Spring 2012: The Must-Haves

Now that all of the fall fashion weeks have come to a close, I can focus on the season at hand--SPRING!  As temps are rising, so is my excitement about switching up my wardrobe.  Thankfully, there is an enticing crop of new trends to get inspired by.  Here are a few of my Must-Haves for the season:

ACID YELLOW

This vivid color is a long time favorite of mine, so I was delighted to see its appearance on spring runways, from Jason Wu to Proenza Schouler to Oscar de la Renta. I love an acid yellow pop against an all-neutral outfit, or even a head-to-toe fluorescent look (not for the faint of heart).

Oscar de la Renta Spring 2012, 1. Bauble Bar necklace, 2. J. Crew bucket bag, 3. J. Crew tee, 4. Reed Krakoff sandal, 5. Shourouk earrings, 6. Paul Smith belt, 7. Topshop skirt

GRAPHIC BLACK & WHITE

A graphic black and white look always has that strong, pulled-together feel.  These pieces are so cool--part Parisian chic, and part sporty minimalist.  Added bonus:  they mix and match amongst themselves, and with virtually anything else in your wardrobe.
 

Emporio Armani Spring 2012, 1. Topshop Unique dress, 2. Marc by Marc Jacobs wallet, 3. Topshop sweater, 4. Adidas SLVR trench, 5. Fernando Frisoni pants, 6. Diane von Furstenberg Elsa shoes, and 7. Pour la Victoire Milano bag

METAL-TOED SHOES

Now, I'm not talking about steel-toe work boots.  Gleaming metal toe caps accent some of spring's most proper, ladylike shoes.  These beauties graced the runways of Thakoon, Yves Saint Laurent, and most notably, Louis Vuitton.  The cap toe update is the perfect way to take your work pumps to the next level.

Louis Vuitton Spring 2012 pumps, 1. Zara pumps, 2. Michael Kors oxfords, 3. Stuart Weitzman Capsize pumps, and 4. Topshop pumps

PASTELS

For the past several seasons we've seen brights, jewel tones, and neutrals have their moment, but finally this spring, it's time for pastels to take the spotlight. Think mint, lavender, and baby pink--basically, any color that would seem appropriate on an Easter egg.

3.1 Phillip Lim Spring 2012, 1. Equipment blouse, 2. Illeseva sunglasses, 3. Zara jacket and shorts, 4. Kate Spade bag, 5. Block ballet flats, 6. MiH jeans, 7. ASOS bow belt, and 8. B Brian Atwood pumps

THE PEPLUM

One obvious takeaway from the spring shows: this is going to be the Season of the Peplum. EVERYONE was showing peplums on the runway this season, whether it was the ornate couture-level variety at McQueen or sleek and minimalist style at Celine.  This look gives you dramatic definition at the waist.

Celine Spring 2012, 1. J. Crew sateen top, 2. Tibi striped jacket, 3. Marc by Marc Jacobs Hannah dress, 4. Alice + Olivia Carly skirt, 5. Ted Baker Jamthun dress

THE NEW FLORALS

I know, you're thinking, Florals? For spring? Groundbreaking (said dripping with sarcasm, as by Miranda Priestly).  But this year's crop of florals is original, with several fresh spins on the classic spring favorite.  Runways were populated with vintagey wallpaper florals, hawaiian florals, and digitized florals--something for everyone.

Jason Wu Spring 2012, 1. Topshop dress, 2. Topshop bag, 3. Aminaka Wilmont tank, 4. Alice + Olivia Riley skirt, 5. ASOS clutch, 6. Rozae Nichols skirt, and 7. Cynthia Rowley tuxedo jacket 

GET SPORTY

Athletic looks were all over the runways, from wetsuit interpretations, to gowns borrowing varsity detailing.  I loved the bold colors, practical fabrics, and comfort of these pieces.  For a fresh, sporty look this season, inject your wardrobe with mesh, neoprene, and zipper detailing.  

Alexander Wang Spring 2012, 1. VPL bra, 2. Michael Kors chronograph watch, 3. Lisa Marie Fernandez swimsuit, 4. Adidas by Stella McCartney shorts, 5. Alexander Wang sandals, 6. Adidas by Stella McCartney bag, 7. Ash Bowie sneaker, and 8. Karl mesh vest

FANCY PANTS

It is time for your lower half to yet some attention. Whether it's cropped trousers, skinny jeans or wide silky pants, the brighter and more patterned, the better for spring.

Prabal Gurung Spring 2012, 1. Current/Elliott jeans, 2. J. Crew eyelet pants, 3. Michael Michael Kors ikat pants, 4. Earnest Sewn jeans, 5. Rag & Bone palazzo pants, 6. J. Crew floral pants, and 7. Madewell stripe pants

T by Alexander Wang Spring 2012 Campaign

After Alexander Wang's hypnotic campaign video for his Spring 2011 T line (featuring Diplo and model Ashley Smith), I have been eager to see what, if any, videos would follow. He upped the ante this season by featuring South African "Zef rap-rave" group (not completely sure what that means), Die Antwoord, in the T by Alexander Wang campaign. Check it out:

Runway Beauty D.I.Y.: Louis Vuitton Spring 2012

It's been a while since I've done a beauty D.I.Y. post, but I couldn't resist recreating the feminine beauty look on Louis Vuitton's spring runway.  The models' makeup was dewy with a major emphasis on lashes, and hair was coiffed into messy bun/twist hybrids topped off with sparkling headbands.  I have a feeling that the headband is making a comeback this year, as already evidenced by Charlize Theron and Michelle Williams' Golden Globe hairstyles.

HAIR:
The hair was MUCH simpler than I expected.  I prepped my tresses with my new favorite product, Oribe's Dry Texturizing Spray, which built up some volume at the roots and imparted a dry, piecey texture, perfect for the updo.  After several sprays and some teasing at the roots, I finger combed (you don't want to brush out the texture) and pulled my hair to one side, bobby pinning straight up the back to hold it in place.  Then I started my twist, coiling up the base of my head toward the crown, covering up my row of bobby pins.  Instead of leaving the ends to stick out at the top, I wrapped the twist around and back down to the base, and pulled the body of the twist to overlap, leaving some ends to stick out haphazardly.  Then I secured with 3 spin pins--these work wonders!  I added a couple more bobby pins as needed, but left things pretty messy.  To finish off the look, I turned an old rhinestone necklace (from high school prom!) that I found in the back of a drawer into a sparkly headband.  Thank goodness I save weird stuff.

MAKEUP:
The beautiful runway makeup was created by guru Pat McGrath.  The skin was extremely dewy, so I began by using a luminizer all over my face.  I think I overdid it, because my face is looking more oily than dewy in these photos.  I used my usual liquid foundation next, and then went back in with the luminizer over cheekbones, under the brow bone, on the inside corners of my eyes, and at the cupid's bow of my lips.  I used a sheer pinky peach blush on the apples of my cheeks and slightly contoured my cheekbones.  For my eyes, I found that the Dior Rosy Tan palette provided the perfect range of colors.  I used the shimmery beige all over the lids, the darkest brown to contour the socket line, then the lightest pink to highlight the center and inner corner of the lids.  This was followed by a bit of dark brown liner, just on the upper lids.  For the lower lids, I just softly lined with the dark brown eyeshadow.  Next, I applied mascara and pulled out the false eyelashes.  This was my first time applying false eyelashes, so I don't have any real words of wisdom, except to make sure the glue sets up a little before trying to adhere the lashes.  For the Louis Vuitton show, Pat McGrath's team of makeup artists sewed together TEN pairs of false eyelashes for each model.  My lashes look puny in comparison.  I finished off the look with some quick brow grooming, and a little bit of peachy lip gloss.

Spring 2012 Fashion Week: Paris

The carousel at Louis Vuitton

Finally, I've made it to Paris, and therefore, my last recap of the Spring 2012 fashion weeks.  Paris's shows are the ones I wait for with bated breath, the ones I know are going to be game changers.  This season, my favorites were Dries van Noten, Louis Vuitton, and Alexander McQueen (always).

DRIES VAN NOTEN

This collection felt like a breath of fresh air--the perfect spring wardrobe for the modern woman.  Dries van Noten does a fantastic job of mixing varied references with crisp, seamless results.  He masterfully blended together sculptural silhouettes, photo print collages, ruffles, and intricate embroidery, for a uniquely cohesive collection.  A black lace-up motif added another twist to his garments--closing off jackets, adding sex appeal to an open-back shirt, or tying up his sandals.  This is one of those collections that you love the longer you look at it.  Let's just say that I'm head over heels.

LOUIS VUITTON

Marc Jacobs loves to keep us on our toes.  After showing a dark, S&M inspired collection for the fall, he did a complete 180 and presented a girlie, sweet-as-cotton-candy collection for the spring.  The show opened with models perched on a white carousel, and closed with the legendary Kate Moss, making this was one of the hottest tickets of fashion week.  The cloud of soft pastel looks took the form of  frothy dresses and skirt suits, accented with oversized eyelet collars and floral appliques.  Sugar was piled on top with beaded headbands (sometimes tiaras), feather trim, and white parasols.  For the tougher girlie-girl, Marc crafted pastel crocodile biker jackets and chrome-tipped pumps.  Even if you don't have a sweet tooth, this collection's charm is irresistible.

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN

Sarah Burton delivered an exquisite collection worthy of the McQueen name, yet again.  This season, she took inspiration from life under the sea (as did Riccardo Tisci, Karl Lagerfeld and Donatella Versace, to name a few).  Some of her looks took the form of a floating sea anemones, some were ruffled coral clusters, while others were shining mother-of-pearl shells. The lace caps and towering sculptural platform shoes elevated the looks to an otherworldly level.  As always with McQueen, couture-level detailing, such as embroidery, beading, and appliques brought each garment to life.  This is the sort of collection that dreams are made of.

Spring 2012 Fashion Week: Milan

Spring fashion week already seems like a distant memory (especially with the fall 2012 shows quickly approaching), but I am marching onward to cover Milan and Paris.  In Milan, I fell in love with the Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, and Emporio Armani collections.

GUCCI

This season, Frida Giannini outfitted the Gucci woman in flapper-glam dresses and pant suits. The look was strong and sexy (as it must be with Gucci), and ready to hit the town. Art deco patterns adorned everything from dresses to pants, all rendered in a bold palette of emerald, black, white, and gold. The series of shimmering drop-waist dresses were incredibly fun and glamorous--some were fringed for an extra dose of attitude.   If I were in the market for a knockout party dress, this is the collection I would be pulling from.

DOLCE & GABBANA

For their spring collection, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana went back to their Italian roots and channeled a young, sexy Sophia Loren.  They also must have looked to the kitchen for inspiration, because every runway look was adorned with food.  Models wore eggplant and onion printed dresses, bow tie pasta earrings, and pepper and garlic trimmed handbags. If you think that sounds tacky, take a look at the garments--they are luxe, feminine, and glamorous. After a parade of vegetable-print circle skirts and bra tops, the show ended with a series of colorful jeweled corsets.   This was a happy, exuberant collection.

EMPORIO ARMANI

Giorgio Armani's collection for his Emporio Armani line was a departure from most spring shows. Presented in a stark black and white palette, his models marched out as platinum-bobbed clones. They had a polished Parisian air about them, thanks to the white boater hats and boxy handbags. All of the looks were very clean and graphic, with seams and edges defined by contrasting trim. This was a striking collection that was also very wearable--I can picture the separates and suiting fitting well into most women's wardrobes.

Spring 2012 Fashion Week: London

London Fashion Week, like NYFW, left me a bit disappointed with my favorite designers' shows.  Everyone is allowed to have an off season though!  Top trends in London were bold color and prints--how perfect for spring!  It felt like everyone was going wild with patterns, from Mary Katranzou to Burberry.  At the head of the print-crazy London pack were Peter Pilotto and Erdem.  I absolutely LOVED these collections.


ERDEM

Dainty, sweet and feminine, this collection just made me happy to be a girl.  Who can resist delicate florals, embroidery and lace?  Erdem Moralioglu's signature floral print looked like something you would see on an antique china tea set.  As if that wasn't precious enough, the looks were styled with lace boater hats, gloves and a bold red lip, for that enviably chic, French-girl vibe.

Backstage at Erdem

PETER PILOTTO

Peter Pilotto and Christopher de Vos's collection fit in nicely with many other spring 2012 shows' sporty/aquatic theme.  The models were cool surfer girls with gleaming skin and wet hair, wearing intense, brightly colored prints.  Despite the strong athletic detailing--black plastic zippers, racerback dresses, and neoprene--the pieces were very lady-like.  Forties silhouettes emerged in the knee length pencil skirts and peplum-waisted dresses.  The colorful optical illusion prints were not only hypnotizing, but also super slimming.  Fashion forward and flattering?  Sign me up!

Spring 2012 Fashion Week: New York

The spring shows at New York Fashion Week seemed a little lackluster this year.  There were some solid collections, but  my usual go-to designers (Marc, Rodarte, Proenza, Wang) did not knock my socks off.  Fortunately, Victoria Beckham, Thakoon, Jason Wu and Oscar de la Renta pulled through and produced beautiful, memorable spring collections.

VICTORIA BECKHAM

Victoria Beckham's collections are always very polished, but are usually too one-note for my taste.  She always comes back to the slinky-yet-demure dress, with a strong Rouland Mouret vibe.  This season, Beckham really came into her own, with a very on-trend, athletic-wear inspired collection. The trademark sexy dresses were still there--she has a strong celeb clientele that will surely scoop those up. But she also introduced separates--perfectly tailored, boxy silk jackets, over ultra-mini skirts, and leather leggings. The color palette of black, navy, orange with splashes of cream and lavender felt so fresh and sophisticated. Probably my favorite color story of Spring 2012.

THAKOON

Thakoon Panichgul blazes his own trail each season.  His collections usually leave me scratching my head, not because they don't make sense, but because he manages to fuse disparate elements in a way that shouldn't work, but somehow does.  Last season it was the Masai and Rococo, and this season it is the wild West and India. Each model's runway look was truly a vision--bold metallic paisley separates paired with gold-toed cowboy slingbacks, and topped of with a cloud of cotton candy hair. There was beauty in the details as well, from the sari-inspired gold trim to the Western-inspired embroidery. As out-there as the runway presentation was, the separates could easily mix into your average fashionista's wardrobe--hello, statement blouse!

JASON WU

Jason Wu's career skyrocketed to stardom after designing Michele Obama's inauguration gown, but his signature has since been safe, preppy separates and cocktail dresses. His spring collection's separates continued in the same preppy vein, but were punched up with beaded collars, a digital petal print, and exuberant feathers. It was Wu's final gowns, however, that stole the show. His bold chartreuse ball gown was unexpected and jaw-droppingly gorgeous--one of the most memorable dresses of the New York spring shows, in my opinion.

OSCAR DE LA RENTA

You can always count on Oscar de la Renta to bring the old-school couture showmanship at his shows. He opened with a huge golden ball gown topped with a lace tee--a modern and dramatic interpretation of evening wear. I envision SJP rocking this at the Oscars. De la Renta ended with more voluminous dresses, closing with a delicious frothy cream Contessa gown. In between, he presented the usual feminine day dresses and suits, rendered in lace and bouclé. There were a number of strong looks, but no real continuity--his silhouettes and color palette jumped all over the place. But the shoes--oh, the shoes!--were so fabulous that all else was forgiven. Those pink spectator sandals will haunt my dreams come spring!

Fashion Week Eve

I've been so busy with wedding prep, that I haven't even had a chance to properly build up anticipation for one of the most important events of the year, Spring Fashion Week.  It is upon us!!  The shows start Thursday, and regrettably, I will be keeping up with them via the internet instead of at the Lincoln Center.  The good news is that more and more designers are live streaming their shows, so it is all still very exciting!

Here are a few of the New York shows that I will be tuning in for:

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10

5 pm - Alexander Wang http://www.livestream.com/alexanderwang

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11

12 pm - Derek Lam http://www.youtube.com/liverunway

4 pm - Diane von Furstenberg http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2011/09/www.youtube.com/liverunway

6 pm - Thakoon http://www.style.com/live

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13

6 pm - Oscar de la Renta style.com/live

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

8 pm - Proenza Schouler style.com/live

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15

8:30 pm - Marc Jacobs http://live.marcjacobs.com/