the best of nyfw 2011

I know you have been anxiously awaiting my thoughts on this year's New York Fashion Week. (ha!) Unfortunately, I've been sick with the flu. Normally that would be a great excuse to catch up on blogging/review all the shows, but my head hurt so bad, I couldn't stand to look at any kind of screen for more than 20 minutes. I'm feeling much better and want to procrastinate homework as much as possible, so here are my favorite moments of this year's New York Fashion Week:

1. Jill Stuart. Interesting choice huh? Metallics were such a huge trend this season, and I thought Jill Stuart did it perfectly. She used a really interesting color palette of gold, silver, peachy nudes and then random pops of orange. There was a lot of geometric shapes and cutouts. I got a little bit of a Biba vibe with this collection and 60's babydoll. I don't even know what that means. Um yeah, but I loved it. I will probably dedicate a post to this one. The dress on the left is one of my favorites from the whole week.

2. Marc by Marc Jacobs. Someone made a comment on the livestream that this was a continuation of his SS11 collection, and I couldn't agree more. Marc went with 70's and glamour. Lots of metallics, of course, middle part blowouts and big shades. This was one of the most wearable collections, which makes sense, since it's MbM, and is designed to be more affordable. I loved the rich color palette and the shoes were fabulous as well. I think this was the only NYFW show I was able to catch the livestream of, and it was great. I'm so impressed at how well the industry does keeping customers connected all over the world during Fashion Week.

3. Marc Jacobs. The man can do no wrong. I will admit, this collection took 5 or 6 views before I really got it, but when I did, WOW. Polka dots dominated the show and I can't wait to get my hands on a pair of those tights. Marc Jacobs is the only designer who can incorporate rubber button downs in a show and make it somewhat normal. This collection was almost kinky (?) to me. I don't know what other words to use. Playful with an edge? Isn't that kinky? Whatever.

4. Rodarte. Little House on the Prairie was the obvious inspiration for this collection. Lots of pinafores and Laura Ingalls Wilder-esque dresses and aprons. The wheat print of the second look showed up multiple times in lavender, blue and green. Strangely pretty to me. I found this was one of the most innovative and interesting of all NYFW and I really liked the whimsical feel of it. Plus I love saying 'Rodarte.'

5. Michael Kors. This show marked Mr. Kors' 30th year in the business, and it was a beautiful commemoration. To me, Michael Kors defines American fashion. The only word I can think of to describe Michael Kors is luxe. These clothes are what you imagine celebrities wear on vacation. And they do. Everything is sleek, clean, sexy and so luxurious. I loved all of the fur in this show, and the coat in the second look was my favorite. I am a huge fan of Michael Kors and own a couple pieces from his Michael line. Happy 30 years Mr. Kors, here's to 30 more!

6. Prabal Gurung. Maybe I'll get another tweet mention for this :) Prabal's FW collection was very interesting to me, because it opened with the red number, and transitioned into much softer, romantic pieces like the 2nd look. I thought the red and his other jewel toned party dresses were romantic, in a more severe way. I have a feeling Mr. Gurung is a designer we will only continue hearing more great things from. He dressed Michelle Obama again and Golden Globe nominee Hailee Steinfeld, and I wouldn't be surprised if he gets some nods at the Academy Awards.

7. Carolina Herrera. Such a pretty collection. I was obsessed with the bright blue and burgundy she used. Carolina is such a beautiful woman, and her clothes reflect that. Everything is always so feminine and ladylike. I think Carolina is another great place (after Oscar) to go to for red carpet gowns. The colors in the second look are mesmerizing.

8. Jason Wu. Here we go with the Asian designers. They really are dominating the industry. I loved Jason's use of lace and details in this line. He paired a lot of the black with jewel tones, like the pretty chartreuse skirt in the first look. This line reminded me of the masked ball in Gossip Girl. Everything had a Blair Waldorf feel to it.

9. Peter Som. The first look is very similar to a J. Crew dress I was obsessed with. And look at those shoes! I just noticed them. You see the metallic trend again in this collection. This was a very girly collection, and I didn't include it, but Peter had some gorgeous outerwear in addition to his evening. I love the metallic blue gown.

10. Alexander Wang. Shirring was everywhere in this collection. All of the skirts and leggings and some form of shirring, giving a very streamer-y look to the whole show. Alexander Wang is one of those cult designers that create statement pieces like the studded bottom bag or the perfect sweatshirt, that every name in fashion owns in multiple colors. This season, the statement piece has got to be all things hooded, especially that crazy fur in the first look.

Yay for NYFW! Someday, I will be present, I promise. Stay tuned for highlights from London, Milan and Paris :)

And if you've been living under a rock, listen to The King of Limbs NOW and prepare to be put under Thom Yorke's spell. Check out the "Lotus Flower" video too. Oddly adorable?