Keen On Boys : Elena Miro F/W 08

Now I can't begin to talk about fashion weeks without taking a look at what Elena Miro has to offer. As the sole plus sized company to do a full fledged show during the major fashion weeks (and why is that - Marina Rinaldi and co please step up) its important to see just what they're doing each season. This wasn't my favorite Elena Miro collection ever - some of the styling seemed a little too "office" for my tastes - but there were elements of it that I really loved. This season the overall theme seemed very androgynous and just a little tough - quite different from what were used to seeing for plus sizes. I always feel as though plus sized clothing suffers from an excess of frills and frou frou. I mean seriously how many floaty floral print print empire waist ensembles can feasibly fit into anyones closet? Sometimes you need a harder edge and I really welcome that.

Definite inspiration was being drawn from from Ralph Lauren's tux and tails Spring 08 collection and some of the edgier items had an almost Rag & Bone feel. Everything had a distinct personality - you've got the black fur (hopefully faux) jacket that looks like its been pulled out of Kate Moss' closet, all manner of almost Chrissy Hynde-esque little blazers and ties and of course the right amount of shine. More than wanting exact pieces I found myself getting a inspiration from the elements within the show itself - especially those great sequined accents.





Ok I totally fibbed - I need that sequined blazer in my life. How do you like this collection - love it, hate it, need something in your closet this minute? View the full collection at Style.it

Forget Paris

This is Ali Michael.



Ali was essentially locked out of Paris fashion week due to the fact that her legs were "too fat" after she stopped starving herself and gained 5lbs. She went from opening big shows and being everywhere to being cast for only one show, Yohji Yamamoto.

Miss Michael was last season's model du jour, and she looks wraithlike, with a still-developing body and a 23-inch waist. But this season, after gaining five pounds, Miss Michael was told by casting directors for the runway shows that her legs were too plump, according to her mother, Mary Ann Michael, who travels with her daughter to appointments and shows. And so, after doing a string of major supermodel shows in September, Miss Michael snared only the Yohji Yamamoto show in Paris this time around.

23 inch waist and she's too fat to walk in Paris.

It's hard to imagine Miss Michael, a willowy, 5-foot-9-inch teenager, being told her legs are too fat. Last season, Miss Michael made herself sick keeping her weight down, said her mother. Miss Michael's reward was to be heralded as the next supermodel.

I would say something much more profound and eloquent about this entire situation but I'm actually choking on my rage. Yes, nothing has changed, yes things are just as bad as the have ever been but everything I really want to say is an expletive.

The Clique Five : S/S 08 Collections

The S/S 08 Collections have come and gone with all their hoopla and excitement. We've had plenty of time to review and reflect so its only fair to look back on all that was and see what lessons can be learned. I like to think of the collections as a template for what's coming and while there were a few shows that made me scratch my head (Vuitton, anyone) there is a great deal worth talking about. As such here are my personal top 10 shows this season complete thing things I feel every woman at every size can incorporate into their wardrobes. Ignore the bobblehead models (Natasha Poly, what happened) and focus on the great tips and tricks to be learned from these sartorial flights of fancy.

1. HERMES | COMPLETE COLLECTION

This was the absolute show of the season for me. To be honest I found most of the S/S 08 offering to be a tad boring but this was completely and utterly beautiful. Sure Gaultier has done Indain inspired collections before but I'd say this ranks among his absolute best. Everything from the colors to the exquisite detailing worked for me. Look at those silks! Don't you just want to touch them!



Trend to Try: Layering. The best thing about Hermes this season was the ingenious layering and draping. Its hard to go wrong in that direction when you're being influenced by saris but we can all take a page from the book of Gaultier on this.

2. LANVIN | COMPLETE COLLECTION | VIDEO

Alber Elbaz is my favorite so I'm completely biased but I can't help but think that this was an exceptionally strong collection. Everything was feminine and unfussy not to mention refined. I loved the beautiful ruffles, the satin dresses in those incredible jewel tones and the parade of must have accessories. I love how the heavy charmed necklaces and brooches provide a subtle alternative to bling and the shoes were as decadent as ever.




Trend to Try: Shine. The Lanvin show contained several dresses that were very heavy on the sequins. The effect was lovely and completely non-Vegas showgirl. Sequins can interject a little glamour into an otherwise normal outfit and now is good time to try them especially in these monochromatic combinations.

3. 3.1 PHILIP LIM | COMPLETE COLLECTION

I always love Phillip Lim because the clothes look like things one could really put together themselves. There's never anything so over the top or ridiculous that makes you go huh. Its all just young, wearable, sportswear. I really loved the color pallate this time around The mix of neutrals, neons and metallics was really beautiful. These are just things you want in your closet - a great trench, the perfect cardigan, a couple of choice mini skirts, items every girl can appreciate.



Trend to Try: Brights. Lim highlighted the usual beiges and greys will wild pops of red, yellow and orange. This is another cool way to spice up your outfits and also really inexpensive. It doesn't matter whether your brights come from Target or Barneys, as long as you pair them with nuetral colors they'll look amazing.

4. BURBERRY PRORSUM | COMPLETE COLLECTION | VIDEO

Christopher Bailey called the women that inspired his collection "luxury warriors" and it absolutely shows. From the shield sunglasses (the better to protect you from paparazzi flashes) to the studded almost military coats the models looks ready for battle but in a good way. I love how strong all the clothes were - there was nothing girly or prissy just a lot of hard lines and high heels. Add to this the fact that Bailey touched on every single current trend in one show. Thorough as always.




Trend to Try: Belted. Almost every single outfit at Burberry was secured with a thin studded belt. From the dresses to the coats, even the blouses - everything was paired with some variation of this belt. It just goes to show you how one solid belt purchase is all you need. Go for something unusual and you can pair it with almost anything.

5. VIKTOR & ROLF | COMPLETE COLLECTION | VIDEO

This is my wild card pick. Personally, I loved every minute but I know some people hated it. I thought it was an incredibly romantic and paired down collection especially for Viktor and Rolf. Remember last season? The conveyor belt and the wooden clogs? Yeah, I repress the bad memories too. This on the other hand was just splendid - black, white, pink, loads of adorable little violin appliqués. Just lovely. Completely reminiscent of the harlequins that inspired this collection. I wouldn't advocate a giant violin necklace in every day life but on the runway it was just too dreamy.




Trend to Try: Ruffles. Every other piece V&R sent down the runway had some variation of a ruffle on it. From the subtle detailing at the collar to a full blown ruffled jacket. There is something very delicate and youthful about that sort of detailing and we'll be seeing a lot of it in the near future.

What did you guys love/hate this season? I was quite taken with Nina Ricci and even the much maligned Balenciaga collection. Vuitton didn't do it for me but it was lovely to see a few of my favorite supermodels on the catwalk again.

Elena Miro F/W 07

Elena Miro is back! Another season, another gorgeous collection full of clothes I'd really love to wear. I'm loving the colors they chose for fall, that shock of mustard yellow looks really fresh right now especially when paired with grey and black. The styling/feel of this is very reminiscent of Burberry Prorsum S/S 06, which suits me just fine as Burberry Prorsum is one of the most wearable labels around. It seems the designers at EM are taking a few more risks with this collection: look at the tartan cape-coat (I must find a way to buy this) and sequin mini dresses, very right now but adapted to suit curvier figures. The loose sweater-dress over skinny leggings and chiffon blouses are lovely as well. These are modern clothes and if there is one thing the plus sized fashion market could use its modernity.







What were your favorite looks from Elena Miro? You can view the full collection at The Fashion Spot

Old Gaurd / New Guard : Classic Dressing F/W 07

Clothing for grown ups. What a novel idea!

Across the board this season we are seeing the kind of refined elegant looks that hark back to the nonchalant, ladylike glamour perfected by women like Jacqueline Onasis and Lee Radziwill. Every where you look you there are shades of grey, chic gloves, furs, extended hemlines and other trademarks of classic American sportswear. One might say that after seasons of baby doll frocks and frou frou fashion has finally grown up. Or at the very least realized that no matter how big the youth market is the true spending power lies with the parents.

Of course with every trend or in this case movement, there are different interpretations. On the one hand we have the true master of American gentility, Oscar De La Renta who tweaks and alters his flawless formulas each year to provide us with a visions of perfect taste. And on the other hand we have the new guard led by the king of grunge himself, Marc Jacobs who oscillates wildly from unexpected trend to unexpected trend with a foundation rooted in classic sportswear.

1. Oscar De La Renta
You can't really complain about an Oscar show. Its always gorgeous, his atelier is astounding, the details are ravishing and everything looks just as luxurious as it should. This season was no exception. Everything screamed "polished" it just screamed it. My notes on this collection read Pants = Kate Hepburn, Dresses = Audrey Hepburn and I think that sums it up nicely. These are classic clothes that bring out the star within. There is no gimmick save the idea that you'll look glamorous without ever being fussy. Look how unadorned the styling is. No poufy hair, no bling, no extreme makeup. just some simple gold necklaces and a few clutches. Perfection. There may have been very little in excessive adornment but the details more than made up for it. Fur and sequins were everywhere as well as bold flashes of color like the hot pink jersey dress and royal blue floral print number. Check out the gorgeous detailing on the cowl neckline of gown Vlada is in, I just love how it swoops over her shoulder for that perfect drape and the print itself is so bold, so rich that it practically leaps off the dress. It was unexpected much like the the subtle metallic jacket over the evening gown look that struck me as an almost Ralph Lauren-esque touch, very Hamptons. Both practical and impractical at the same time. Say what you will about his clothing but there is something remarkable about his consistency. Best of all Oscar goes up to size 20 and you know I love that.







2. Marc Jacobs
I love when Marc does classic. As fun as it is to see his technicolor metallic jackets and mod acid toned dresses, there is something much more intriguing (at least to me) about the times when he keeps it simple. My all time favorite Marc moment would have to be his Secretary inspired collection way back in F/W 04. It was everything a collection should be; inspired, innovative, chic and most of all wearable. There wasn't a single piece in that collection I didn't want in my closet. I'm feeling that credit card breaking urge once more with this collection. What's not to love? Once again Marc is taking classic elements; the oxford shoes, dainty cardigans, over the knee skirts and he's making them his own. This time around the ideas are very 1920s/30s I see hints of Chanel (Coco, not Karl) and touches of Art Deco. I love the oversized circles on the leather belts and the dramatic edges on the collars of the shirts. Unique little touches that let you know its Marc. For me the coup de grace was the burgundy cocktail dress on Shalom Harlow. Its like something out a dream; the color, the draping, the gathering it all works And I can't talk about this collection without mentioning the accessories. Who would have ever thought we'd see so many beautiful classic hat shapes again? These are brilliant. As trendy as these hats will no doubt become there is something adorably grandma about them. Each season the MJ team really out does themselves in terms of accessories. Personally, I can't wait to get my hands on the bags. The clutches and shoulder bags are to die for!