Less is More

Celine Spring 2010

Via Style.com, Vogue Magazine published its list of the 10 best collections of Spring 2010. The usual suspects -- Chanel, Balenciaga, Marc Jacobs, Lavin -- were all on the list, along with Rodarte whose post-apocalyptic deconstructed collection looks rather dated to me in this year of teh Pretty. There was also a name I'd never seen on a top-ten list before, Celine, which has in the past been criticized as too safe and commercial. However Celine is now being designed by Phoebe Philo, a great favorite of both Vogue and mine (we're Philophiles!) who produced a minimalist/military collection that I think is a real stand out among all the ruffles, bunches, gathers and general hoo-ha featured in Vogue's other favorite collections.

Celine Spring 2010

Celine Spring 2010

Celine Spring 2010

Celine, Spring 2010

Philo's looks manage to be simple and fashion forward at the same time. I can totally see La Swinton wearing that blue tunic dress over a pair of pants on the red carpet at Cannes.

I also love, love, love the futuristic-by-way-of-ancient-Greece minimalist collection of Osman Yousefzada.

Osman Spring 2010

Osman Spring 2010

Osman Spring 2010

Osman Spring 2010

Osman has lots of the stuff I love -- references to 1960s futurism, goddess dresses, baggy pants and a good dose of WWTSW. However it looks like both he and Phoebe went shopping at the same shoe store where they found new and clunkier versions of those cork-soled platform sandals I wore in the 1970s (which, heaven help us, are still being made!) As much as I want to revisit the simple little shift trend of the 60s, I want to avoid the ankle-threatening platform sandal trend of the 70s. There are some things a person just has to grow out of.

Teh Last of the Pretty

For the time being. Anyhoo, I give you -- Pretty on the Red Carpet! Some of these looks are probably too low-key and pretty to be worn by actual celebrities, but what the heck, I can dream that some starlet out there will decide that she doesn't want to look like either ho or a float in the parade. However, if one of them should have Rose Parade fantasies, I hope she goes as a Marchesa float . . .

Douglas Hannant Spring 2010

Adam Spring 2010

Carlos Miele Spring 2010

Carolina Herrera Spring 2010

Isaac Mizrahi Spring 2010

Naeem Khan Spring 2010

Stephen Burrows Spring 2010

Zac Posen Spring 2010

Marchesa Spring 2010

Marchesa Spring 2010

I wish that bustle-like swag in the back of that blue and white dress by Douglas Hannant was a real bustle, because that poof doesn't entirely make sense floating between the model's butt and knees. Otherwise I love that entire look, messy hair and all. I can imagine the model as some turn-of-the-century party girl, wandering the garden of a debauched robber baron in the moonlight, stoned on laudanum and champagne, right before meeting a fate worse than death. Now, that's a dress!

The gold gown by Naeem Khan shouldn't be worn for real without a full-length lining, but I'm pretty sure that someone will wear it completely unlined. The Stephen Burrows dress is fresh and happy, but I'm equally sure the very convetional fashion police would hate it. The super-sculptural violet Marchesa probably isn't meant to be worn at all, or at least not worn by a mortal woman who sits down, eats, drinks, or wishes to go to the lady's room without the assistance of two maids. It's a fabulous piece of work, though, isn't it?

Pretty in the White House

Jason Wu Spring 2010

Fashion Week Month is over, or almost over, and I've only just peeked at the London, Milan and Paris collections. The designers showing in those cities are still doing edgier looks, which, frankly, look a little five minutes ago to me. Fashionistas been parading around in origami-ed, asymetrical, sheer, crotch-revealing creations for several years now, and it's time for teh pretty everywhere.

Meanwhile, Shelly O has been out and about, with her outfits receiving mixed reviews. I hope she had a personal shopper checking out the New York Spring shows (and if she doesn't have one, I'd like to apply for the job) because there was more than enough First-Lady-ready fashion on the runway. In fact, given all the ladylike pretty the New York designers produced, one could assume they were all auditioning for the role of 21st Century Oleg Cassini. (For you young things, Oleg Cassini was Jackie Kennedy's "official" designer, although I have read that he also served as a cover so that she could wear the French designers she preferred.) Michael Kors Spring 2010, with the exception of the plastic cut-out numbers, would be great for a lady-representative-on-the-go, being so neat and all, not to mention that the shift-dresses are that gentle A-line that looks good on everyone. Brides shopping at Kleinfeld take note.

Here are some of my imaginary personal shopper picks:

Gary Graham Spring 2010

Barbara Tfank Spring 2010

Barbara Tfank Spring 2010

Christian Siriano Spring 2010

Milly Spring 2010

Isaac Mizrahi Spring 2010

Lela Rose Spring 2010

Ralph Rucci Spring 2010

Stephen Burrows Spring 2010

Stephen Burrows Spring 2010

All these looks would work for the modern wife of a President, Prime Minister, Senator, Congressman or King. First of all, these outfits are all quite lady-like (okay, the Milly skirt could use an inch or two or three), and we want our First Ladies to be ladylike, don't we? I mean, consider the alternative, although I think it's inevitable that Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan or one of the Kardasian sisters will become First Lady or a real princess, or worse, in the near future, alas. Second, many of these outfits come with co-ordinating coats or jackets, which both confer dignity and protect the First Lady from undignified drafts. Imagine not only being forced to sit through a lot of boring speaches but being seated beneath an air vent for the duration. Third, none of these outfits is a bright polyester pantsuit, that curse on American political women.

Besides, that Stephen Burrow's pant outfit is to die for, ain't it? That really looks like it was designed for Shelly O. I hope she takes the hint.

As for the rest of those looks, if no political lady wants them, I'll take them.

Pretty in Prints

I love big, splashy, happy prints. In fact, the last dress I bought was done in a huge pink and orange floral print on a bright yellow background that could easily double as hazard flag in a marine emergency, or as an accent pillow in a domestic one. There's a lot to make me happy in the Spring 2010 collections, U.S. and European. In the near future the Fug Girls will probably be accusing a lot of celebrities of dressing like couches, but why should couches have all the fun?

Rochas Spring 2010

Kenzo Spring 2010

Giles Spring 2010

Dries van Noten Spring 2010

Etro Spring 2010

Tracy Reese Spring 2010

DKNY Spring 2010

Dennis Basso Spring 2010

The variety of prints is great, too: Dries van Noten and Kenzo did ethnic looks, designers as diverse as Anna Sui and Rochas, did florals, and there were abstracts all over the place. Even the print haters should find something to love.

As Promised -- Pretty in Pink!

Pink is everywhere on the New York runways this season, and there's a version of pink for everyone.

Tori Burch -- Pink for the Ladies That Lunch

Mulberry -- Pink for the Daughers That Brunch

L'Wren Scott -- Bombshell Pink

Lela Rose -- Working Girl Pink

DKNY -- Cocktail Pink

Devi Kroell -- Pink for the Fashionista

Naeem Kahn -- Uptown Girl Pink

Marc by Marc Jacobs -- Downtown Girl Pink

Zack Posen -- Star Trek Nerd Pink

L'Wren Scott -- Red Carpet Pink

Douglas Hannant -- Goddess Pink

What a nightmare for the Goth girl, eh?

Michael Kors is Neat.

Michael Kors' collections are often (maybe always) vintage inspired, which of course I think is great. He claimed he was thinking about architecture when he designed his Spring 2010 collection, but I see retro-futuristic (okay, architectural) André Courrèges , which makes me a very happy Clothesaholic indeed.

1960s Vintage André Courrèges

Kors showed neat, structured, coats and dresses, simple shapes, lots of white, space-age zippering, cut-outs and top stiching. There were no gowns at all, instead, Kors did separates and short dresses for cocktail and evening. His collection really stood out in a season where teh pretty trend produced lots of soft, ruffled, fluttery clothes, but the clothes were still on trend because they were done in beautiful soft colors.

All Michael Kors Spring 2010

And while we're on the subject of Mr. Kors, I didn't realize how much he contributed to Project Runway until this season, when he's mostly absent. The show needs his taste and acid wit to stay on track, because right now it's an exercise in bland. Producers, hear me!!!