Spring Break's Around the Bend

Guess who's going to college! THIS GIRL!

And maybe because I've got university on the brain I turn to a coveted collegiate tradition: Spring Break. Of course high schools have breaks in the springtime as well, but there seems to be something almost magical about having to take a break from college, which seems so otherworldly and sophisticated right now, but I know is basically just like high school with new people (or not, if I end up going to UCSB, because that is like my high school 2.0)

Well, whatever age you are, whatever you are taking a springtime break from, let's celebrate with some fabulous vacation wardrobes full of sunshine-ready clothes! I've got Palm Springs on the brain for two reasons: Indian Wells Tennis Tournament and Coachella. I wanted to go to both and can go to neither, so I will live vicariously through these two metaphorical suitcase checklists. The first one is everything preppy I would wear to a tennis tournament, and the second is my dream Coachella getup, because you know, the things you wear to Coachella are infinitely more important than the acts you see. (LOL JK)

1. Stella McCartney 2. Collette Dinnigan 3. Marc by Marc Jacobs 4. Miu Miu 5. Stella McCartney 6. Marc by Marc Jacobs 7. Alexander Wang 8. Chloe 9. See by Chloe 10. Dolce & Gabbana 11. Sonia by Sonia Rykiel 12. Sonia by Sonia Rykiel

1. Oak 2. Missoni 3. Proenza Schouler 4. Missoni 5. Miu Miu 6. Moschino Cheap & Chic 7. Clu 8. Proenza Schouler 9. Illesteva 10. Alice + Olivia 11. Bell Sigerson Morrison 12. J. Brand 13. Missoni 14. Ksubi

 (all items available at net-a-porter.com)

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Serving It Up

1. Make a Racquet tennis bag 2. Tennis Net anklet socks 3. Kate Spade Kissing Tennis Racquet belt 4. Hold Court Quinn tote 5. On the Ball coin purse; All Kate Spade

You can always count on Kate Spade for a healthy dose of bold colors and kitschy cute accessories. The brand's theme of the month seems to be tennis (just in time for the Indian Wells tennis tournament nearby!) and as a vaguely avid tennis enthusiast, I absolutely adore the tennis court greens and actual tennis accessories! Count on these bags being very popular in Palm Springs as the tournament heats up.

(all items available at katespade.com)

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Perfect Pastels

Clockwise from top left: Jil Sander paisley jacket; Yves Saint Laurent pink clutch; Charlotte Olympia sandals; D&G tulle midi skirt

Ah, springtime is finally upon us, and it seems that the spring fashions have gone classically spring. Pastels are the march-to-may staple and everyone from Jil Sander to Yves Saint Laurent is jumping on the sweet fifties trend. Mint, peach, and bubblegum are the biggest hits. Take your pick!

(all items from net-a-porter.com)

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Welcome to Americana

There is something distinctly native about the looks of Spring. The retro fifties styles do conjure images of one of America's golden decades. We had just won our second World War and had emerged as a world superpower, so I guess the people of the States were feeling pretty good about themselves. And how does one celebrate? Why, by donning pearls, curling hair, and hopping in a vibrant T-bird, of course! More than fifty years after the fact, the fifties still have plenty of lure. For spring, everyone from Prada to Juicy Couture is amping up the saturation, nipping the waist, and rouge-ing the lips. See for yourself, retro is back!

Prada Spring 2012 Ad Campaign

Karlie Kloss for Juicy Couture Spring 2012

Glamour UK March 2012

“American Pop”: Abbey Lee Kershaw photographed by Alasdair McLellan for Vogue UK March 2012

Karlie Kloss for Americans Manhasset S/S 2012 Lookbook

Lana Del Rey

Suzy Parker

Querelle Jensen by Craig Mcdean for W February 2012

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Friday, I'm in Love: Emma Cook

Emma Cook Dress via Net-a-Porter

There are so many things that I love about this dress. The baggy shape with nipped-in waist is extremely flattering for any girl. And then there's the print; spring is full of denim and the laid back luxe I've previously mentioned. But how tedious would it be to have a heavy patchwork dress made of all different denim scraps? Fear not! Emma Cook has thought of all these questions and instead the dress is a nice silk-cotton blend that only appears to be made of denim but has all the lightness of a perfect summer dress, making it a wonderful spring dress.

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Relaxed Luxe

Fashion has recently learned to take itself less seriously. After the dark and minimalist streak of the fallen economy, designers have found a lightness in their work. We are able to have fun with our fashion, but there is now a certain sense of practicality infused in clothing today.

It is time to embrace this in our clothing. It is time to throw caution to the rules of fashion and embrace palazzo paints, flowy dresses, and lower heels. We are energetic, busy creatures and sometimes we need clothes that adapt to movement. Sometimes fashion and comfort do go hand in hand.

1. Crumpet knitted cashmere dress 2. Tory Burch sandals 3. Missoni wide-leg pants 4. Diane von Furstenberg sleeveless top 5. Dolce & Gabbana coat 6. Aubin & Wills striped blouse 7. Day Birger et Mikkelsen striped cardigan 8. Stella McCartney tote bag 9. Jil Sander shift dress 10. Etoile Isabel Marant smock top 11. Tibi wide-leg jeans 12. Emilio Pucci lace shorts 13. Pierre Hardy studded sandals

(all items from net-a-porter.com)

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High in the Sky

Lucky guests of the Chanel Spring 2012 Haute Couture Show were treated to an out-of-this-world experience. Guests entered an oversized "space shuttle" and watched models walk down as the shuttle simulated a trip into space. Think of it as a Space Mountain for the couture set.

Everything seemed to be blue. A million shades of blue. Or at least one hundred fifty shades, as Tim Blanks states. From the palest of sky blues to icy Atlantic shades, the azure spectrum was presented in full in Paris. Though slightly futuristic in cut, I personally feel that the collection is much more current than the space shuttle setting might infer. The subtle shades and moderate simplicity, combined with an innovative use of fabrics -or rather, materials substituted for fabrics- actually brings up the world's current state.

Here we are, the last frontier before us, the possibilities of our endeavors more numerous than the stars. What will we do with the ability to expand our horizons but perhaps not the resources to practically do so? We must be innovative, as Lagerfeld was here, substituting cellophane and other non-fabrics as if they were fine silks. And he does so flawlessly. The age of innovation is here. You must be ingenious and thoughtful if you wish to truly get ahead. 

This, my friends, is the reality of our very near future.

Of course, there can only be so much practicality in a couture show. The later half of the show was strewn with glitter and sparkle, almost like the twinkling stars in the dazzling night sky. Still keeping with the blue theme, these party-ready dresses were my favorites in the show and I hope to see the likes of Elle Fanning and Diane Kruger out and about in these numbers.

As always, Lagerfeld kept with the Chanel staples of boy-meets-girl silhouettes with boxy, drop-waist dresses, and a casual strut. A personal favorite was the French cuffs in exit 11. Also noted: the stiff necklines vaguely reminded me of Zenon (as in, girl of the twenty-first century, particularly in this stunning get up)

And, of course, what is a couture show without a few red carpet-ready gowns? This show offered a brilliant array of options for Oscar-bound starlets, though my word of warning is that couture dresses are especially hard to pull off without any alterations. Take a cue from Julianne Moore, who flawlessly altered her Chanel Fall 2011 Haute Couture gown to make it more practical for an off-the-runway setting. Luckily, these gowns actually require few alterations if worn by the right girl, so we can only hope that the right girl does indeed wear one of these dresses.

Mister Lagerfeld, as always, you have a reason to smile. Now please, give Bill Gaytten some notes on how to successfully execute a couture show.

(images from style.com)

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Surfer Blood

Whenever my brother comes home I always feel more in touch with the surfer culture of our town. Being a tiny island on the Pacific, it is hard not to appreciate surfing, even if you personally cannot even stand up on a board. I've watched many a surf video over winter break, and I must say it is an incredibly remarkable talent to be able to ride the waves.

The typical surfer is laid back and down-to-earth, and the fashion world has adapted this mantra in its attempt to mimic surfer style, but the runway version is a bit sleeker than the true rip curlers. Think primary colors, body con, and color blocking, like a perfectly slick wetsuit.

 Diane Von Furstenberg; Marni; United Bamboo; Versus

The key is to go for a shiny fabric -like leather- in a neutral or pattern and pair it with a bolder accent. Things that remind you of swimsuits and rash guards are perfect to achieve such a look.

Derek Lam; Nanette Lepore; Stella McCartney; Versace

Ready to hit the waves? I've pulled up some gnarly pieces that will have you looking totally cool wherever you go.

(all images from style.com, tumblr, and net-a-porter.com)

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Sports Authority

I used to hate all those "sporty" editorials that Vogue and Teen Vogue featured at least once every two months because they tried so hard to make normal clothes "sporty," and somehow "sporty" clothes had to be blindingly neon. This spring, however, it seems that sporty clothes have gone uptown, and I much prefer this style to Vogue's. "Sporty" clothes suggest comfort, and even in fashion comfort and wearability have their place.

That's why hip designers like Isabel Marant and Philip Lim have made sweatshirts and tennis shoes into fashionable must-haves by using sleek fabrics and muted hues to appeal to a more sophisticated set. Who says we must always suffer for fashion?

ADAM; Alexander Wang; Derek Lam; Rag & Bone

 (images from style.com and net-a-porter.com)

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Let Them Eat Cake

Spring Fashion Week seemed to make me hungry. Like, really hungry. And not like, hungry for that new PS1 but actually hungry. For food.

Now, you may say, 'Why, Lindsey, you seem slightly crazy right now," but I kid you not- so many of the looks I saw seemed to remind me of food. And not just any food, but Dessert! Cakes and candy and cookies, oh my! Spring is just full of absolutely delectable treats.

Don't take my word for it? See for yourself! I carefully paired the most "bad for your heart but good for your soul" looks with the delicious deserts they reminded me of. Just be careful- you may want to grab a cookie or something to munch on.

Chanel is as classic as this wedding cake

Louis Vuitton shares a sunny disposition with this cupcake

Richard Nicoll loves a good ruffle

Dolce & Gabbana has as many sprinkles as these donut holes

Giambattista Valli has a taste for butter cream frosting

Mulberry and macarons share a love of pastels

Viktor & Rolf takes the cake with this fanciful dress

Runway images from Style.com

Dessert images from Marthastewartweddings,com and various tumblrs (aka not mine!)

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Take me away to paradise!

One could very easily analyze fashion the way one analyzes language. Connotation, diction, and syntax develop themes the same way visual motifs and connotations exude the inspirations of designers. But the question to be asked is why? In the same way that word choice makes a poem what it is, themes and inspiration make a runway presentation. One only has to read the clothes with a magnifying glass to identify what message the designer is trying to get across.

In the case of spring, very literal motifs of paradise reigned supreme. Palm trees, sunset hues, and marine life all contributed to this tropical vacation feel, but why? I know it sometimes seems excessive to analyze every piece of alliteration or personification that comes our way, but this idea really struck me. And a number of things -the rain, mostly, and the summer nostalgia that accompanies it- brought me back to a question I've been asking myself for the past few weeks: why are designers showcasing so many vacation-inspired looks?

And then Pier Paolo of Valentino said it perfectly: "Fashion is a dream, and in this moment we need dreams."

The world is a mess. I mean, ever since Eve bit that stupid apple it has been, but especially now. And more locally, the world of fashion is more unpredictable than ever. McQueen is gone, couture is plumetting, Galliano is done, and designers are shuffled around houses more than cards in a casino. We really aren't sure who the key fashion players are going to be five years from now. Bloggers and street style stars have become ten times more influential than celebrities in the past few years. Fashion has become more accessible and yet more extravagant all at once.

But here's the thing: we don't have all that much control over the future. We can't get rid of the demons inside someone's soul or stop someone from drinking and saying rude things or even tell celebrities that they seriously need to get stylists if they want to be considered fashion icons. We can only control the clothes we wear and the lives we lead. The uncertainty of these times cannot be changed. But at least we can live our lives like we really are in paradise.

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Va Va VROOM!

And they're off!

Prada brought me back to the drag race scene at the end of Grease, but the season's girl was more of a Sandy sitting on the sidelines than Cha Cha waving her scarf. The looks were sweet and ladylike but standing on the edge of a cliff. Models wore coats that amlost covered their bared midriffs. A sleek, modest blouse and skirt combo came in leather. Candy colored skirts were dipped in fiery flames.

Where Miuccia really killed it, though, was in the to-die-for accessories: shoes with leather cut-out flames on the heels; oversized clutches with cartoon cars; rosette earrings dripping with jewels. As always Prada will be an editor favorite, and I really enjoy that both young and old fashionaphiles alike will be able to rock this collection.

(all images from Style.com)

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Atomic Girl

I've been a longtime loyal reader of KRISATOMIC and so I was so excited to see her coverage of London Fashion Week. She's a really talented artist and photographer and her eye for beautiful images never ceases to amaze me. She really captures the mood, too, and I hope she continues to cover shows and the street style scene because she takes the most amazing pictures.

(images from KRISATOMIC for London Fashion Week)

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