1. Burgundy was the #1 color shown by many designers. It is a deep warm red that plays well off of all the black and white shown. Also look for rich blues, and emerald green as runners up.
2. Chunky Sweaters were abundant, whether mixed with something soft and ethereal, or back to clean leather bottoms.
3. Leather sportswear cropped up virtually everywhere, in simple easy cut pants, lean pencil skirts and tops, dresses or jackets of all kinds. A great fitting leather bottom is a must have for the season.
4. Military madness is sweeping the catwalks again, and the military inspired jacket or coat is a key piece.
5. Menswear influences, through classic fabrics and new takes on haberdashery styling permeated the runways.  Mix it up, with new proportions and items.
6. Metallic fabrics, whether in gold or jewel toned colors added an unexpected twist to the looks. Shine in general, through finishes and technical aspects to fabrics are still important.
7. Fur is still gaining momentum with everything from shaggy outerwear, to handbags and even a raccoon tail as an accessory being prominent across designers.
8. Black is the new black, and head to toe winter white was a showstopper.
9. Flower power continues into fall, where the spring trend morphs onto leather, soft fabrics and jacquards.

10. Blanket stripes and patched fabrics add a cozy outdoorsy feel to fashion. 11. Below the knee looks, from skirts to an influx of cropped trousers gave a new proportion to the season.

12. Peplums made a comeback for spring, and are continuing to rule the runways in modern iterations of the vintage silhouette. Some of these items may be sitting in your closet, waiting for a renaissance. Try putting them together in new and exciting ways, and give your current wardrobe an instant upgrade!

Personally, I prefer to think of juggling life in terms of shoes rather than hats.  The past week has been filled with all kinds of interesting activities and below you will see the diversity of my days first hand.

Here is my story, told in footwear:

Saturday night: Fashion show in the tents at Lincoln Center, complete with a backstage interview for a website I contribute to.

Sky-high leopard booties worn with the requisite black clothing:

Sunday: Cycle for Survival, an indoor cycling relay event that raised $8 million for rare cancer research:

Cycling shoes that clip to the bike peddles:

Monday morning: Early a.m. 4 mile run on the treadmill before work.

Asics running shoes:

Typical workday: Editing runway film in the office.

Super high-heeled peep-toe booties with black tights

Catering gig: Baking up a storm in stocking feet, no shoes at all!

Wednesday: Rainy day in New York running to fashion week appointments:

Rubber Wellies with leg warmers and a sequined skirt:

I walk absolutely everywhere! Sometimes, the heels have to go into a bag for the commute.

These Converse Chuck’s are made for walking:

If you are wondering why my next few posts are so eclectic in nature, you might want to walk a mile in my equally eclectic selection of shoes. Coming soon: lots more food, fashion, fitness and family posts for your enjoyment. Have a great weekend!

photos: Spencer Jones / Glasshouse Images

Penguins in New Zealand have been soaked with oil after a container ship ran aground causing what has been described as “the nation’s worst maritime environmental disaster.“

The birds cannot preen themselves in their oil soaked state because their feathers have been contaminated causing a need for protective gear.

Skienz, a local New Zealand knitting shop, put out a call for people to knit sweaters for the penguins, and the response has been overwhelming! While several dozen were requested, over 2000 sweaters were made from people all over the world.

The sweaters must be made from 100% wool to provide warmth for the birds, and are 9″ high and 4″ wide, made to fit the tiny species of “Fairy Penguins” who inhabit the area.

The birds will be cleaned and dressed in the sweaters before being let loose in the salt water pools at the rehabilitation center. As they regain their strength, the salt water will eat away at the wool and destroy the tiny garments. By the time they are strong enough to return to the ocean, their natural protective oils will be restored, and they will be able to survive with just their feathers.

The little sweaters not only protect the penguins, but you have to admit, they look pretty darn cute too!

Feel free to say “awww!“

photo:via Newspix

“I think artistry is in having an insight into what one sees around them. Generally putting things together in a way no one else has before and finding a way to express that to other people who don’t have that insight….” Steve Jobs 1995

Just one day after Steve Jobs passed away, sales at luxury sweater manufacturer St. Croix shot up nearly 100%, with people looking for the iconic black mock turtleneck that he made famous.

A spokesperson for St. Croix said ” We have great respect for everything he did and we are glad he believed in our American made product.”

Apparently, everything he touched really does turn to gold!

Want to be a genius, or just look like one? Check out their website!

Levi’s jeans and New Balance running shoes optional.

Tavi Gevinson, blogger, muse, fashion wunderkind and Illinois high school student, is launching an online magazine format called Rookie.

The site, originally planned as a collaboration with former Sassy Magazine founder Jane Pratt, is launching as a solo effort on Monday, September 5th ( with a little help from some very high profile friends.)

Geared to teenage girls, the magazine will have a monthly theme, and be updated 3 times a day; after school, around dinner time, and at the last “Facebook check“ before bedtime.

We’ll check it out tomorrow and let you know if it meets our “sites we love“ criteria.

In the meantime, check out Tavi’s blog ( featured December 31, 2009 ) Style Rookie for inspiration.

In my day, they were either fluffy pastel colored confections, or Quiana halter dresses (a nasty synthetic fabric that gave polyester it’s bad rap). The boys tended to match their ruffled shirts to the girl’s dress, or in some cases, (horror of all horrors), they selected a coordinating colored tux.

Even then, this went against my fashion instincts. As a high school senior, and a fashionista in training, I knew I would rather skip the party than dress like that. The eternally chic Bianca Jagger was photographed wearing a tuxedo to Studio 54, the disco in New York City where all of the fabulous fashion crowd partied the nights away. An inspiration was born…

I was headed to New York in September to seek my fame and fortune, and attend the Fashion Institute of Technology to study design. What better statement to make in my last days of oblivion in a midwestern high school than to wear “Le Smoking” as Yves St. Laurent called his iconic version of the tuxedo for women.

I set out to rent a suit, but my 5’4” and 95 pound frame did not quite work in a boy’s tuxedo.  Being a budding young designer, I found a women’s black suit, tailored it to fit, and added the satin touches to make it work. Accented with some fierce Lucite wedges, I think I created quite the desired stir on prom night.

Today, as I was trolling the Internet, I was shocked to discover that many young women are being banned from attending their proms if they choose to wear a tuxedo.

Many of the cases featured were lesbians, challenging their rights to equality by choosing to wear what is considered “gender inappropriate” formal wear to the prom. As appalling as this is on a human rights level, it is also abhorrent on a fashion level. Who are these people to dictate sexuality or personal style?

The recent runway shows featured many iterations of women’s tuxedos for the coming fall season. Illustrious designers, from Ralph Lauren to Jason Wu, showed new takes on the look, ranging from the more classic to modern variations of the white dinner jacket. In my opinion, any of these might be a better look than forcing a self conscious young women to stuff into a dress that does not flatter her body, or make her feel comfortable.

Thankfully, several of these cases were brought before the court, and deemed unconstitutional.  The girls will be going to the prom with their same sex dates, and rocking their tuxedos. For the time being, the United States legal system, and the fashion police have prevailed.

Renowned designer Derek Lam, in collaboration with eBay has done just that. Lam recently showed his debut collection of lower priced dresses for Derek Lam + eBay, during New York Fashion week.  The 16 dresses were presented at Lincoln Center in a room with computers where the guests could vote on their favorite designs. The company’s website also offered the public a chance to weigh in.

The top 5 styles were selected to be produced and will be sold on eBay’s site starting May 10.

The dresses range from $175-$295 and range in sizes 0-16.

Check them out at Derek Lam + e Bay

Knitty City, the Upper West Side yarn emporium’s Wednesday evening knitting circle seems like any other. Needles clack, and idle conversation ebbs and flows.  All quite commonplace, until you realize that all of the participants are men.

According to a marketing consultant in the yarn industry, knitting is making a comeback, fueled by young men breaking into the world of fashion, and progressive schools, such as the Waldorf School, who have incorporated it into their curriculum.

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal chronicles the male knitting phenomenon and the men who enjoy it.

The men cite positive effects on neurological development, and the meditative state brought on by the repetitiveness of the craft as the reasons they like to knit.  The social aspect of the Wednesday evening knitting circle, is also a draw, and the satisfaction of creating something practical and wearable is an added benefit.

Knitty City offers a wide range of yarns and needles, as well as classes for beginners and children in addition to their men’s night. Check out their site for more details.

photo: Glasshouse Images

Perhaps I spoke too soon. Today, as I was editing through the last day of Paris Fashion Week, the grand finale of a month’s worth of fashion shows, I noticed a trend.

Sitting along side Prada’s monkeys and bananas, were Miu Miu’s swans, and Marc Jacob’s entry for Louis Vuitton, the suit with the bottom half of a giraffe printed on the back of the pants, and the head and neck printed on the back of the jacket. If that was not enough, he sculpted the heels of the shoes to resemble animal limbs.

Ok, so I have been known to literally swoon over these collections. People joked that my daughter’s first words would be Prada, and I can find a Miu Miu store anywhere in the world merely by an invisable magnetic force that takes me there. But really guys, nobody wants to look like this. I applaud creativity, but let’s face it, this is just bad.

I feel as though they are sitting together right now, having a good chuckle at our expense. Banana skirts and giraffe suits may ring a note of whimsey, but when several THOUSAND dollars are involved, especially during a recession, the joke falls flat.

If you want to entice the customer to buy, give them something they don’t have, but for goodness sakes, give them something they actually want!

photos: Style.com and  New York Magazine

The fashion press were all over themselves about this one. Yes, I am a huge fan of Prada. I have been known to covet pieces from the collections in the past, but this time Muicca, you’ve gone too far. Truly, if anyone else with a bit less power and a lot less pedigree showed this collection we would be laughing, if we bothered to look at it at all.

In the words of celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe, ” It’s bananas! I DIE”

What do you think?

photos: Style.com