Fashion

After a weekend of pounding nor’easter rain, the sun and blue sky are back on-duty. The brighter weather has us thinking of lightening up via pieces like this Opening Ceremony ruffle-front blouse. The gauzy shirting has a carefree hippie spirit but doesn’t go too far down the boho path with a clean covered placket and simple shape. Buy it oversize and pair with tailored denim, chunky clog-inspired heels and a fringed shoulder bag. Opening Ceremony ruffle front blouse, $368 at LaGarconne.com.

Not committed to the clog revival? Well, even if you are on the clog-hopping bandwagon, chances are some offices won’t be too keen with pairing the wood-soled pairs with business casual duds. Meet Alexander Wang’s Trish Loafer Mules. It has a clog feel but with a bit of mannish detail courtesy of traditional loafer tassels. Plus the two-tone, black and white coloring says the right side of rebel (meaning not so in-your-face to make the boss notice) while jazzing up a pair of basic black trousers. Alexander Wang ‘Trish’ loafer mules available at Shopbop.com for $575

If hopping the pond has guys thinking more hot weather climes like Spain or Italy, then soon the boys can skip out on rainy London without forgoing some stylish English threads. Any Old Iron, a new Lower East Side boutique stocking Brit favorites such as Fred Perry, Unconditional and Sir Tom Baker, is scheduled to open this Sunday, March 12. Designer/stylist, Andrew Clancey and arts-entrepreneur, Christopher Melton came up with the idea so hard-to-find UK brands can find a home in New York. As for the shop’s charming moniker, the name is a combination of Clancey’s family scrap metal business, which was founded in 1872, and an Old English music hall song by the same name that talks on young men dandyism. For those that want a sneak peek, the website is already up and running. Otherwise, with the winter weather fading, taking a dandy stroll downtown may also be a fine idea. Continue…

Miu Miu may have been the last show for Paris Fashion Week, but we wanted to end the fall 2010 season with the sorely missed Alexander McQueen. His final looks that he personally cut “on the stand” were an exercise on craft and luxury in its most haute form. The designs were unique- which isn’t what we can say about most of fashion these days — yet McQueen for all his forward-thinking ways never left the female form high and dry. There was always the accented waist and well fitted shoulders. With hints of religion and classical art, McQueen’s last outing was spectacular and his trademark style was especially evident in his closing number: a fantastic coat made of individually gold-leafed feathers. Continue…

After a jaunty tennis outing for spring 2010, Hermes is back. This time around  the classic French brand is thinking tough chic. But rather than the tired sharp shoulders, designer Jean Paul Gaultier was smart to showcase some gorgeous tailoring and plenty of leather, crocodile and furs to keep the chi-chi ladies feeling luxurious. Continue…

Miu Miu has always been Prada’s fun-loving little sister, but in a smart departure from some of the frillier collections of the past, Miuccia Prada toned down the designs this season. The result? Several black numbers that still managed to look insouciant with a bit of swing below the waist.  Continue…

As with every launch, some just get a first crack at the goods. But we’ll excuse the mad-dash scramble for the Liberty of London for Target floral numbers this morning at the VIP preview. The sun is out, the mood is fine and you have Naomi Watts for a shopping host.  We’d say that’s quite the trifecta. Continue…

For fall 2010, Marc Jacobs took Louis Vuitton for a full-skirted ladylike jaunt around the fountain (literally). The materials were rich and beautiful, but many of the hemlines were at that intimidatingly awkward half calf level. Perhaps that’ll translate better once its tweaked for the commercial racks, but in the meantime we’re plenty satisfied with gorgeous evening closers especially well-fitted in taupe on Rosie Huntington-Whitely. Continue…

Isabel Marant’s designs aren’t the type to necessarily wow you with their fantastical qualities, but that’s exactly the point. Marant is a woman of details and includes having her pulse on just exactly what tweaks to throw on denim or colorplay. Check out her fall 2010 runway video here. Continue…

It’s tough to follow up the delicate, detail-oriented genius of Valentino, but after a couple rough season, designers Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli seem to have settled in a bit at the helm. The duo’s designs aren’t exactly reinventing the wheel here, there was plenty of Valentino ruffle and famous red, but the fall 2010 collection was undeniably beautiful to look at with plenty of red carpet stunners to keep the starlets coming. Continue…