And now, for my final fashion week blog post: The 10 best individual looks. You’ve already seen what I’ve loved from the best collections, so get a glimpse of the rest of the beauty that this season has to offer.
#10: Tracy Reese
I love my prom dress, but I think this might be the only dress I would have preferred to wear instead. Pink and girly and sweet, but with some interestingly textured draping on the side. Pair it with the badass shoes, the black lace tights, and the funky necklace, and it goes from sugary sweet to a little bit rock-chic.
#9: Cynthia Steffe
Steffe’s collection was very heavily influenced by the schoolgirl look, and this precious outfit is no exception. I don’t know what I love more – black Mary Janes with socks that go up to those knobbly knees, or this cute little girl’s face paired with the mini leather jacket and matching skirt. It’s so hilariously precious and badass at the same time.
#8: Leanne Marshall
This is easily recognizable as the work of Leanne Marshall, the quiet, mousy, mildly boring winner of the 5th season of Project Runway. I hate everything about this model and the styling of this look, from the awful hair to the clown makeup to the model’s visible lack of experience, bu I cannot stop staring at this dress. Brilliant concept, nicely executed, and so quirky. Subtract the black tights, add a lighter shoe, and put it on a different model, and it’d be a real contender.
#7: Gary Graham
I just find the shape and volume of the dress, coat, and shoes so intriguing. I love the colors of the dress, and I love that it sort of looks like it’s been stuffed with newspapers to give it that voluminous effect. The jacket is fabulous and perfect with the dress, and the shoes look downright dangerous in the best possible way. I like that her eyes are in shadow but the hair and makeup are simple. Overall, a nice surprise from Gary Graham.
#6: Jill Stuart
Anybody who can mix prints and not make the outfit look like it was chosen by a mental patient gets an automatic award from me. These seemingly mismatched prints are stunning together. I love the contrast between the loose-fitting sleeves and the skin-tight dress. I also wish I could pull off those boots. The knit hat is adorable, and this model is wearing the hell out of the whole look.
#5: Vera Wang
This, to me, is another perfect look. Interesting draping, mixing textures and fabrics, shiny and fun without being too youthful, killer jewelry and shoes. I think every starlet under 25 should be wearing this on the red carpet – I know this is what I’m wearing when my guest starring role on Glee gets me nominated for an Emmy. And a Grammy. (Whatever, it could totally happen.) I do hate this model’s slightly-too-vacant stare, and I highly disapprove of the blatant use of Bump-It happening atop her head, but I am salivating over this dress. Nothing’s better than something black and shiny against that perfectly white background.
#4: Diane von Furstenberg
I’ve never seen a designer even attempt to do what Diane mastered with this suit. If it came with a skirt, I think Coco Chanel herself would wear this. That icy grayish purple color of the flowers is so beautiful. This look is just such a breath of fresh air. And check out those little gloves. Too cute.
#3: Herve Leger
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Herve Leger’s collection. His ace bandage dresses are obviously a huge hit, because they make every woman look phenomenal and fit like a glove, but they’re not particularly innovative or interesting on their own, so I wasn’t sure how I was going to enjoy a collection of his work. But Leger showed true innovation and creativity with this look. Futuristic and modern, but not over-the-top. This is the kind of thing Fergie or BeyoncĂ© should wear when they’re singing about the year 3008 or whatever the hell excuse they have for wearing such bizarre outfits. I think the concept, design, and execution of this dress are impeccable, and I think it’s still flattering and wearable. Kudos, Herve.
#2: Badgley Mischka
I don’t have anything to say. It’s simply beautiful.
#1: Irina Shabayeva
Believe me, no one was more surprised than I when something by Irina Shabayeva, the winner of the universally hated 6th season of Project Runway, ended up being one of my favorite looks on the runway. I always hated Irina – I felt that she was overpraised by the designers because she was the only one with even a modicum of talent, but she was still a complete no-talent who would have been destroyed by the top 3 in any other season. It looks like she proved me wrong.
I think I could spend ten minutes doing nothing but staring at this photo. First of all, I love that she kept her model from Project Runway to work with her on this collection, because her model is quite talented, and it’s just so sweet that they stayed together after the show. Furthermore, this feels so McQueen during a season that desperately missed his beautiful influence. The shape of this feels like it’s keeping Alexander McQueen’s legacy alive without stealing from him. And those feathers are so incredibly beautiful, I forget that she’s a woman and not a peacock. In a good way.
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So, you’ve seen the best and worst of it all, my friends. Stay tuned for posts about things having nothing to do with New York fashion week!