Taking on the Trend: Fashion Week, Decoded

Top 10 Trends You Should Be Watching for from New York Fashion Week

So you may or may have not caught us during our wrap-up on Friday's 11AM news last week, but WANT THIS (aka, ME) was counting down the top 5 trends of New York Spring 2010 Fashion Week. Now this might be passe, but we're going to take those of you who may have not have seen us back in time and recap our top 5, no, top 10 Fashion Week finds.


10. NAUTICAL NAUTICAL NAUTICAL...
Who doesn't love that classic Russian Sailor jersey, with a boat-neck and 3/4 sleeves? But Breton stripes are getting some heavy traffic next season while designers look to revamp and reuse this trend. Karen Walker's British spy drama inspired collection mixed seaside casuals with vintage British prep, meaning a lot of airtime for the thin and the thick rugby stripes against white. And Bryan Bradley's Tuleh, with their multitude of mini shows within a show, produced one rare hooded sailor striped tunic, ready to be thrown over a bikini by day and belted and bejeweled by night.

9. ONE FOR THE PEEPING TOM...
We're not shy when it comes to fashion, but the occasional over-shown undergarment may make us blush. No need to be bashful this spring, while New York darlings, Marc Jacobs and Proenza Schouler, embrace the external and exposed brassier... rather, more like a training bra. But exposed nevertheless! Our favorite newcomer, Thuy finished her fab collection with a dangerously sexy burnt sienna dress, complete with front-panel cut-outs and a peeking purple bustier.

8. BOYFRIEND'S BACK, AGAIN...
We've been raiding our boyfriend's closets for several seasons now. Boyfriend jeans, boyfriend blazer... and tweaked menswear galore. So naturally, this season we needed to take it from the boys once again. The classic shirt dress has never gone out of style, but usually only within the bedroom, when we feel the need to have a Holly Golightly style hangover morning. Luckily, Ralph Lauren, who we heard knows a good tailor or two, has walked some seriously striking shirt dresses down his runway this season, paired with shrunken vests and jewels. Vivienne Tam's digital friendly collection also presented a slouchy silk shirt screen printed with butterflies to compliment her new line of HP mini clutches.

7. TIP OF THE ICEBERG....
We got to hang out with the very busy, Pattie Yankee, of Dashing Diva, a New York salon staple, backstage at Lorick, just one of the ridiculously long list of shows she was tending to. Her preppy blue polish on Abigail Lorick's girls popped against the sea of nudes at the likes of L.A.M.B., Badgley Mischka, and Jillian Lewis. Additionally, Sally Hansen paired with the multi-faceted Tracy Reese to create a multi-dimensional polish of her own. Layers of shimmering gold, green, violet and gray reflected her floaty floral and zebra striped citrus colored party dresses. So when you're approaching a chilly shade of your own this time around the manicure chair, it's not fifth grade, it's frigid, and it's very in.

6. THE MINIMALIST DRAPE... So we had such a crush on Rami Kashou's drape-happy designs for Project Runway so our hearts were all aflutter when we saw the cowled collections this season. We weren't all born with the bodies of Angelina Jolie and Megan Fox, but with the help of some clever Grecians, we're able to play with the special effects of shadows and light to create smokin' silhouettes. Brian Reyes had one stunner after another, but our favorite was a body hugging mini dress that used both draped pleats and strategic stripes for totally slimming effect. Diane Von Furstenberg, who we've also praised to the hilt for her ability to design dresses that flatter every woman and her evening gown collection featuring body hugging draping says no different.

5. NEON OVER NEUTRAL...
We're no stranger to an unexpected color combo, but we're thrilled to see it revived again this Spring. Nanette Lepore used this trend to the max this season, featuring one very striking frock that we just fell in love with, meshing a coco brown over hot pink. Palm Beach favorite, Milly, continued the trend, with muted oatmeal paired with tangerine orange. Not the best flavor combination comes to mind, but the dress! Oh it's to die for.

4. PERFECTLY PEPLUM....
Peplum has made a come back over the past few seasons, perhaps it's because it's just another one of those silhouettes that not only flatters but really makes you feel as feminine as possible. Peplum emphasizes that "little in the middle" factor, even if you aren't exactly little in the middle. A flirty flare that hits just below the waistline can be found layered over a pencil skirt or on the hemline of a fitted jacket. We found Christian Siriano, always a favorite of the best suited couture techniques, using his own peplum projects, giving his always sensational collection a definitive feminine curve. Southern Belle turned Park Avenue favorite, Lela Rose, also appealed to the front row former first daughter and personal friend, Jenna Bush, with her peplum sheath dresses in shimmering jewel tones. (Tip: Take your last year's tunics, belt them, and pair with skinny pants or a pencil skirt for a very chic wardrobe redux!)

3. SHEER INTUITION... We (very luckily) got to hang out with Custo Delmau of Custo Barcelona, just 24 hours before his SS10 runway show. He described his collection as his "air show," meaning lots of light airy chiffon with patterns and colors that moved with the models. Even knitwear and sweaters were given a sheer and floating appearance, allowing for as much air and light to penetrate them as possible.

2. PAINT IT STAINED....
We were also lucky enough to chat with Jake Bailey, CoverGirl makeup artist, who just hours later was polishing and primping Katy Perry for the VMAs, at the CVS Luxe Lab. He walked us through some of the newest products to come out by CoverGirl and how we could use drugstore products to create runway replicas. He particularly loved the staining effect that has been sweeping the cosmetics industry - most likely in correlation to the secret desire for most girls attract one of the Twilight boys with a vampy "bitten" look. Sheer washes of berry colors, like Tarte's chubby Cheek Stains at Hayden-Harnett's windblown show or CoverGirl's magic marker tipped Outlast Lipstain, which Bailey recommends, is applied by pressing the tip onto your finger until a small pool of pigment is collected and then dabbing onto your lips for serious vamp appeal.

1. GUESS WHO'S BACK
.... We caught financier-turned-fashion designer, Thuy, a few seasons back at a studio space and we were just thrilled to hear she was showing under the tents once again this year. Her collection, completely wearable and covetable just the same, featured one of our favorite features - the dramatic back. Exposed slanted zippers, paired with scandalous cut-out's stood out against her silk separates. Additionally, Ports 1961, always a glam show, had a heavenly sophisticated theme this year, with intricate origami folds and head-turning bows decorating the tail end of their extremely ethereal collection. 

Remember, follow us on Twitter, check out our NYFW SS10 coverage on YouTube, & look for our last Fashion Week horrah, with a runway ready gift bag contest, featuring Ideeli!

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