A Touch of YSL
Everyone from Marc Jacobs to Jil Sander's Raf Simons riffed on Yves Saint Laurent's oeuvre this season. But the competition didn't seem to scare the guy who inherited the house of YSL six years ago: Stefano Pilati. The proof is in this bold, deeply ruffled peasant dress.
Something White
As we put it during the New York collections, white is the new camel. The smartest way to wear the non-color is a dress, which makes Francisco Costa's Calvin Klein Collection a good place to go first. Minimalism's main man had no less than ten white frocks on his runway.
A Crazy Print
Monkeys at Prada. Citrus fruit at Stella McCartney. It's staring us in the face: Spring is a season of wacky prints. A sartorial gamble? Maybe. But Mary Katrantzou's dresses, with their digital renderings of Architectural Digest interiors, are worth betting the house on.
The New Length
Below-the-knee hems were big news again on the catwalk. On the street? That remains to be seen, but if anyone can convince real women to wear the challenging length, it's Narciso Rodriguez, who turned out one of his freshest collections in seasons.
A Hit of Color
Several designers argued for color; Gucci's Frida Giannini made a convincing case for wearing it in fearless combinations. Emerald blazer, turquoise button-down, and purple pants? Absolutely, but only if you pull it all together with a bronze python belt.
A Shirt Borrowed From the Boys
Among the countless white shirts on the runways (Akris, Viktor & Rolf, etc.), Dries Van Noten's crisp henley gets our nod for its generous proportions. Just add a tuxedo jacket and some swagger.
Sheer, Not Shock
Unless you're the kind of girl who has millions of Little Monsters following you on Twitter, last Spring's innerwear-as-outerwear trend might have been a tough fit with your lifestyle. Perhaps the demure lace dresses at Valentino will be more your thing?
Trouser Jeans
Last season's skinny flares have been replaced by high-waisted, wide-legged trousers. Think you've seen those before? Think again. This time around, stiff cottons have been replaced by easy, fluid fabrics like this flow-y denim at Derek Lam.
A Platform Wedge
What to wear with all the seventies-influenced clothes on the runways? Platform wedges, of course. We saw them at Marc Jacobs and Chanel, but the color-blocked styles at Fendi were our favorites.
An Envelope Bag
One part portfolio, another part briefcase, Celine's oversize envelope clutch has serious It potential. Other than the obvious Phoebe Philo factor, it has another thing going for it—it's just big enough for an iPad.
(style.com)
