.

Wes Gordon

What I've enjoyed about NYFW thus far is that most of the shows have done a good job of staying away from all black. Instead designers -like Wes Gordon- have integrated rich fall hues into their collections. I love the deep crimsons, emerald greens, and gold flakes. And notice that the indecisive skirt is still going strong! The cuts of these clothes were beautiful.

Well, so far I've been pleasantly surprised by New York. Let's see what the rest of the week brings, shall we? What were your favorites so far?

(all images from style.com)

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The Best in NY

Can you believe New York Fashion Week has already come and gone? As usual there were some happy surprises and some over-hyped letdowns, so here's my recap of the best, the worst, and the all-out-wacky.

And, because I'm watching the Emmy's, this shall be done in the form of awards. Yay!

 The Coolest Girl in Town- Karen Walker

I've developed a big crush on Karen Walker's clothes. Every season I'm in awe of how cool they are. And I know, most people think leather jackets and pixie hair cuts when they think of cool, but I'm never going to have that much street cred. So thank you, Karen Walker, for bringing me a happy medium of kitschy prints and masculine cuts (and plenty of turban headbands!) and giving me, the girliest of girls, the chance to be, dare I say, cool.

Most Likely to Succeed on the Red Carpet- Marchesa

The Marchesa team is no stranger to the Red Carpet, but I think everyone will agree that each season the brand gets it right. They had some big expectations to live up to with their first runway show, but I think it's safe to say that they delivered. Georgina Chapman & Co. took advantage of their runway and showcased fabric that moves. The flapper-esque fringe dresses are sure to be a hit this awards season.

Most (Pleasantly) Surprising- Reed Krakoff
I know people have been raving about Reed Krakoff since his first show in 2010, but I've only just jumped on the bandwagon after seeing his spring presentation. The colors are quirky yet pleasing, the cuts minimal but incredibly flattering. I'm not the biggest proponent in minimalism, but Reed makes me a little more open to the idea that less really is more.

Most Likely to Fly Off the Shelves- Milly
As fun as couture gowns are, they just aren't all that practical. Sometimes it's nice to see clothes that are in a decent price range and can actually be worn. Enter Milly. For spring Michelle Smith focused on geometric prints and traditionally autumnal hues (pumpkin oranges and royal blues) and the product was a collection that I could see all sorts of women wearing, myself included. I'm already anxious for spring to come so I can pick up some Milly!

Best in Show- Prabal Gurung

I've been following Prabal Gurung for a while now and I'm so glad to see such success. With a CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund Award, a collaboration with J. Crew, and the hearts of Sarah Jessica Parker and Michelle Obama alike, it's certainly been a good year thus far for Prabal Gurung. Well, he can add the best show of New York to his list of positives. Every look was just so well done and interesting, something we don't see too often these days. I hope the rest of the world agrees that this is the show to beat.

(images from Style.com)

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