Fall 2012 New York Fashion Week Fall 2012 Trends According To... Me

New York Fashion Week has come and gone faster than that time scrunchies almost happened again (and thank Wang they didn't). Now everyone can stop being like "OMG I'M SOOOOOO STRESSSSSEEEED OUT ABOUT FASSSSSSSIHON WEEK" and get back to being like "OMG I'M SOOOOOO STRESSSSSEEEED OUT ABOUT FASSSSSSSIHON." Oh... sweet, sweet first world privilege! Some people have no filtered water or iodine, others simply have no time to get down to Milk and back to Lincoln Center! THE HORROR.

Anyway, a lovely young journalist at Columbia University's Uptown Radio program asked me to do some guest commentary about the top trends and themes at New York Fashion Week this season. (Here's where you can listen to my fashion week commentary.) So, here's a slightly more in-depth look at all of the cool shit that headed down the runways and will be eventually making its way into magazine spreads and, in a more pedestrian way, onto the racks and backs of regular, garden-variety scrubs like you and definitely like me.

+ MENSWEAR: Overall, there was very little cutesy or stock sexiness going on at fashion week. Sure, it's fall, but everyone was uniformly either very covered up, very buttoned up, and very tailored. Basically, we're becoming a nation of austere puritans where women dress like men but also get to be vixen-ish femme fatales at the same time, like at Jason Wu, St. John, Donna Karan, Michael Kors, and Vivienne Tam. Menswear in all of its various gender-bending iterations was all over that runway in a very '40s way with peplum kicks or noir-ish baggy, louche silhouettes.

Jason Wu, Donna Karan, Vivienne Tam

+ METALLICS: Stunning metallics, especially at Badgley Mishcka, where they did '20s-inspired'80s metallics SO so right. Alexandre Herchcovitch's golds glowed. And that luminous, Chrysler Building-inspired silver Michael Kors gown!!

Prubul Gurung, Badgley Mischka, Michael Kors

+ CRAZY COLLARS: Marc Jacobs, Catherine Malandrino, Vivienne Tam, Ohne Titel, Altuzarra, Rachel Roy, Reed Krakoff, Thom Browne and Badgley Mischka all popped crazy collars, from mysterious, exaggerated turtlenecks that impeded models' eyesight, to creations fashioned out of former furry creatures to Anne Boleyn-chic Baroque collars. And speaking of Baroque, that leads me to...

Rachel Roy, Ohne Titel, Vivenne Tam, Reed Krakoff

+ CRAZY COSTUMES: Dramatic, nostalgia costumes ruled at Marc Jacobs (the most dramatic, fanciful show of the season), Norma Kamali, and OH Marchesa!

+ COLOR TRENDS: Elie Tahari's blues are definitely the new black. Ravishing reds ruled at Zac Posen, Thakoon, Charlotte Ronson, Norma Kamali, Monique Lhuillier, Sophie Theallet, Gary Graham, Chris Benz, Donna Karan, L'Wren Scott and Michael Kors. (Guess I'm gonna have to figure out how to wear red. I'm thinking I need red jeans to pair with a peach top.)

Michael Kors, Creatures of the Wind, Monique Lhullier, Norma Kamali

 + CELESTIAL PRINTS: Smoky, psychedelic digital prints at Brood, Nicole Miller, Michael Angel, Cynthia Rowley, Mandy Coon and Calla.

+ TOO-COOL-FOR-SCHOOL GIRL: Creatures Of The Wind (OMG my favorite collection) J. Crew, Marc By Marc Jacobs, Tory Burch (obviously), Betsey Johnson ideated and iterated on prep school-chic.

Marc By Marc Jacobs, Betsey Johnson, Creatures of the Wind, Michael Kors

+ Overall favorite fall 2012 collections: Creatures of the Wind, Michael Kors, St. John, Norma Kamali. (Favorite beauty: Zac Posen, Prabal Gurung, Anna Sui!)

What were your fashion week faves?

* Credit all photos: Style.com

The Year In Beauty: These Are My Favorite Things, Part 5

Without further ado, here's the fifth and final installment of my and Beauty Blogging Junkie Amber's favorite beauty products of 2010. I figured 2011 is as good a time as ever to... post the last post in our series. Which I should've done in 2010, but whatever. I was busy watching "Hoarders" and not making resolutions.

Here are the beauty products we discuss. As you can tell, I veered off course and discussed my seashell shoes and a Marc Jacobs pen that looks like lipstick. Kinda counts, right?

Me: LA Looks Cashmere Curls Gel (the holy GRAIL of curly hair products), Lancome 020 Le Rouge L'Wren Scott Nail Polish (which is highly sold out, unfortunately -- I got the last one in all of Saks), Haus of Price Shoes,  Marc By Marc Jacobs Lipstick Pen, and MOR Cosmetics bath and body products

Amber: Sally Beauty Supply Femme Couture Mascara Set (with glitter mascara!), Beverly Hills Skin Care Advanced Youth Recovery Cream, Philosophy The Supernatural Superbeautiful Foundation SPF 20.

 

This Marc By Marc Jacobs Faux Fur Terry Jacket Is THE BUSINESS

($258, Marc By Marc Jacobs, Nordstrom.com)

You know how EVERYONE is doing faux fur outerwear this fall? Faux fur vests, cropped jackets and stuff? Well I'm kinda "meh" about it. Faux fur's kinda like a laser -- you need to handle it VERY carefully or you could really end up doing some serious damage.

HOWEVER, my coworker Lisa came into work the other day wearing this Marc By Marc Jacobs 'Ridge Loopback' French terry jacket with faux-fur trim. I almost tackled her to the ground in a where'd-you-get-that assault. This jacket is now officially my favorite use of faux fur, since it pairs faux fur with a really unexpected asymmetrical pea coat-style jacket in terry, which is even more unexpected and adorable. It even looked cuter on Lisa than it does on this here model. I suspect it'd look extremely cute on me too. #wants

It's Time For... CAT FASHIONS!

In honor of my cat Sim's untimely demise, here are a bunch of cheery cat clothes and accessories. Yes, I'm a cat person. DEAL WITH IT. I used to try to air on the side of discretion when shopping for or styling myself with cat-related fashion, so as not to look overly young. But at this point, I'm like fuck it.

($78, Marc By Marc Jacobs, Zappos.com)


($35, Marc By Marc Jacobs, Zappos.com)

Love Marc By Marc Jacobs' Fantastical Tale cat rings in brass and black resin. See? Marc Jacobs gets it!

($76, Your Eyes Lie, Topshop)

British upstart Your Eyes Lie makes excellent, photorealistic digital prints -- like this giant cat print dress -- on the softest jersey dresses. They look fantastic with leggings, run large (yay!), and are super layerable.

($13, Asos.com)

Two baby kitties in a heart ring! Ee!

MAC's Fabulous Felines collection is obviously my favorite collection of all time. When I found out they were doing a cat collection, I almost fell out of my chair. Why I wasn't asked to be a consultant on the collection I will never know, but I'll let it slide. This time.

My favorite of the Fabulous Felines are the Leopard Luxe eyeshadow quad. LOOK at that gold! And that muted orange! So autumnal chic.

($36, MACcosmetics.com)


($14.50, MACcosmetics.com)

Love MAC's Cunning very berry lipstick. It's sold out online, so check your local MAC store.

($25, Paul & Joe Beaute, Beautyhabit.com)

It's CAT LIPSTICK! LIPSTICK IN THE SHAPE OF A CAT! I wrote about it for Naag.

($40, Joseph Aaron Segel, Prettysnake.etsy.com)

Designer and RISD professor Joseph Aaron Segel sources vintage sweater and prints cats and sews hilarious, huge stuffed animals eyes onto them! And check out his Pretty Snake acid cat screenprinted t-shirts!

($38, Joyrich, Karmaloop.com)

LOVE Joyrich because they always have comfie, casual, cheeky streetwear. Love Karmaloop because they ALWAYS have promo codes.